Since 1975, the United States Championship maintained its presence under Jim Crockett Promotions before WWE formed. WWE obtained the US championship through the acquisition of WCW during its 2001 buyout, unlike most championships in WWE today.
WWE reactivated the US Championship in 2003 after a short unification period with the Intercontinental Championship, which made it a constant mid-card title throughout. The company has used the title across its history to develop wrestlers who would go on to become future champions. The United States Championship history grew stronger with names like Eddie Guerrero, Ric Flair, and Booker T.
Throughout the last 15 years, the title was associated with 39 different names. Many WWE superstars representing different styles have won the WWE US Championship title. Let’s conduct an extensive evaluation of every United States Champion in WWE from 2010 to 2025.
39. Bret Hart
Bret Hart was the WWE US Champion from May 17 to May 24, 2010, for seven days only. He defeated The Miz to get the title on WWE Raw in a no-disqualification, no-countout match. However, he vacated the title when he became the General Manager of Raw.
During his short US Championship period, Hart received some recognition in the late stage of his pro wrestling career that restricted his movement and agility.
The Miz suffered a squash defeat from Bret Hart at a time when his career was ascending, which resulted in him relinquishing the title shortly after its acquisition. The title run primarily served as a nostalgic tribute instead of a memorable reign.
38. Bobby Roode
Bobby Roode defeated Jinder Mahal in January 2018 to win the United States title. He defended it against Mojo Rawley at Royal Rumble 2018 Kickoff and against Rusev at weekly SmackDown. His 54-day reign ended when Randy Orton defeated him at Fastlane 2018.
However, under generic babyface booking during his run, Roode missed an opportunity to build on the character development that had previously made him successful in NXT. Although managed decently, his championship run failed to produce memorable storylines alongside the character progression needed for steady success on the main event shows.
37. Andrade
Andrade’s run began with defeating Rey Mysterio at the WWE Live House Show at MSG in December 2019. He then defended it against him twice. His next title defenses include names like Humberto Carrillo and Apollo Crews. Andrade lost the title to Crews after 151 days on Raw.
Andrade started his US Championship run with hopeful opportunities because of his exceptional in-ring style. But his career lost traction because of injuries and declining creative interest.
36. Randy Orton
Randy Orton‘s US title reign lasted for 28 days. He defeated Bobby Roode in Fastlane 2018 and lost to Jinder Mahal in a Fatal Four Way match along with Roode and Rusev at WrestleMania 34. It seemed like Orton received the United States Championship during a stage of his career when he just had one accolade left to achieve.
During his championship run, Orton took part in a few memorable programs and rivalries, making his title run seem insignificant compared to his overall wrestling history. The United States Championship did not effectively contribute toward improving the title’s prestige or adding to his legendary status.
35. Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal became the United States Champion when he defeated Bobby Roode, Randy Orton, and Rusev at WrestleMania 34, only to lose it eight days later to Jeff Hardy.
This achievement by Mahal at WrestleMania 34 had to deal with a severe blow to the “Rusev Day” fandom since fans wanted Rusev to enjoy the success of his organic popularity. The brief tenure of Mahal’s championship failed to develop what had been a main event-quality push despite his sudden elevation to the top.
34. Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio is a 3-time WWE US champion. He first won the title when he defeated Samoa Joe at Money In The Bank 2019, but he relinquished it because of a shoulder injury and a controversial decision. His 31-day second title reign began when he took the title away from AJ Styles. He went on to defend it against him and Seth Rollins and lost it to Andrade in a WWE Live House Show.
Mysterio’s third reign lasted for 85 days. He won the title from Austin Theory, defended it against him at Payback 2023 and Santos Escobar at SmackDown, and lost it to Logan Paul at Crown Jewel 2023.
Mysterio ended up losing his championship run because of unlucky occurrences and unfavorable timing. Due to his celebrated status, he got US titles thrice, but his championship stints did not deliver memorable payoff moments for fans.
33. Kalisto
Kalisto has had 2 WWE US Championship reigns in his career so far. The first one lasted for a day after he defeated Alberto Del Rio on WWE Raw, only to lose to him the next day on WWE Smackdown. His second title reign lasted for 119 days.
Kalisto defeated Alberto Del Rio at WWE Royal Rumble 2016 and defended it against Neville on Smackdown, again against Del Rio at Fastlane, and twice against Ryback at WrestleMania 32 and Payback 2016. He lost the title to Rusev at Extreme Rules 2016.
Kalisto’s reigns ended without the desired effects on his character development. WWE seemingly let the opportunities slip through their fingers as they did not effectively promote his momentum after these runs.
32. Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews’ US title reign lasted for 97 days. He won it by defeating Andrade on Raw. His first title defense ended in no contest against Kevin Owens. He goes on to defend it against Andrade at Backlash 2020 and twice against MVP (once on Raw and once at SummerSlam). Crews lost his title to Bobby Lashley at Payback 2020.
Crews obtained the championship during the pandemic, which positioned him for longer exposure after having limited opportunities in previous years. The Hurt Business aside, Crews’ championship reign didn’t get enough opponents. However, fans appreciated his athletic gifts and felt he was a believable champion. During such difficult times, WWE proved its capability to build champion-level wrestlers effectively.
31. Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder’s 29-day United States Championship reign began with defeating Dolph Ziggler at TLC and losing it to Jack Swagger at Raw. The championship win achieved by Ryder ranks among the most genuine feel-good moments from WWE in recent times.
The fans brought Ryder popularity through his YouTube show “Z! True Long Island Story,” which made WWE acknowledge the support, leading them to give Ryder a title shot. His victory against Ziggler capped off an extraordinary fan-driven support wave, but his subsequent booking transformed into a drawn-out attempt at proving he was not a star.
30. Jack Swagger
Jack Swagger defeated Zack Ryder in January 2012 to become the United States champion. He defended the title against Justin Gabriel once at Elimination Chamber 2012 and lost it to Santino Marella, ending his 49-day reign.
The wrestling experiences Swagger acquired in amateur wrestling provided him with the qualifications to hold the title. However, the time he spent as champion seemed primarily to support John Laurinaitis’ authority figure storyline.
During his forgettable run, his most notable events occurred when he wrestled an entertaining title match against Santino Marella, who was gaining more popularity at that time.
29. Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy’s US title reign lasted for 90 days. It began when he defeated Jinder Mahal in April 2018. He went on to defend the title against him again at WWE Greatest Royal Rumble. He then defended it against Randy Orton at Backlash 2018 and The Miz at SmackDown until he lost it to Shinsuke Nakamura at Extreme Rules 2018.
Hardy ran with this championship only once, yet he managed to provide some positive highlights for his fans. His faithful supporters gained memorable matches during this brief championship period that avoided getting stretched too long.
28. Baron Corbin
Baron Corbin’s 70-day US title reign began when he defeated AJ Styles and Tye Dillinger in a triple-threat match at Hell In A Cell 2017. He defended his title against AJ Styles and Sin Cara. He lost the title after Dolph Ziggler defeated him and Bobby Roode in a triple-threat match at Clash Of Champions 2017.
Corbin had famous contests during his championship victory as well as defeat. During his midcard title reign, he displayed his ability to create strong matches, proving his potential to hold major championships. However, the creative team failed to develop a strong storyline for his character.
27. Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio had 2 US Championship reigns in his career. His first one came when he defeated John Cena at Hell In A Cell 2015. He went on to defend it against Jack Swagger, and his next match for the title against Cena ended in a disqualification. He finally lost the title to Kalisto after a 78-day reign. However, he won it back from him at Smackdown, only to lose again at Royal Rumble 2016 after just 12 days.
The championship runs of Del Rio failed to satisfy fans as he ended Cena’s highly praised 2015 championship period. When WWE brought Del Rio back, his championship run included uninteresting creative decisions and unimpressive matches. This important phase in the title’s history developed into a wasted period.
26. Finn Bálor
Finn Bálor has had a 49-day WWE US Championship reign so far in his career. He won it from Damian Priest and lost it to Austin Theory. Bálor reinforced the US Championship with his excellent technical wrestling skills as he embraced his “Demon” persona.
He showed in-ring skills and also connected with viewers through his supernatural character. Bálor showed levels of his WWE capabilities during this period, but this accomplishment didn’t play a supporting role in his career.
25. Ricochet
Ricochet became the US Champion by defeating Samoa Joe at Stomping Grounds in June 2019. He defended the title against AJ Styles, only to lose to him again at Extreme Rules 2019. His reign lasted for 21 days.
Ricochet delivered strong title runs as US Champion, although WWE failed to boost his marketability during this period. His victory against Samoa Joe proved to be an underrated bout, which hinted at WWE’s plans for him as a prominent mid-card athlete. Although he showed a willingness to perform at his peak, subsequent poor booking choices and his mediocre mic skills removed the momentum.
24. Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura is a 3-time WWE US champion, and his first reign lasted for 156 days. He won the title by defeating Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules 2018. His immediate title defense against Hardy ended in a disqualification, which allowed him to defend the title against him again at SummerSlam 2018. Nakamura fought Tye Dillinger, Rusev, and Rey Mysterio during his reign until he was defeated by Rusev.
Nakamura’s second reign started when he took the title back from Rusev at Royal Rumble 2019, only to lose it to R-Truth two days later. Nakamura became a 3-time US champ when he beat LA Knight at Survivor Series 2024. His immediate title defense against Knight ended in a disqualification. However, LA Knight managed to beat Nakamura for the third time, ending his 97-day reign.
Nakamura’s title victories succeeded in staying under the radar even though he had a high global buzz and an endearing personality. Fans tend to overlook the duration of his 2018 championship period, and his last match with Rusev went underappreciated. His recent run also failed to generate enough heat.
23. R-Truth
R-Truth is a 2-time WWE US champion. He first defeated The Miz for the vacant title left by Bret Hart in May 2010. However, The Miz won it back by defeating him, John Morrison, and Zack Ryder in a Fatal Four Way match. The first reign lasted 21 days.
Truth began his second reign, which lasted 35 days, by defeating Shinsuke Nakamura in January 2019. He defended it against Rusev, Rey Mysterio, and Andrade. His reign ended when Samoa Joe defeated him, Andrade, and Mysterio in a Fatal Four Way match.
R-Truth utilized his entertaining presence and charisma to create outstanding runs twice. Although his first championship run was forgettable, his John Cena impersonator gimmick brought some fun to his second one.
22. Austin Theory
Austin Theory has had 2 WWE US Championship reigns so far. The first one lasted for 75 days after he won it from Finn Balor on WWE Raw. He lost his first title defense against Cody Rhodes, but the match ended in a disqualification, allowing him to retain his title. He then defended it against Mustafa Ali, once on Raw and once in Hell In A Cell 2022. He lost it to Bobby Lashley at Money In The Bank 2022.
Theory won the title back at Survivor Series 2022 in a Triple Threat match against Seth Rollins and Lashley. He then defended it again against Ali, Rollins, Lashley, Bronson Reed, Damian Priest, Johnny Gargano, and Montez Ford at Elimination Chamber, defeated Edge on Raw, defeated John Cena at WrestleMania 39, and went on to defend it against Lashley, Reed, Sheamus, Jey Uso, finally losing it to Rey Mysterio at Smackdown. His second reign lasted for 258 days.
Theory has boosted his reputation as an opportunistic WWE superstar by securing wins over established names during matches, diminishing his image as an all-around titleholder. Although it did bring some heat for the heel persona of the young wrestler, it failed to prove much beneficial for the championship.
21. Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle’s US title reign began when he won a triple-threat match against Bobby Lashley and John Morrison at Elimination Chamber 2021. He defended it twice against Mustafa Ali, once in Raw and once in Fastlane. Sheamus ended his 49-day reign at WrestleMania 37.
The US Championship gained a fresh perspective from Riddle because of his original character and MMA background. Riddle successfully united his casual personality with his high ring action to form an unexpected appeal that delivered some exciting wrestling matches. However, his alleged bad reputation in the locker room became one of the factors that caused his downfall from the company.
20. AJ Styles
AJ Styles has 2 WWE US Championship reigns in his career so far. The first one came when he defeated Kevin Owens at a WWE Live House Show, only to lose to him at Battleground 2017 after 16 days.
Styles’ second reign began when he beat Chris Jericho and Owens in a Triple Threat match. He went on to defend it against Owens thrice and against Tye Dillinger twice. His 75-day reign ended when Baron Corbin defeated him and Dillinger at Hell In A Cell 2017.
Styles’ championship runs showed his ability to excel in various match positions while not representing the most important phase of his professional career. His first reign had memorable moments, such as changing the title at a Madison Square Garden house show, and his heel run in 2019 added value and legitimacy to the championship belt.
19. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe has 2 US title reigns. The first one lasted for 75 days, and it began in March 2019 when he defeated Andrade, R-Truth, and Rey Mysterio in a Fatal Four Way match. He defended the title against the same superstars at Fastlane 2019. He went on to defend it once again against Mysterio at WrestleMania 35, only to lose to him at Money In The Bank 2019.
However, Mysterio relinquished his title back to him after suffering a shoulder injury and also because of his controversial win. Joe lost the title to Ricochet at Stomping Grounds in June 2019.
The brief tenure of Samoa Joe’s runs somehow strengthened the title’s reputation because of how dominant he was in the ring and how intimidating he was to opponents. The impressive four-way win of his championship pushed the title’s credibility by delivering solid TV matches and a WrestleMania match against Rey Mysterio. Even the match where he lost to Ricochet was beneficial for both.
18. Santino Marella
Santino Marella had a 167-day-long US title reign that began when he defeated Jack Swagger in March 2012. He immediately defended it against him on Raw in a steel cage match. His next defenses include names like Dolph Ziggler and Swagger in a triple threat match, David Otunga, The Miz at Extreme Rules 2012 Pre-Show, again with Swagger, until he lost it to Antonio Cesaro at SummerSlam 2012.
During his championship run, Marella showed his comedic persona, which breathed new enthusiasm. Although the championship during this time lacked competitive matches and championship prestige, Marella became a fan favorite because of his natural charisma and entertaining methods.
17. Damian Priest
Damian Priest became the WWE US champion when he defeated Sheamus at SummerSlam 2021. He then defended it in a Triple Threat match against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre. Then, after defending it against Jeff Hardy, he again fought him and Sheamus in a Triple Threat match at Extreme Rules 2021.
His other title challengers included Sami Zayn, Apollo Crews, Robert Roode, Dolph Ziggler, and AJ Styles. He lost the title after a reign of 191 days to Finn Bálor.
Priest displayed an impressive champion persona through his imposing stature and hybrid fighting style. His aggressive offense, combined with his fast movements, allowed him to win matches against opponents of all sizes successfully. The duration of Priest’s title run made him more than an NXT call-up.
16. Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan was the WWE US champion from September 2010 to March 2011 for 176 days. He took the title from The Miz at Night of Champions. He then defended it against John Morrison and The Miz in a triple threat match in Hell in a Cell 2010 and against Ted Dibiase in Survivor Series 2010. He lost the title to Sheamus on Raw.
Bryan managed to show his top-level wrestling ability during his reign before launching the “Yes” movement. Bryan showed remarkable capability as a responsible champion even before creating his memorable personality by consistently delivering PPV shows. His successful championship victory against The Miz created a memorable moment, but his title reign failed to use his popularity growth.
15. Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose was the US champion for 351 days. He got the title by defeating Kofi Kingston at Extreme Rules 2013. His title defenses include some big names like Kane, Rob Van Dam, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Big E, Neville, Alberto Del Rio, and Curtis Axel. He lost the title in a 20-man Battle Royal on Raw to Sheamus.
Throughout his reign, Ambrose played a crucial role in building The Shield into a major WWE faction. The Shield utilized the championship strongly in their matches and segments, but his number of title defenses was somewhat overshadowed in all these. The long duration of his reign remains impressive, but some less popular title bouts reduce its position on this ranking.
14. Logan Paul
Logan Paul has one of the longest US title reigns, consisting of 273 days. It began when he defeated Rey Mysterio at Crown Jewel 2023. He then defended it in a disqualification against Kevin Owens at Royal Rumble 2024. His next defense was against Owens and Randy Orton in a triple-threat match at WrestleMania XL. He finally lost the title to LA Knight at SummerSlam 2024.
Through his stardom and wrestling abilities, Paul attracted a new audience to WWE, although his title defenses remain limited, and his wins typically depended on illegal brass knuckles. Paul’s performance skills and heat-generation ability as a heel exceeded the quality of his championship run past initial expectations. Through complete dedication to pro wrestling, he received acknowledgment from even conservative wrestling viewers.
13. Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston has had three US title reigns in his career. His first one came in June 2009 when he defeated MVP. He went on to defend it against names like Matt Hardy, William Regal, Carlito, Jack Swagger, Big Show, and The Miz at many PLEs and weekly TV shows, as well. The first reign ended after 126 days when The Miz defeated him.
Kingston’s second title reign began in May 2011 when he defeated Sheamus at Extreme Rules. He defended it once against Jack Swagger and lost it to Dolph Ziggler after 49 days. His third reign began when he defeated Antonio Cesaro in April 2013. He defended it against him once and finally lost his 34-day reign to Dean Ambrose at Extreme Rules 2013.
Kingston represented everything a dependable mid-card champion should possess. The exciting matches he delivered on TV during his first run established his position as a singles star and contributed to the title’s professional image growth. His 2013 championship victory against Cesaro represented his peak as he showed his readiness to deliver high-risk performances along with his characteristic energetic wrestling style.
12. Sheamus
Sheamus is a 3-time WWE U.S. champion. His first reign of 48 days began when he defeated Daniel Bryan. He went on to defend the title against him twice, once at WrestleMania XXVII and another one at Raw. He lost the title to Kofi Kingston at Extreme Rules 2011.
His second title reign began when he won the 20-Man Battle Royal at Raw in May 2014. He defended the title against Dean Ambrose, Cesaro, Alberto Del Rio, and The Miz in PLEs and on weekly TV shows until he lost it to Rusev after keeping the title for 182 days.
Sheamus’ third reign began in April 2021 and lasted for 132 days. He won the title from Matt Riddle at WrestleMania 37 and went on to defend it against Humberto Carrillo, finally losing it to Damian Priest at SummerSlam 2021.
Sheamus carried physical intensity throughout all his runs. He showed a combination of technical skills and raw power during his matches, which drew viewers into his intense battles. His rivalries made the championship desirable enough, especially in his later tenure when he focused more on building up mid-card competitions.
11. Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho‘s first US title reign began when he partnered with Kevin Owens to defeat Roman Reigns in a Two-On-One Handicap on Raw in January 2017. Although Reigns defeated him in his next title defense, the match ended in a disqualification.
Jericho defended it once against Sami Zayn and finally lost it to Owens at WrestleMania 33. The first reign lasted for 83 days. Jericho again took the title back from Owens at Payback, only to lose to him again in Smackdown. His second reign lasted only for 9 days.
During Jericho’s championship tenure, he presented his entertaining “List of Jericho” character while teaming up with Kevin Owens. As the championship holder, he established the title as essential to WWE’s most popular narrative, even though his defenses were brief. The title functioned as a central plot point throughout the ‘JeriKO’ separation storyline, which reached its peak at WrestleMania.
10. Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens has had 3 US title reigns so far in his career. His first one lasted 28 days and began when he defeated Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 33, only to lose against him at Payback 2017.
His second reign lasted for 66 days, and it started when he defeated Jericho again. He defended it against AJ Styles at Backlash 2017 and Chad Gable in SmackDown. This reign ended when he lost against AJ Styles in a WWE Live House Show.
His third reign was just 2 days, and it began when he defeated Jericho at Battleground 2017 and ended when he lost when AJ Styles defeated Jericho in a Triple Threat match at SmackDown.
Owens’ reigns came during his “Face of America” phase, which somewhat failed to gain much audience acceptance. However, Owens showed top-quality matches with AJ Styles and Chris Jericho in a period when SmackDown ratings disappointed. His title matches were the highlights of many dull episodes that aired on TV.
9. LA Knight
LA Knight’s first WWE US title reign lasted 119 days, which began when he defeated Logan Paul at SummerSlam 2024. He defended it against Santos Escobar, Ludwig Kaiser, and both Andrade and Carmelo Hayes in a Triple Threat match at Crown Jewel 2024 before a bout with Berto.
Shinsuke Nakamura ended his reign at Survivor Series 2024. Knight’s second reign began when he defeated Nakamura on March 7, 2025, at SmackDown.
Knight has used his charisma and exceptional mic skills to establish his US Championship period as one of the most noteworthy elements of SmackDown programming. His first title win came after a steady growth of his fan following. His run has been mostly dominated by bitter feuds and exciting matches that restored prestige to a title that has sometimes lacked direction.
8. The Miz
The Miz is a 2-time WWE US champion, and his first reign lasted for 224 days. He won the title by defeating Kofi Kingston in October 2010. He went on to defend the belt against Evan Bourne and Mark Henry. He defeated MVP thrice- once on Raw, once at Royal Rumble 2010, and once in Elimination Chamber 2010. His first reign was ended by Bret Hart.
His 97-day second title reign began when he defeated R-Truth, John Morrison, and Zack Ryder in a Fatal Four Way match. He got to defend the title once against R-Truth until Daniel Bryan beat him at Night Of Champions 2010.
During his championship period, The Miz evolved from a reality TV star to a complete wrestling superstar. The US title runs were his essential stepping stones to prove his seriousness to the WWE universe. His run with Morrison boosted his career significantly. The Miz contributed to the championship with his mic skills and improved in-ring abilities.
7. Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley had 3 US Championship reigns in his WWE career. The first reign came in May 2006 when he defeated JBL on Smackdown. He defended it against King Booker and lost it to Finlay. The first reign lasted for 49 days.
The second reign started in Payback 2020 when he defeated Apollo Crews. He then defended it against Crews and Slapjack at Clash of Champions and Hell in a Cell. He also retained the title, fighting against Titus O’Neal and Riddle. He finally lost it to Riddle at Elimination Chamber 2021. This reign lasted for 175 days.
The third reign began by defeating Austin Theory in Money In The Bank 2022. He defended the title against Theory, Ciampa, AJ Styles, The Miz, and Seth Rollins. However, his 100-day reign ended in a loss to Rollins at Raw.
Lashley achieved three successful reigns, which brought new life to both his WWE run and the championship itself, especially during The Hurt Business days. The faction established Lashley as their leader, which enabled him to present his physical strength and improved acting abilities to fans. Through his championship-winning streak, the United States title earned back its significant value.
6. Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler’s first title reign started after defeating Kofi Kingston at Capitol Punishment in June 2011. He then defended it against Alex Riley, Jack Swagger, and John Morrison at Night Of Champions 2011. He then defended it against Zack Ryder and John Morrison until he lost it to Ryder at TLC 2011. His first reign lasted for 182 days.
His second title reign began when he defeated Baron Corbin and Bobby Roode in a Triple Threat match at Clash Of Champions 2017, only to vacate the title 9 days later.
Ziggler developed as a performer significantly through his championship victories, especially during the 2011 period. He developed his character alongside Vickie Guerrero through improved in-ring work that resulted in strong fan loyalty. Fans constantly demanded to see him in main events, which eventually led to his famous title match with Zack Ryder.
5. Antonio Cesaro
Antonio Cesaro has one of the longest WWE US title reigns, lasting for 239 days. He won it by defeating Santino Marella at SummerSlam 2012. He went on to defend it against Zack Ryder, Tyson Kidd, Santino Marella, Justin Gabriel, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Wade Barrett, Sgt. Slaughter, The Great Khali, The Miz, and Neville in many PLEs and weekly TV shows. Cesaro’s reign was ended by Kingston in April 2013.
Cesaro established himself as a tough, unbeatable champion through his powerful wrestling abilities, which increased the gravity of the United States Championship as a legitimate title. Because of his European background, he perfectly embodied the role of a heel US champion who posed a foreign danger against American wrestlers.
The run paved the way for Rusev to establish the foreign heel champion character, which established Cesaro’s contribution as a serious mid-card competitor in WWE.
4. Rusev
Rusev had been a 3-time WWE US champion, and his first reign lasted for 146 days. He won the title by defeating Sheamus. He again won his immediate title defense against him. Rusev went on to win 20 Man Battle Royal and defended his title against Jack Swagger. His next defense against Dean Ambrose ended in a disqualification. He then defeated John Cena at Fastlane 2015, only to lose to him at WrestleMania 31.
Rusev’s 126-day-long second reign started when he beat Kalisto at Extreme Rules 2016. He then defended the title against Titus O’Neil, Cesaro, Zack Ryder, and Mark Henry until he lost it to Roman Reigns at Clash Of Champions 2016. His third reign lasted for 40 days. It began when he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura and ended when he lost against him at Royal Rumble 2019.
Rusev’s anti-American heel run worked well with both his persona and the title. His first dominant stretch concluded with a memorable John Cena feud, and his second reign was like a full-circle moment for fans who had supported his character evolution.
3. Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns‘ US title reign lasted for 106 days. It started when he defeated Rusev at Clash Of Champions 2016. He then defended against him twice, once on Raw and once at Hell In A Cell 2016. He then defended against Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens before finally losing to Jericho in a Two-On-One Handicap match against both of them on Raw.
The US Championship under Roman Reigns became an exciting midcard role for him after main event promoters showed skepticism about his ability to carry main events. The matches between Reigns and Rusev were undervalued, while his interaction with Jericho-Owens enhanced the entertainment quality of his championship run.
During this time, Reigns proved his ability to deliver some great midcard performances as he built momentum outside of the controversial WWE Championship spotlight.
2. Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins is a 2-time US champion so far. He won it for the first time at SummerSlam 2015 when he defeated John Cena in a Winner Takes All match. However, he again lost the title to him at Night Of Champions 2015 after 28 days.
Rollins’ second title reign came when he defeated Bobby Lashley in October 2022. He then defended it against Matt Riddle, Austin Theory, and Finn Balor and finally lost it at a Triple Threat match against Lashley and Theory, where Theory came out victorious, at Survivor Series 2022 – WarGames. The second reign lasted for 47 days.
The memorable aspects of Rollins’ US title stretches exist mainly because of the quality matches in which he started and finished his reigns. Rollins delivered excellent ring performances throughout his John Cena matches, which improved both their standing as performers and the prestige of holding the title.
This brief segment where Rollins combined WWE Championship and US title victories became a memorable moment of this era despite a brief interference and a short run as champion.
1. John Cena
John Cena has 5 US Championship reigns. His first one was 114 days. It began when he defeated Big Show at WrestleMania XX. He defended it against Rhyno, Danny Basham, Akio, and Rene Dupree. His last title defense was at The Great American Bash 2004 in a Fatal Four Way match against Booker T, Rene Dupree, and Rob Van Dam.
His second reign was just for 2 days. Cena defeated Booker T at No Mercy 2004 and lost the title to Carlito. The third reign lasted for 105 days. Cena won it back from Carlito and went on to defend it against Jesus, Rene Dupree, and Kenzo Suzuki. His second reign ended when Orlando Jordan defeated him.
His fourth reign started in March 2015 and lasted for 145 days. Cena defeated Rusev at WrestleMania 31 to get the title. He defended it against Dean Ambrose, Stardust, Bad News Barrett, Kane, Rusev, Sami Zayn, Zack Ryder, Cesaro, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins in many PLEs and weekly events. Cena lost the title to Rollins in a Winner Takes All match where he defended his World Heavyweight Championship.
His fifth reign lasted for 35 days. Cena defeated Rollins at Night Of Champions 2015 to get the title back. He then defended the title against Rollins, Xavier Woods, Big E, and Dolph Ziggler. He finally lost the title to Alberto Del Rio at Hell In A Cell 2015.
John Cena has maintained five US title runs during two different stages of his career. The “U.S. Open Challenge” of 2015 turned out to be the major defining moment of Rollins’ first reign and changed the future of the championship. This groundbreaking idea on TV each week enabled Cena to boost many upcoming talents and gain respect from fans who had first disapproved of his work.
WWE’s changing business environment can be seen in the transformation of the US Championship. Some titleholders elevated their championship with noteworthy rivalries, whereas some received wrong booking patterns that damaged their runs. The title serves as a platform that supports talents of all levels and shows that the efficient use of a subordinate championship can create lasting legacies.
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