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Kofi Kingston holds the distinction of being the first African-born WWE Champion in the belt's 56-year history.
The New Day member first joined the WWE roster way back in 2008. After briefly flirting with the main event scene in late 2009, Kingston became firmly entrenched as a WWE mid-carder in the subsequent decade, becoming one of the company's most popular and successful undercard acts.
However, after 11 years loyal service, Kingston finally got his opportunity at the headline level in early 2019, when he was booked to face WWE champion Daniel Bryan in a title bout at WrestleMania 35.
Kingston was not the original choice to challenge WWE champion Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania as that spot was supposed to go to Kevin Owens. However, when Kingston got over with the WWE Universe, the company was forced to re-evaluate and insert the former Intercontinental, United States and Tag Team Champion into the title match instead.
In the best bout on the card, Kingston dethroned Bryan to win his first World Championship. In an unforgettable moment, Kingston celebrated with his New Day brothers and his family, including his children, inside the ring post-match.
However, any prospects of Kingston becoming a full-time main-eventer appeared to be torpedoed when he did not change or update his character one iota after his title win. Everything about Kingston still screamed mid-carder and his reign did not electrify in conflicts with other career mid-carders such as Dolph Ziggler and Samoa Joe.
His title reign was terminated in less than ten seconds by perennial world champion Brock Lesnar. Kingston never received a rematch nor did he ever reference his loss on television. Back with the New Day, it is almost as if the title reign never happened with Kingston firmly back in the mid-card ranks.
It seems a long shot to believe that Kingston could ever regain the WWE Championship again.
This slideshow completes my long journey through every title reign in the WWE Championship's long and storied history (at least until there are more new title reigns to warrant a further slideshow), bringing the title up to date with current, reigning, defending, undisputed WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar.
All the previous parts in my series can be found here: Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14, part 15, part 16. part 17, part 18, part 19 and part 20.
Randy Orton (April 2, 2017 - May 21, 2017)
Randy Orton's relationship with the WWE Championship had ended with his defeat to Daniel Bryan in the main event of WrestleMania XXX on April 6, 2014.
He rarely featured in the title scene in the three years since, until he surprisingly won the 2017 Royal Rumble match.
That victory (his second 'Rumble win) allowed him to challenge for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33.
RKO had feuded with WWE Champion, Bray Wyatt in the autumn and subsequently aligned himself with the cult leader. The WWE Championship reignited their on/off conflict.
Orton successfully lifted his ninth championship in a disappointing title bout best remembered for maggots being projected onto the ring canvas.
The Orton/Wyatt feud underwhelmed and WWE decided to give RKO a fresh opponent in the opening card act, Jinder Mahal at Backlash on May 21, 2017.
After only six weeks as champion, nobody expected Orton to drop the strap so soon. However, in a colossal shocker, The Viper dropped the belt to The Modern Day Maharaja and failed to regain the belt in rematches.
Orton has not been considered for another title run since. However, after re-signing with WWE for an additional five years on November 6, 2019, there is every chance, he could add title No.10 to his resume.
Orton is one of WWE's longest serving superstars in the current setup and is a bonafide future Hall of Famer. With his arch nemesis John Cena out of the wrestling setup for quite a while, Orton's chances of winning championship gold are much higher.
Jinder Mahal (May 21, 2017 - November 7, 2017)
Is Jinder Mahal the most undeserving WWE Champion of all time? There is a strong argument for that cause, certainly.
Although the title wins of The Iron Sheik, Sgt Slaughter, JBL and Sheamus all came out of nowhere, without the usual build-up of creative support, those aforementioned gentleman had all either had long careers or a degree of mid-card success before they won the big one. Mahal, in contrast, went from opening card act to World Champion overnight.
Mahal's title win was essentially the same as Koko B Ware winning the strap in 1990, Savio Vega in 1995 or Crash Holly in 2000. Impossible to imagine. What makes Mahal's win even more unbelievable is that Ware, Vega and Holly were moreover in their respective eras than Mahal was in May 2017.
His win over nine-time WWE champion Randy Orton at Backlash 2017 was a colossal shocker.
To his credit, Mahal, did improve on the microphone and inside the ring, during his six-month reign, which featured successful defenses over Orton, Baron Corbin and Shinsuke Nakamura.
Mahal's run as champion was finally ended by AJ Styles in a superheated bout on the November 7 episode of SmackDown held in Manchester, England.
After his title loss, Mahal slid back down the card. He briefly reigned as United States Champion in 2018, before disappearing as a regular on television. He is currently sidelined with a serious knee injury.
It remains to be seen whether Mahal can ever replicate his 2017 success.
One of the major reasons for Mahal's elevation was WWE's live event scheduled in India. They wanted Mahal to be the face of the company during this episode and hence booked him as their top guy.
Mahal joined fellow 3MB member Drew McIntyre as the top champion in the business. Quite an upgrade for the faction that was once mainly jobbing to other talents not long ago.
AJ Styles (November 7, 2017 - November 13, 2018)
AJ Styles as WWE Champion was an unusual sight to be sure. To see the figurehead of WWE's long-time rival, TNA, as the company's top star back in 2016 was something that most onlookers never expected to see.
Coupled with the fact that he is from the South, which as most know is a turn off to WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon and does not fit the mould of traditional WWE main eventer, for Styles to win the belt once was an unbridled achievement. To win it twice, was nothing short of miraculous.
Not only did Styles defeat Jinder Mahal to win a second WWE Championship, he held onto that title for over a year.
His win over Mahal was the first-time ever that the belt had changed hands in England and kicked off a superlative title run between the ropes.
Although his title defences with Shinsuke Nakamura could not hold a candle to their earlier New Japan bouts, his subsequent defences against the likes of Rusev, Samoa Joe and Daniel Bryan was memorable.
His lengthy reign was finally terminated on SmackDown by the "New" Daniel Bryan in another superlative encounter.
At 42 years old, it is unlikely Styles will win the top title in WWE again, but his contributions to the belt have been immense.
Daniel Bryan (November 13, 2018 - April 7, 2019)
Everyone believed Danel Bryan's career was over when he formally retired on the February 8, 2016 episode of RAW. But two years later, Bryan was cleared for an in-ring return.
Bryan was initially programmed in mid-card feuds with the likes of Big Cass, before he shockingly turned heel on the November 13, 2018 episode of SmackDown in his title-winning effort against AJ Styles.
Bryan low blowed Styles to end The Phenomenal One's year-long title reign. Bryan was WWE Champion for the fourth time. This title run was by far the longest World title reign of Bryan's WWE career, clocking in at five months.
The "New" Bryan introduced a new title made from entirely sustainable materials and binned the traditional leather version. Bryan's environmentally friendly promos continued as he trashed the fans for their consumerism ways.
Bryan's title reign saw him clash with Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, in a champion versus champion match at Survivor Series. From there, Bryan defended the belt against Styles in worthy rematches as well as Kevin Owens.
Bryan's run as champion ended at WrestleMania 35 when he lost to Kofi Kingston in a superb bout.
The American Dragon has not been in contention for the WWE Championship since. He then turned his attention to Roman Reign's universal title.
Kofi Kingston (April 7, 2019 - October 4, 2019)
Kofi Kingston became the first African born WWE Champion in the company's 56-year history at WrestleMania 35 when he defeated WWE Champion, Daniel Bryan to lift the strap for the first time.
Kingston was not the original choice for the 'Mania spot. That was supposed to go to Kevin Owens, who had newly returned from injury. Kingston was meant to be a filler challenger for Bryan earlier in 'Mania season.
However, after Kingston outshined Owens on SmackDown and was visibly the more popular of the two performers. The New Day member got the nod for the WrestleMania title match instead and dethroned Bryan in an instant classic, which was by far the best thing on the 'Mania card.
From there, it was reasonable to expect that Kingston would quietly distance himself from his New Day brothers, update his ring gear and wrestle as a serious headliner. That did not happen and as such, the WWE Heavyweight strap felt like a mid-card belt in Kingston's possession.
Kingston's title defences against Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe and Randy Orton were all well worth the effort but the belt did not elevate him and he did not improve the worth of the championship either.
It was numbingly predictable that Kingston would drop the belt to Brock Lesnar as soon as that bout was announced. However, what was surprising was that the match lasted a paltry nine seconds.
That contest encapsulated Kingston's title reign in a nutshell.
Kingston has dropped out of title contention completely. Don't expect the talented Ghanaian to regain the gold again in future unless there is a change in his persona.
Brock Lesnar (October 4, 2019 - March 26, 202)
Brock Lesnar challenged Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship on the debut episode of SmackDown on Fox on October 4, 2019.
Kingston had beaten all challengers during his six-month reign and hopes were high for an entertaining main event battle.
However, it was not to be. Lesnar took just nine seconds to win his fifth WWE Championship and eighth World title in the company.
Lesnar's joy was short-lived however, as he was immediately confronted by Cain Velasquez, the man who ended his UFC Heavyweight Championship reign at UFC 121, nine years earlier.
Velasquez took Lesnar down with the ground and pound before the new champion retreated. The much-hyped Lesnar/Velasquez showdown took place at Crown Jewel on October 31, 2019. Lesnar won a MMA style bout in just two minutes. Velasquez's buddy, Rey Mysterio, immediately began pounding the champion after the bell with vicious chair shots.
In order to show Mysterio his rightful place, Lesnar squared off against the 'ultimate underdog' in a no-holds barred match at Surviror Series retaining the title.
Lesnar then went on to feud with Drew McIntyre for the strap and lost to the Scotsman at Wrestlemania 36.
