Rating the WWWF/WWF/WWE Champions

[Guest Steve J. Rogers]

First the 27 men who have held the heavyweight title, in chronological order:

 

(note, obviously I'm more knowledgeable about Hogan era on so feel free to fill in the blanks also all categories are done during their respective reigns)

 

Buddy Rogers

Best reign N/A

Worst reign N/A

Best opponent: Lou Thesz, Bruno Sammartino

Worst N/A

Best feud n/a

 

Bruno Sammartino

Best Reign first

Worst Reign N/A (both pretty decent)

Best opponent/Worst opponent ? Couldn't tell you

Best Fued: vs Larry Zybzko

 

Pedro Morales

??????

 

Billy Graham

Unfortunatly again ????

 

Bob Backlund

Best Reign 1st

Worst His last reign (of course)

Best opponent Bret Hart (no, seriously I'd take Hart)

Worst Kevin Nash, Iron Sheik

Best Feud Bret Hart

Worst Iron Sheik

 

Iron Sheik

N/A

 

Hulk Hogan

Best Reign 1st

Worst Tie between his 5th WWF title reign and his Undisputed Title reign

Best Opponent: Savage

Worst: Andre

Best Feud: tie, vs DiBiase and vs Savage

Worst: Sid Justice

 

Andre

N/A

 

Randy Savage

Best Reign 1st (correct me if I'm wrong but this may have been the only mid-reign turn in WWF history, I don't count Kurt's as an official turn as he wasn't a face)

Worst 2nd (man he was only champ twice? Wow)

Best opponent Flair

Worst Ultimate Warrior

Best Fued tie vs Flair and vs Hogan

Worst vs Ultimate Warrior

 

Ultimate Warrior

Best/Worst reign N/A

Best Opponent Randy Savage

Worst Opponent ?

Best Feud Rick Rude

Worst Feud Randy Savage

 

Sgt Slaughter

N/A

 

Undertaker

Best Reign Probably his WM 13-Summerslam reign

Worst the Corporate Ministry reign

Best opponent Austin

Worst opponent Faarooq

Best Feud Bret/Shawn

Worst Austin

 

Ric Flair

Best Reign 1st

Worst 2nd

Best opponent Bret Hart

Worst ??

Best Feud Savage

Worst ?? Did he have any other than the Savage one

 

Bret Hart

Best Reign WM 10-Survivor Series

Worst the one day reign Feb 97

Best opponent HBK

Worst Yokozuna

Best feud tie vs HBK and vs Owen

Worst Feud Yokozuna

 

Yokozuna

Best reign 1st

Worst reign 2nd

Best opponent Bret

Worst opponent Luger

Best feud ???

Worst feud Luger

 

Diesel

Best/Worst Reign N/A

Best opponent HBK

Worst opponet Mabel

Best Feud HBK

Worst Feud Mabel

 

Shawn Michaels

Best reign 1st

Worst Raw Title (either that or his second reign)

Best opponet Bret

Worst Sid

Best feud Bret Hart

Worst Ken Shammrock

 

Steve Austin

Best reign 1st

Worst His last one

Best opponent Kurt Angle

Worst Kane

Best Feud vs McMahon

Worst feud vs WWF during Invasion angle

 

Kane

N/A

 

The Rock

Best reign Intrestingly enough he doesn't have many that are "Here is the ball now run with it" reigns that most babyfaces do so the only one that comes close is KOR 2000-No Mercy 2000

Worst Pick a reign between SurSer 98 and WM 99

Best opponent Austin

Worst a green Brock Lesnar

Best Feud Austin

Worst Feud Angle

 

Mankind

Best reign 1st

Worst One day reign

Best opponent Rock

Worst HHH

Best feud Rock

Worst HHH

 

Triple H

Best reign 2nd

Worst Current Raw Title or his first

Best Opponent Kurt Angle

Worst Big Show

Best Feud tie between Cactus Jack and Rock

Worst Feud Big Show

 

Vince McMahon

N/A

 

Big Show

Best reign N/A

Worst Tie for both of his reigns

Best opponent Kurt Angle

Worst Big Bossman

Best Feud vs Brock Lesnar

Worst vs Bossman

 

Kurt Angle

Best Reign Sadly, his current one

Worst His first

Best opponent Austin

Worst Big Show

Best Feud Lesnar (seems like his only multi-month feud)

Worst Rock

 

Chris Jericho

Best/Worst reigns N/A

Best opponent Austin

Worst HHH

Best Feud Austin (not saying much, like Angle wasn't taken seriously at all)

Worst HHH

 

Brock Lesnar

Best/Worst reigns N/A

Best opponent Rocky

Worst Big Show

Best Feud N/A

Worst Undertaker

[Guest treble charged]

Couple things:

 

-Hogan's 5th reign, IMO, was his worst, as he was never there. He just seemed to win the title and go home, cutting canned promos every once in a while.

 

-You may be able to count Lesnar as having a mid-reign turn, as well, but you could make the argument that he didn't fully turn until after he lost the belt. Maybe even Austin, too, in the summer of '01.

 

-Yoko's best reign was his first? The one where he kept if for about 2 minutes?

 

-IMO, Austin's worst title run was his post WM-15 run. He lost it 2 months later, and never did much of anything with it. His last run as champ had some entertaining stuff and some great matches with Angle.

 

-HHH's best reign was probably his 3rd. That's after he beat Big Show and went on to feud with Foley and Rock and have awesome matches.

 

-Big Show's first run was much worse for him than his second. His first run he was feuding with mid-carders, for the most part, but he was at the top of the card for his most recent one.

 

-Angle 1st run was much better than his 2nd one, which lasted only 2 weeks and no one cared about him.

 

-Jericho's best opponent was probably Rock, in my mind. Him and Austin never seemed to work well together.

 

-As for Lesnar, I think that feuding with Undertaker probably helped him, since it planted the seeds for his face turn. His Big Show feud was also pretty good, but it ended up the worst way possible.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Guest Steve J. Rogers]

-Hogan's 5th reign, IMO, was his worst, as he was never there.  He just seemed to win the title and go home, cutting canned promos every once in a while.

 

I had a tie between this and his Undisputed Regin for that reason. Maybe it should be worse because it was longer.

 

-You may be able to count Lesnar as having a mid-reign turn, as well, but you could make the argument that he didn't fully turn until after he lost the belt.  Maybe even Austin, too, in the summer of '01.

True but like I said he did the turn after dropping the strap

 

I can't count Austin because he turned heel the night he won and I don't count "swerves" as turns like the whole Invasion swerve

 

Actually Austin's last one counts as he turned face the night after Survivor Series (I guess thats why I don't like that run)

 

-Yoko's best reign was his first?  The one where he kept if for about 2 minutes?

 

Well I was being sarcastic

 

-IMO, Austin's worst title run was his post WM-15 run.  He lost it 2 months later, and never did much of anything with it.  His last run as champ had some entertaining stuff and some great matches with Angle.

 

True, Or maybe the one after that.  Just beat the Undertaker after KOR yet never really defended it (injuries were starting to take their toll) and had to have a Three Way just to drop it

-HHH's best reign was probably his 3rd. That's after he beat Big Show and went on to feud with Foley and Rock and have awesome matches.

Thats the one I meant!  D'OH!

-Big Show's first run was much worse for him than his second. His first run he was feuding with mid-carders, for the most part, but he was at the top of the card for his most recent one.

 

-Angle 1st run was much better than his 2nd one, which lasted only 2 weeks and no one cared about him.

 

-Jericho's best opponent was probably Rock, in my mind. Him and Austin never seemed to work well together.

 

-As for Lesnar, I think that feuding with Undertaker probably helped him, since it planted the seeds for his face turn. His Big Show feud was also pretty good, but it ended up the worst way possible.

 

 

All true, but thats why arguments are great

 

Steve

[Guest Plushy Al Logan]

I timed Yoko's title reign, it was exactly 127 seconds.

[MooreMark 0]

Yoko's best feud was with Undertaker. Though the matches weren't great it was very suspenceful.

[Guest papacita]

I'd say Austin's forth reign (post-KOTR to SummerSlam 99) was his worst. By then, he was beginning to become stale as a face, and IMO his character was just spinning its wheels.

[cawthon777 0]

Bruno Sammartino

Best Reign first

Worst Reign His second if I had to pick

Best opponent/Worst opponent: the list included Killer Kowalski, Baron Mikel Scicluna, George Steele, Ivan Koloff, Stan Hansen, Superstar Billy Graham, Bruiser Brody, Ernie Ladd, Gorilla Monsoon, Waldo Von Erich, Freddie Blassie, etc

Best Fued: Zbyzsko wasn't a rival when Bruno had the belt; I'd say his most consistant rival was George Steele (much like Flair / Sting of the 80s-90s)

 

Pedro Morales

Opponents: Bruno Sammartino (Shea Stadium), George Steele, Stan Stasiak, Freddie Blassie, Prof. Tanaka, Chuck O'Conner (Big John Studd)

 

Billy Graham

Opponents: Bruno Sammartino, Harley Race (Orange Bowl), Dusty Rhodes, Mil Mascaras, Chief Jay Strongbow, Bob Backlund, Gorilla Monsoon, Larry Zbyzsko

 

Bob Backlund

Best Reign 1st

Worst His last reign (of course)

Opponents: Jimmy Snuka, Don Muraco (had several 60-minute draws around the circuit), Superstar Billy Graham, Ric Flair, Harley Race, Nick Bockwinkel, Antonio Inoki, George Steele, Greg Valentine, Pat Patterson, Big John Studd, Ken Patera, Peter Miavia, Ernie Ladd, Stan Hansen, Sgt. Slaughter, the Wild Samoans

 

Iron Sheik

Opponents: Chief Jay Strongbow, Bob Backlund, Salvatore Bellomo, Pat Patterson, Tito Santana

[cawthon777 0]

Hulk Hogan

Best Reign 1st

Worst Tie between his 5th WWF title reign and his Undisputed Title reign

Best Opponent: Savage

Worst: Andre

Best Feud: tie, vs DiBiase and vs Savage

Worst: Sid Justice

 

Randy Savage

Best Reign 1st (correct me if I'm wrong but this may have been the only mid-reign turn in WWF history, I don't count Kurt's as an official turn as he wasn't a face)

Worst 2nd (man he was only champ twice? Wow)

Best opponent Flair

Worst Ultimate Warrior

Best Fued tie vs Flair and vs Hogan

Worst vs Ultimate Warrior

 

Ultimate Warrior

Best/Worst reign N/A

Best Opponent Randy Savage

Worst Opponent ?

Best Feud Rick Rude

Worst Feud Randy Savage

 

Sgt Slaughter

N/A

 

Undertaker

Best Reign Probably his WM 13-Summerslam reign

Worst the Corporate Ministry reign

Best opponent Austin

Worst opponent Faarooq

Best Feud Bret/Shawn

Worst Austin

 

Ric Flair

Best Reign 1st

Worst 2nd

Best opponent Bret Hart

Worst ??

Best Feud Savage

Worst ?? Did he have any other than the Savage one

 

Bret Hart

Best Reign WM 10-Survivor Series

Worst the one day reign Feb 97

Best opponent HBK

Worst Yokozuna

Best feud tie vs HBK and vs Owen

Worst Feud Yokozuna

 

Yokozuna

Best reign 1st

Worst reign 2nd

Best opponent Bret

Worst opponent Luger

Best feud ???

Worst feud Luger

 

Diesel

Best/Worst Reign N/A

Best opponent HBK

Worst opponet Mabel

Best Feud HBK

Worst Feud Mabel

 

Shawn Michaels

Best reign 1st

Worst Raw Title (either that or his second reign)

Best opponet Bret

Worst Sid

Best feud Bret Hart

Worst Ken Shammrock

More info till 97:

 

Hogan didn't feud with Sid as champ ... I'd pick guys like Killer Khan, Kamala, etc as worst opponent over Andre ... the feud with Andre made the WWF a hell of a lot more mainstream and a hell of a lot of money so from that standpoint, it might be considered the best.

 

Opponents for Savage's 1st and 2nd reign: Bad News Brown, Dibiase, Warrior (during both reigns), Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair. His Summer Slam 92 rivalry with Warrior was pretty decent - don't know if I'd label it as his worst. Maybe the one with Bad News Brown or the Twin Towers.

 

Opponents for Warrior: Savage, Slaughter, Rude, Perfect ... wow, that's not much. I'd have to go with Savage as the best feud - even though the payoff didn't occur until after Warrior had lost the belt.

 

Opponents for Slaughter: Warrior (cage matches), Duggan ... I came across one match with Jake Roberts.

 

Undertaker: Worst reign would have to be his 1st. He only defended it against the Bulldog in those 6 days. Opponents: Sid, Bulldog, Bret, Austin, Farooq, Mankind, (didn't have title defenses against HBK), Vader, Big Show, the Rock, Triple H, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Hulk Hogan

 

Ric Flair opponents: Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, the Undertaker, Bret Hart. He had a pretty good rivalry with Piper which led to cage matches following both men winning titles at the 92 Rumble.

 

Bret Hart opponents: Virgil, Bezerker, Rick Martel, the Mountie, Papa Shango, Randy Savage, Owen Hart, Yokozuna, Lex Luger (prior to WM 9), Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair (Ironman matches), 1-2-3 Kid, Jim Neidhart, the Undertaker, Diesel, the British Bulldog, Triple H, Goldust, Psycho Sid, the Patriot, Vader, Farooq, Bob Backlund. I'd say his worst championship feud was with Neidhart.

 

Yoko opponents: Mr. Perfect, Razor Ramon, Lex Luger, the Undertaker, Jim Duggan, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Randy Savage.

 

Diesel opponents: Shawn Michaels, Mabel, Sid, Jeff Jarrett, Owen Hart, the British Bulldog, Yokozuna, Bret Hart, King Kong Bundy, Bam Bam Bigelow.

 

Shawn Michaels opponents: Goldust, Vader, Mankind, Bret Hart, Sid, Justin Bradshaw, Triple H, Diesel, Jerry Lawler, Steve Austin (1st and last reign), Ken Shamrock, the British Bulldog

[Guest alkeiper]

You left out four others who have held the WWE title.....

 

Ivan Koloff

-Defeated Bruno Sammartino, lost the belt three weeks later to Pedro Morales. Both changes occured at MSG.

 

Stan Stasiak

-Generally considered the worst worker to hold the title. Reign lasted 10 days.

 

Antonio Inoki

-Won and lost to Bob Backlund on a tour of Japan. Reign lasted a week.

 

Sid

-Two reigns. Won and lost to Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series and Royal Rumble. Second reign saw Sid defeat Bret Hart in a cage match and lose to the Undertaker at Wrestlemania.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Bruno Sammartino

Best Reign- first 8 year reign

Worst Reign N/A (both pretty decent)

Best opponent/Worst opponent - Larry ZYbizko

Best Fued: vs "Superstar" Billy Graham

 

Billy Graham

Beat Reign - The one where he defeated Sammartino to win title

Worst Reign - all good

best opponent/worst opponent - Bruno - anybody when he had the Karate gimmick

Best Feud - Bruno Sammartino

 

Bob Backlund

Best Reign 1st

Worst His last reign (of course)

Best opponent - Antonio Inoki

Worst Kevin Nash, Iron Sheik

Best Feud Bret Hart

Worst Iron Sheik

 

Iron Sheik

Best Reign - his only one

Worst Reign - his only one

Best Opponent - Hulk Hogan

Worst Opponent - Bob Backlund

Best Feud - Hogan

Worst Feud - Backlund

 

Hulk Hogan

Best Reign 1st WWF

Worst Reign - anyone in WCW

Best Opponent: Andre

Worst: Kevin Sullivan

Best Feud: Andre

Worst: Ric Flair

 

Andre

Best Reign - WWF Tag Titles with Haku

Worst - Botched win over Hogan in which he gave the title to DiBiase

Best Opponent - Hogan

Worst - Killer Khan

Best Feud - Hogan

Worst - Jake Roberts

 

Randy Savage

Best Reign 1st WWF World

Worst 2nd - Any in WCW

Best opponent - Ric Flair

Worst - George Steele

Best Fued - Jake Roberts

Worst - Razor Ramon

 

Ultimate Warrior

Best/Worst reign 1st Intercontinental /WWF World

Best Opponent-Hogan(WWF)

Worst Opponent - Hogan(WCW)

Best Feud - Hogan(WWF)

Worst Feud - Hogan (WCW)

 

 

Undertaker

Best Reign Probably his WM 13-Summerslam reign

Worst the Corporate Ministry reign

Best opponent- Mankind

Worst opponent Austin

Best Feud - Mankind

Worst - Austin

 

Ric Flair

Best Reign 1st in NWA

Worst - WWF

Best opponent - Ricky Steamboat

Worst - The Giant

Best Feud - Steamboat

Worst - Hogan (WWF)

 

Bret Hart

Best Reign WM 10

Worst the one day reign Feb 97

Best opponent HBK

Worst - Goldberg

Best feud - BK and vs Owen

Worst Feud - Patriot

 

Yokozuna

Best reign 2nd

Worst reign 1st

Best opponent Bret

Worst opponent Luger

Best feud - Bret hart

Worst feud - Hogan

 

Diesel

Best/ - 1st WWF TITLE

Worst Reign - Last WCW title

Best opponent HBK

Worst opponet Mabel

Best Feud HBK

Worst Feud Mabel

 

Shawn Michaels

Best reign 1st WWF

Worst - Last Intercontinental

Best opponet Bret

Worst - Tatanka

Best feud Bret Hart

Worst Ken Shammrock

 

Steve Austin

Best reign 1st

Worst - WCW TV when he lost it to Duggan

Best opponent Bret Hart

Worst - undertaker

Best Feud - Bret Hart

Worst feud vs WWF during Invasion angle

 

Kane

Best Reign - WWF Tag champ with x-Pac

Worst - 1 day title run.

[cawthon777 0]

You left out four others who have held the WWE title.....

 

Ivan Koloff

-Defeated Bruno Sammartino, lost the belt three weeks later to Pedro Morales. Both changes occured at MSG.

 

Stan Stasiak

-Generally considered the worst worker to hold the title. Reign lasted 10 days.

 

Antonio Inoki

-Won and lost to Bob Backlund on a tour of Japan. Reign lasted a week.

 

Sid

-Two reigns. Won and lost to Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series and Royal Rumble. Second reign saw Sid defeat Bret Hart in a cage match and lose to the Undertaker at Wrestlemania.

Those were left off with good reason. Aside from Sid, the champs only had one or two title defenses.

 

Sid - challengers: Sultan, Bret, HBK, Mankind, Taker

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

I'll start with Hogan.

 

Hulk Hogan

Best Reign: 1st

Worst: 5th

Best Opponent: Randy Savage

Worst: Zeus

Best Feud: Andre & Dibiase from 1988

Worst: Zeus

 

Andre the Giant wasn't champ long enough to answer any of these

 

Randy Savage

Best Reign: 1st

Worst: 2nd

Best Opponent: Ted Dibiase

Worst: Ultimate Warrior

Best Feud: Ric Flair

Worst: Twin Towers

 

Ultimate Warrior

Best Opponent: Rick Rude

Worst: Sgt. Slaughter

Best Feud: Rick Rude

Worst: Demolition (w/ LOD)

 

Sgt. Slaughter

Best Opponent: Hulk Hogan

Worst: Ultimate Warrior

Best Feud: Hulk Hogan

Worst: Ultimate Warrior

 

Undertaker

Best Reign: 2nd

Worst: 1st

Best Opponent: Bret Hart

Worst: HHH

Best Feud: Mankind

Worst: HHH

 

Ric Flair

Best Reign: 1st

Worst: 2nd

Best Opponent: Randy Savage

Worst: Sid Justice

Best Feud: Randy Savage

Worst: Bret Hart

 

Bret Hart

Best Reign: 2nd

Worst: 4th

Best Opponent: Owen Hart

Worst: Yokozuna

Best Feud: Owen Hart

Worst: Patriot

 

Yokozuna

Best Reign: 2nd

Worst: 1st

Best Opponent: Lex Luger

Worst: Hulk Hogan

Best Feud: Lex Luger

Worst: Undertaker

 

Bob Backlund's big reigns were before my time

 

Diesel

Best Opponent: Bret Hart

Worst: Mabel

Best Feud: Shawn Michaels

Worst: Mabel

 

Shawn Michaels

Best Reign: 1st

Worst: 2nd

Best Opponent: Mankind

Worst: HHH

Best Feud: British Bulldog

Worst: Ken Shamrock

 

Sid

Best Reign: 2nd

Worst: 1st

Best Opponent: Bret Hart

Worst: Undertaker

Best Feud: Sid didn't really have much in the way of feuds as champ, he just sort of fought whoever was available at the time

Worst: Ditto

 

Steve Austin

Best Reign: 5th

Worst: 3rd

Best Opponent: Kurt Angle

Worst: Kane

Best Feud: Vince McMahon

Worst: Kane

 

Kane's reign was too short

 

Rock

Best Reign: 5th

Worst: 2nd

Best Opponent: Chris Benoit

Worst: Undertaker

Best Feud: Mankind

Worst: Steve Austin from 2001

 

Mankind

Best Reign: 1st

Worst: 3rd

Best Opponent: Rock

Worst: HHH

Best Feud: Rock

Worst: HHH

 

HHH

Best Reign: 3rd

Worst: Undisputed Title

Best Opponent: Cactus Jack

Worst: Scott Steiner

Best Feud: Cactus Jack

Worst: Hulk Hogan

 

Vince's reign was too short

 

Big Show

Best Reign: 2nd

Worst: 1st

Best Opponent: Kurt Angle

Worst: Bossman

Best Feud: Brock Lesnar

Worst: Bossman

 

Kurt Angle

Best Reign: 3rd

Worst: 2nd

Best Opponent: Chris Benoit

Worst: Shane McMahon

Best Feud: The Rock

Worst: HHH

 

Chris Jericho

Best Opponent: The Rock

Worst: HHH

Best Feud: The Rock

Worst: HHH

 

Brock Lesnar (Just using his first)

Best Opponent: Undertaker

Worst: Big Show

Best Feud: Big Show

Worst: Undertaker