Every WWE Champion Ever, Ranked by Number of Reigns

Pro-wrestling championship belts change hands like grapplers change ring gear these days, though it wasn’t always that way. Bobby Lashley is again WWE Champion, thanks to a little outside interference from Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman at the 2022 WWE Royal Rumble.

After a Brock Lesnar F-5 K.O.-ed the referee on Saturday, Jan. 29, Reigns ran in with a devastating spear. He then demanded the WWE Championship belt from Heyman, who obliged. The title itself delivered the final blow to Brock. All Lashley had to do was muster a cover.

Scroll through our gallery to see every WWE Champion ever, ranked by their number(s) of title wins. Remember: this is a list of those who won the WWWF Championship, the WWF Championship or the WWE Championship. So don’t come after us, Universal Champions, et al.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Kofi Kingston
# of Reigns: 1

The power of positivity.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Jeff Hardy
# of Reigns: 1

The un-“Broken” half of the Hardy Boyz has had the more storied singles career.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Bray Wyatt
# of Reigns: 1

The Fiend used to go by “Husky Harris” — we’d say this run is working out better for him.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Sgt. Slaughter
# of Reigns: 1

Camel Clutch, Cobra Clutch — whatever “C”-animal it was, it hurt.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Dean Ambrose
# of Reigns: 1

And “The Lunatic Fringe” pulled this off while wearing jeans.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Chris Jericho
# of Reigns: 1

You’re a “stupid idiot” if you didn’t know this guy made “The List.”

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Eddie Guerrero
# of Reigns: 1

Generally considered one of the best ever to have done it held the big-boy belt for 133 days.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Jinder Mahal
# of Reigns: 1

The “Modern-Day Maharaja” dropped the title to A.J. Styles.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: John “Bradshaw” Layfield
# of Reigns: 1

JBL has taken his heel persona from the ring to the announce table. Never without a cowboy hat, Layfield thankfully leaves his lariat clothesline at home.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: The Ultimate Warrior
# of Reigns: 1

The muscle-bound maniac who handed Hulk Hogan his first-ever “WrestleMania” loss died after suffering a heart attack three days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: “Superstar” Billy Graham
# of Reigns: 1

“Superstar” Billy Graham was a bodybuilder and buddy of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yeah, blame Graham’s body for Jinder Mahal’s run.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Kevin Nash
# of Reigns: 1

You mean Tarzan from “Magic Mike”?!?!? Yes, yes we do.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Pedro Morales
# of Reigns: 1

History lesson: Back in the WWWF days, Morales became the first guy in wrestling history to win all three of the major men’s titles — the WWF Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and the WWF Tag Team Championship — in the company.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: André the Giant
# of Reigns: 1

The tales about André the Giant sometimes feel as tall as he was.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: The Iron Sheik
# of Reigns: 1

This guy is as big a hit on Twitter as he was in the ring.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Kane
# of Reigns: 1

You wouldn’t know it by looking at him, but Kane, now mayor of Knox County in Tennessee, is one of the smartest Superstars in WWE history.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Rey Mysterio
# of Reigns: 1

We’re not going to talk about how ridiculous the setup to his finishing move, “The 6-1-9,” became. This is a happy list.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Stan Stasiak
# of Reigns: 1

Unfortunately Stasiak only held the belt for nine days.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Rob Van Dam
# of Reigns: 1

One of the most popular ECW wrestlers of all-time, RVD has brought his three initials to seemingly every pro-wrestling promotion with three initials.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Ivan Koloff
# of Reigns: 1

The “Russian Bear” was actually Canadian.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Buddy Rogers
# of Reigns: 1

Rogers was kinda-sorta the first champion in the company. It’s complicated — ask Killer Kowalski and Bruno Sammartino.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Vince McMahon
# of Reigns: 1

Hell, Mr. McMahon runs the damn company — of course he made this list.

Rank: 32 (tie)
Wrestler: Big E
# of Reigns: 1

Big E has had a big career — both as a singles performer and a member of The New Day.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: The Miz
# of Reigns: 2

The kid from “The Real World” made good on his over-the-top MTV promos. One of the best on the mic, Miz has been holding down the Intercontinental Championship more than any other Superstar of the past few years.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Drew McIntyre
# of Reigns: 2

Scottish Psychopath joined the WWE Champions’ and two-timers club all in 2020.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Batista
# of Reigns: 2

Guardian of the Galaxy, defender of WWE Championship.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: The Big Show
# of Reigns: 2

You can’t miss this two-time champ — not even in a mega-arena.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: A.J. Styles
# of Reigns: 2

“The Phenomenal One” held the belt for 371-straight days, which is a record for a “SmackDown” wrestler.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Alberto Del Rio
# of Reigns: 2

Si! Si! Si! Si! Si! Si! Si!

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Sycho Sid
# of Reigns: 2

It was a long way down from Shawn Michaels’ former bodyguard’s power-bomb.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair
# of Reigns: 2

If you haven’t watched ESPN’s “30 for 30: Nature Boy,” do that. Oh, and look up Flair’s ridiculous NWA runs too.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Sheamus
# of Reigns: 2

Master of the Brogue Kick, Rocksteady in the “Ninja Turtles” movies — which is the greater accomplishment?

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Seth Rollins
# of Reigns: 2

He’s BURN(ed) IT DOWN more than once.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Yokozuna
# of Reigns: 2

That belt needed a few extenders to fit around the sumo.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: CM Punk
# of Reigns: 2

Let’s just say he was a little less successful in the UFC — but maybe an AEW run?

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Randy “Macho Man” Savage
# of Reigns: 2

Before he snapped into Slim Jims, the “Macho Man” was snapping dudes in half.

Rank: 16 (tie)
Wrestler: Bob Backlund
# of Reigns: 2

Backlund couldn’t “Make Darren Young Great Again” — or even keep the guy employed — but the master of the cross-face chicken wing had a pretty incredible career of his own.