The Longest Gaps Between WWE Championship Reigns

The WWE Championship is the holy grail that every wrestler aspires to win when they walk through the doors of WWE. It’s the biggest prize in the business, and the title has a rich lineage, with a plethora of major names etching their names in the history books by winning it. However, winning the championship is one thing, but regaining it has proven to be troublesome for some former champions.

Some former WWE Champions slip down the card after their WWE Championship reign comes to a halt, and it can take a while to get back into the main event scene. However, some former WWE Champions may leave WWE, which is another reason why there is a long gap between their runs as WWE Champions. Nevertheless, patience has paid off for some WWE Champions who thought they’d never reach the promised land again by getting another WWE Championship reign years after their previous reign.

10

Sheamus

Days Between 2nd And 3rd WWE Championship Reigns: 1,890 Days

Sheamus won the WWE Championship twice during the first year of his WWE career, and both of his WWE Championship reigns were at John Cena’s expense. However, Sheamus’ second WWE Championship reign was ended by Randy Orton at Night of Champions 2010 in a six-pack elimination challenge. The Celtic Warrior won the World Heavyweight Championship in 2012 from Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds at WrestleMania 28.

However, Sheamus waited over five years to win the WWE Championship for a third time. He won the 2015 Money in the Bank ladder match, and he successfully cashed in his briefcase on Roman Reigns at Survivor Series 2015. Sheamus’ third WWE Championship run lasted a little over three weeks, including a successful title defense against Reigns in a TLC match. Ultimately, he dropped the title back to Reigns on an episode of Raw.

9

The Undertaker

Days Between 1st And 2nd WWE Championship Reigns: 1,937 Days

The Undertaker became the youngest WWE Champion in history at 26 years old when he dethroned Hulk Hogan for the championship at Survivor Series 1991. The Deadman’s WWE Championship reign wasn’t long for this world as he dropped the title back to Hogan just six days later at This Tuesday in Texas.

Undertaker had several chances to recapture the WWE Championship, but he couldn’t get the job done. Finally, a little over five years after his maiden WWE Championship reign, The Undertaker defeated Sycho Sid in the main event of WrestleMania 13 to win the WWE Championship for the second time in his career.

8

Triple H

Days Between 5th And 6th WWE Championship Reigns: 1,995 Days

Triple H had the perfect start to 2002 when he returned from his eight-month quadriceps injury layoff and went on to win the Royal Rumble match. The Game converted his Rumble win into the WWE Championship by seeing off Chris Jericho in an underwhelming main event at WrestleMania 18. The Cerebral Assassin’s five-week WWE Championship came to a halt by Hulk Hogan at Backlash 2002. Furthermore, Triple H had a stranglehold on the World Heavyweight Championship over the next three years.

At No Mercy 2007, The Game defeated Randy Orton for the WWE Championship, ending his two-year drought for a world championship, and his five-year drought holding the WWE Championship was over. His title reign was one of the shortest WWE Championship reigns in history as he dropped the title back to Orton in a Last Man Standing match.

7

Roman Reigns

Days Between 3rd And 4th WWE Championship Reigns: 2,114 Days

A third WWE Championship reign came Roman Reigns’ way when he defeated Triple H for the title in a poor main event at WrestleMania 32. Reigns’ two-month WWE Championship reign featured some solid title defenses against AJ Styles, but Reigns’ championship reign was curtailed by his former tag team partner Seth Rollins at Money in the Bank 2016.

Reigns was in the middle of a record-breaking WWE Universal Championship reign when he challenged Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in a title unification match at WrestleMania 38. The Tribal Chief dethroned Lesnar for the WWE Championship to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. Ironically, Reigns’ fourth WWE Championship victory was six years to the day of his third WWE Championship win, at the AT&T Stadium in both instances!

6

Triple H

Days Between 8th And 9th WWE Championship Reigns: 2,464 Days

Randy Orton ended Triple H’s eighth WWE Championship reign in a unique six-man tag team match at Backlash 2009. The Cerebral Assassin’s days of winning the WWE Championship again looked to be over as he wrestled sporadically from 2010-2016. Nevertheless, The Game entered the 2016 Royal Rumble match for Roman Reigns’ WWE Championship from the favorable 30th position.

Triple H eliminated Reigns and the Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose to become a 14-time WWE world champion. Triple H’s victory saw him become the second man, after Ric Flair, to win the WWE Championship in a Royal Rumble match. Triple H’s ninth and final WWE Championship reign before retirement lasted 70 days, dropping the title back to Reigns at WrestleMania 32.

5

Hulk Hogan

Days Between 5th And 6th WWE Championship Reigns: 3,234 Days

Hulk Hogan’s fifth WWE Championship reign was curtailed by Yokozuna at King of the Ring 1993, and Hogan’s run to WWE came to a halt as he joined WCW. Furthermore, the Hulkster rejoined WWE almost nine years after his last appearance at No Way Out 2002 as a heel and member of the nWo.

Hogan and The Rock tore the house down at WrestleMania 18, and Hogan turned babyface once again. Ultimately, Hogan was back in the world title picture, and he dethroned Triple H for his sixth WWE Championship. Hogan’s WWE Championship reign fell flat, and once again, The Undertaker was responsible for ending one of Hogan’s WWE Title reigns at Judgment Day 2002.

4

The Miz

Days Between 1st And 2nd WWE Championship Reigns: 3,584 Days

The Miz’s first WWE Championship reign lasted just six months, dropping the title to John Cena at Extreme Rules 2011 in a triple threat steel cage match, and Miz’s former tag team partner John Morrison was also featured. Nevertheless, it looked highly unlikely that the Awesome One was going to win the WWE Championship again as he was featured in the Intercontinental Title and Tag Team Championship picture.

Miz found an opening when he defeated Otis at Hell in a Cell 2020 for Otis’ Money in the Bank briefcase. Four months later, Miz won the WWE Championship for a second time after he defeated Drew McIntyre at Elimination Chamber 2021 by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract. It was Miz’s first WWE Championship reign in almost a decade.

3

The Rock

Days Between 7th And 8th WWE Championship Reigns: 3,808 Days

The Rock’s time as a full-time competitor in WWE came to an end in 2002 as Hollywood came calling to take Rock away from professional wrestling into the acting world. Rock’s then-record-breaking seventh WWE Championship reign was curtailed by Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, and The Great One was booed by the fans.

Rock announced on the special 1,000th edition of Raw on July 23, 2012, that he’d be challenging for the WWE Championship at the 2013 Royal Rumble. CM Punk was the reigning WWE Champion, and Rock dethroned the Second City Saint for the WWE Championship at the titular event. Rock’s first WWE Championship reign in over 10 years resulted in Rock holding the title until WrestleMania 29, where he lost the title to John Cena in a rematch from the previous year’s Wrestlemania.

2

Brock Lesnar

Days Between 3rd And 4th WWE Championship Reigns: 3,836 Days

2004 saw Brock Lesnar’s WWE career come to a halt as he focused on other sports outside of professional wrestling. Nevertheless, Lesnar’s third WWE Championship reign was ended by Eddie Guerrero at No Way Out 2004, and he received a chorus of boos when he lost to Goldberg in an underwhelming match at WrestleMania 20.

Lesnar returned to WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania 28 in 2012, and he had an outstanding 2014. He ended The Undertaker’s unbeaten WrestleMania 21-0 streak. Months later, The Beast Incarnate decimated John Cena in a devastating performance at SummerSlam 2014 to become a four-time WWE Champion.

1

Bob Backlund

Days Between 1st And 2nd WWE Championship Reigns: 3,985 Days

Bob Backlund surprisingly returned to WWE in 1992 for the first time in eight years. Backlund had held the WWE Championship for five years which is the second longest WWE Title reign in history. His championship reign was ended by The Iron Sheik on Boxing Day in 1983.

Backlund was far past his prime in 1994, but he faced Bret Hart for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series. Backlund prevailed in what was one of the most shocking title changes in WWE history. Backlund was a transitional WWE Champion with his first WWE Championship reign in almost 11 years ending three days later at the hands of Diesel.