The WWE World Championship belt is regarded as the greatest accolade in professional wrestling. This title has had multiple name and design changes over the last 62 years. It has been referred to as the WWE Championship, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and the Undisputed Championship, but it has always been the highest honor in the organization. Since there have only ever been 69 winners of this title, many well-known wrestlers were left off the list.
These wrestlers never took home WWE’s top title, despite their widespread fame and accomplishments.
Let’s discover which legendary figures deserved to be on this list but were never able to win the WWE World Championship due to historical circumstances.
1. Dusty Rhodes
“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes is considered one of wrestling’s greatest superstars. He won the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship three times while primarily competing in the NWA and its territory promotions. He never had the opportunity to display his full potential during his 1989–1991 WWE career. WWE gave him the nickname “Yellow Dots,” and he only made it to the middle of the card. The company never thought he was good enough for a world title, even though he was popular.
2. Terry Funk
Terry Funk is regarded as one of the most extreme performers in the history of professional wrestling. During his nearly 50-year career, he had great success in Japan, the NWA, WCW, and ECW. But his time in WWE was brief. Due to schedule fatigue, he left after just one year of his 1985 debut. In 1997, he made a second appearance, but at 52, he was unable to secure a spot in the world title picture.
3. Paul Orndorff
“Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff was previously a part of the main event of WrestleMania and was considered one of Hulk Hogan’s biggest enemies. He was a top WWE star in the 1980s, but there was no reason to give the world title to anyone else during Hogan’s era. Hogan’s long title run lasted from 1984 to 1988, while Orndorff was struggling with injuries.
4. Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper is considered one of the greatest heels in WWE history. He achieved immense popularity during his 12-year stay in WWE. He won the Intercontinental Title, but never the World Title. By the time the Hogan era ended, Piper was nearly 20 years old, and the company began pushing new faces like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels to the top.
5. Jerry Lawler
“The King” Jerry Lawler is mostly remembered from the commentary table, but he is a significant figure in wrestling. He won multiple world titles in the AWA, CWA, and USWA. After joining WWE in 1992, he spent most of his time on commentary. In the ring, he feuded with names like Bret Hart and Jack Roberts, but was never included in the world title race.
6. Bam Bam Bigelow
Bam Bam Bigelow is considered the most athletic heavyweight wrestler in WWE history. He had two runs in WWE in the 80s and 90s. He faced Lawrence Taylor in the main event of WrestleMania 11, but after that, his career was confined to the mid-card. In 1995, he left the company and worked in ECW and WCW, but never won the WWE World Title.
7. ‘Mr. Perfect’ Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig was a former AWA World Champion, and when he joined WWE, everyone believed he would become World Champion. He won the Intercontinental Title twice and delivered impressive matches. However, repeated injuries stalled his career. He returned from retirement several times, but by then, his prime was over. He passed away in 2003, leaving his dream of becoming WWE Champion unfulfilled.
8. Owen Hart
Owen Hart is considered one of the best technical wrestlers in WWE history. He engaged in a tremendous feud against his brother, Bret Hart, in 1994, which is still considered a classic. Despite winning the Intercontinental and Tag Team titles, he was never crowned World Champion. His career ended in 1999 when he was killed in an entry accident.
9. Sting
Sting was one of WCW’s biggest names, and his identity remains deeply associated with it. He won world titles in several companies but arrived in WWE very late. He faced off against Seth Rollins for the world title in 2015, but his WWE career was cut short when he sustained a serious injury in the match.
10. Rikishi
Rikishi, a member of the Anoa’i family, was involved in storylines with WWE’s top stars in the 2000s. He won the Intercontinental and Tag Team titles and made headlines with a storyline involving a car run over Stone Cold. But he was never crowned World Champion.
11. William Regal
One of British wrestling’s most respected names, William Regal was highly respected in WWE. After winning King of the Ring in 2008, he was set for a World Title run, but his suspension changed the course of his career. He was never brought back into the main event picture.
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