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The WWE Championship is one of the highest distinctions a WWE Superstar can hold during their run. In the promotion’s long and colorful history, it has crowned deserving pro-wrestlers and most of them stayed on top of the hill for a long time.
However, there have been title reigns that were shockingly cut short and which are forever etched in the promotion’s annals. The reigns didn’t even last a day and were quickly snagged from the holders even before the fact that they had won sank in.
Here are five WWE Superstars (and legends) that have the shortest championship reigns ever.
#5. Ezekiel Jackson
ECW was hailed as WWE’s third brand at the time it was acquired by the latter in 2006. It didn’t last that long, though, and was officially discontinued in February of 2010.
During its final episode, former WWE Superstar Ezekiel Jackson was pitted against fellow superstar Christian in an Extreme Rules match for the ECW Championship. While the two were at it inside the ring, Jackson got a little bit of help from both William Regal and Zach Ryder, and managed to eventually turn the tide of the match in his favor.
Jackson captured the ECW Champion but, as mentioned, the brand was calling it quits at the time and his reign as an ECW/WWE Champion only lasted for two minutes and 25 seconds.
One might argue that he is still the champion of the aforementioned WWE brand as he was the last to win the title before it was discontinued. That would effectively make him one of the longest-reigning champions of sports entertainment. However, the brand has been defunct for over a decade unless Triple H goes on to recommission it.
#4. Yokozuna
Yokozuna’s strength and size made him one of the most feared WWE champions of his time. Despite his dominating presence, the Hall of Famer also had one of the shortest championship reigns within the promotion.
This happened at WrestleMania 9 where he faced another legend, Bret Hart who was the current champion at the time. Hart initially gained the upper hand until Yokozuna’s manager, Mr. Fuji, blinded him with some salt to cost him the WWE belt.
Hulk Hogan came rushing in and immediately challenged the newly crowned Yokozuna. He accepted but got a taste of his own medicine as he caught a second salt throw from Mr. Fuji that was intended for The Hulkster. His reign lasted for two minutes and nine seconds.
#3. Seth Rollins
The Visionary of WWE, Seth Rollins, also had a very brief WWE Championship reign.
It was during the 2016 Money in the Bank where Roman Reigns defended the WWE Championship against Rollins. The latter was successful in beating Reigns and becoming the WWE Champion yet again. The thing is, Dean Ambrose had won the Money in the Bank briefcase prior to their match. As soon as his entrance music hit, fans knew that another WWE Championship match was about to unfold.
Ambrose used the MITB briefcase to deliver a cheap shot to Rollins from behind before cashing it in and pinning the new champ for the 1-2-3. Reign length: a minute and 59 seconds.
#2. Big Show
In 2011, WWE Superstars Big Show, Daniel Bryan, and Mark Henry were entangled in a feud for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The World’s Strongest Man was the one holding the belt when he defended the title against the World’s Largest Athlete during that year’s TLC event. After an intense battle between the two behemoths, The Big Show was declared the new champion.
Henry, being the sore loser that he is, hit Big Show's leg with a chair shot before executing a DDT. The Big Show was knocked out cold. Daniel Bryan, who had the MITB briefcase at the time, cashed it in and immediately pinned the downed giant for the win. Big Show’s WWE Championship reign lasted for a minute and 54 seconds.
#1 Andre the Giant's short, controversial, and bizarre WWE Championship reign
Andre the Giant sure did live up to his ring name as one of the biggest WWE Superstars to have ever stepped inside the squared circle. He also holds the record for the shortest WWE Championship reign in history of only a minute and 48 seconds.
During an episode of WWE’s The Main Event in 1988, the match between then-WWE Champion Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant ended in controversy. Earl Hebner, the referee whom Ted DiBiase had allegedly bought off, did a questionable three-count in favor of Giant, effectively making him the new champion.
In a bizarre twist, Giant then announced that he would be selling the WWE Championship to DiBiase. Like The Million Dollar Man used to say in his heyday, everyone has a price.
