20 WWE Legends And The Titles You Forgot They Held

IC Champs Chris Jericho and Chyna

If you’re wondering what Chris Jericho and Chyna, two of the most notable Intercontinental Champions of all time, are doing on this list, let me explain. You see, while Jericho and Chyna have 11 unforgettable individual Intercontinental Championship reigns between them, you might have forgotten that they were actually co-champions for a few weeks in early 2000.

A title match between Jericho and Chyna recorded for the December 30, 1999, episode of SmackDown ended in a double pinfall, resulting in them both being declared the champion. However, WWE doesn’t officially recognize their 20-day co-reign, and instead considers it a vacant period.

However, some people on this list will surprise you because you forgot this person was even IN WWE.

 US Champion Orlando Jordan

Did you even remember that Orlando Jordan worked for WWE once upon a time, let alone that he was United States Champion?

In spring 2005, Jordan was a member of JBL‘s villainous Cabinet stable when he challenged John Cena for the United States Championship. Jordan won – with the help of JBL – resulting in his one and only title reign in WWE. He held the championship for 171 days before losing it to Chris Benoit in 25.5 seconds at SummerSlam. Jordan left WWE less than a year later.

Next is another champion whose time and life was cut short.

IC Champion Kerry Von Erich

The Von Erichs are one of the most legendary families in pro wrestling, but many people might not realize that Kerry Von Erich held the Intercontinental Championship once upon a time.

In July 1990, Von Erich debuted in WWE as the Texas Tornado – but the commentators openly acknowledged that he was, in fact, Kerry Von Erich. Not long after at SummerSlam, he took the place of an injured Brutus Beefcake and defeated Mr. Perfect to win the Intercontinental Championship. He held the title for 84 days before it was reclaimed by Mr. Perfect on the December 15 episode of Superstars.

Our next champion made WrestleMania history AND is still wrestling today!

Women’s Champion Mickie James

Mickie is a five-time Women’s Champion and one-time Divas Champion, not to mention a three-time TNA Knockouts Champion. WWE did her dirty with the awful “Piggy James” storyline that led to her departure in 2010, and I sincerely hope they give her a good title run now that she’s back with WWE. Giving her the match against Asuka was a good start, but I’d like to see her win the Raw Women’s title soon.

Let’s look at an unlikely team from a little-covered part of WWE’s history.

NXT Tag Champs Adrian Neville and Corey Graves

One is King of the Cruiserweights; the other is arguably the best commentator in all of WWE. And while their careers have gone in markedly different directions, once upon a time they were tag team partners and champions.

In January 2013, Neville was crowned one-half of the inaugural NXT Tag Team Champions alongside Oliver Grey. Unfortunately, Grey suffered a legitimate ACL tear (which in storyline was inflicted by the Wyatt Family), and Neville was forced to find a new partner. In May, Neville and Bo Dallas unsuccessfully defended the titles against the Wyatts. But Neville got his revenge a little over a month later when he linked up with Corey Graves and went on to reclaim the tag title gold. Neville and Graves remained the champions for 84 days until they were defeated by The Ascension, who went on to become the longest-reigning NXT Tag Team Champions in history.

Our next champion LOVES to fight.

US Champion Finlay

Finlay is a legend in the wrestling world, but you might have forgotten that the Northern Irish grappler was United States Champion for 49 days in 2006.

Finlay was a member of King Booker’s Court, along with William Regal, when he won the championship. He defended the title several times, often with the help of “The Little Bastard,” a.k.a. his storyline son, Hornswoggle.

Our next champion will make you go “Oh yeah, what happened to him?”

IC Champ Luke Harper

Chalk this one up to poor booking. Luke Harper could have been a fantastic Intercontinental Champion, but WWE Creative did him dirty.

In the fall of 2014, Harper left the Wyatt Family and aligned himself with The Authority. As a reward for his allegiance, he was granted a title match on Raw against Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler, whom he defeated.

While Harper did have one successful title defense against Dean Ambrose, Ziggler promptly recaptured the championship 27 days later in a ladder match at TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs.

The next two are probably the most random tag team in WWE history.

World Tag Champions CM Punk and Kofi Kingston

Did you know that Kofi Kingston is a seven-time WWE tag team champion? Furthermore, did you know that he won his first WWE tag title with CM Punk?

That’s right: long before Kingston was promoting the power of positivity or Punk was dropping pipebombs, they were the WWE World Tag Team Champions. The unlikely duo defeated Ted DiBiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes for the titles on the October 27, 2008, episode of Monday Night Raw. They dropped the titles to John Morrison and The Miz 47 days later – at a house show in Ontario, Canada.

Click next to read about the most decorated champion you’ve never heard of.

Grand Slam Champion VACATED

It is a tactic that WWE has resorted to out of both necessity and storyline. “Vacating” a title is never a popular decision with the WWE Universe. Either it arises after an injury (Shawn Michaels and Batista) or to further a storyline (Daniel Bryan vs The Authority). The Character is so notorious that it even has its own Twitter account! While vacant can add some intrigue, often it is met with bewilderment by WWE fans.

This next guy was destined for big things, but couldn’t get out of his own way.

US Champ Mr. Kennedy

Mr. Kennedy had a short, somewhat compelling 42-day reign with the United States Championship in 2006, but it’s not nearly as notable as some other reigns within recent memory.

Kennedy won the United States Championship in a triple threat match on the Sept. 1, 2006 episode of SmackDown. This was back during the first brand split, and after winning the title Kennedy lobbied SmackDown General Manager Teddy Long to move him to Raw. However, Kennedy never got what he wanted, and he eventually lost the title to Chris Benoit.

Check out our next little champion!

Cruiserweight Champion Hornswoggle

I had to look this one up because I genuinely could not remember Hornswoggle ever being a WWE Champion! However, during my search, I discovered Hornswoggle won the Cruiserweight title in 2007, only for the division to die shortly afterward, since the credibility of the title was lost. This was not the only thing Hornswoggle won though because he also won a Battle Royal!

The two biggest stars of the Attitude Era shared this one.

Tag Champions Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H

Triple H and Stone Cold Steve Austin are two of the biggest singles’ stars in pro wrestling history. But for 22 days in 2001, they were also WWE World Tag Team Champions.

At WrestleMania X-Seven, Austin did the unthinkable when he turned heel and aligned himself with his longtime enemy, Vince McMahon, in an effort to defeat The Rock for the WWE Championship. An alliance with Triple H soon followed, and the duo began calling themselves The Two-Man Power Trip. At Backlash, they defeated The Brothers of Destruction to become the new tag team champions in a match that was also for Austin’s WWE title and Triple H’s Intercontinental Championship. The win made Austin and Triple H just the second team ever to hold WWE’s three primary titles simultaneously (the first being Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash).

What happens when the boss makes himself champion? Find out next.

WWE AND ECW Champion Vince McMahon

Yes, Vince McMahon actually held the ECW Championship and the WWE Championship. Despite big names such as Steve Austin, the Rock, Triple H, Mick Foley and the Undertaker on the roster then, creative decided to put the title on Vince. Naturally, a non-wrestler holding the title – even if that non-wrestler is Vince McMahon – delivers some forgettable television.

This next guy was supposed to be the next MEGA star.

US Champion Bobby Lashley

Bobbly Lashley is more commonly associated with MMA and Impact Wrestling than he is WWE, which is why you might have forgotten that he was WWE United States Champion during his short stint with the company.

Lashley won the title from JBL in May 2006; it was his first professional wrestling championship. However, he lost it 49 days later in a triple-threat match… against Finlay and Mr. Kennedy.

Once again we ask…who?

IC Champ Ezekiel Jackson

You might not even remember who Ezekiel Jackson was, let alone that he was Intercontinental Champion.

After splitting from The Corre (which was one of the worst stables in WWE history), Jackson won the championship by defeating his former leader, Wade Barrett, at Capitol Punishment (which is a pay-per-view you probably forgot happened) on June 19, 2011. He held the title for 54 days before dropping it to Cody Rhodes, who went on to have one of the best Intercontinental Championship reigns in recent memory – which is why we’ve probably all forgotten about Jackson.

Before he was fodder for giants, this next high-flyer was going places!

US Champion Kalisto

Kalisto hasn’t seen much action since splitting from his former tag team partner Sin Cara, so it’s understandable that you may have forgotten he was United States Champion for all of one day in January 2016.

Kalisto defeated Alberto Del Rio on Raw to win the championship and promptly lost it to Del Rio on the subsequent episode of SmackDown. This was back when SmackDown was still taped on Tuesday and aired on Thursday; so while WWE recognizes Kalisto’s reign as 3 days, we all know the truth.

This next champ? You know him, bro!

IC Champ Zack Ryder

Poor, poor Zack Ryder. Chances are there are quite a few fans who remember him capturing the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 32, but his reign is hardly notable as it lasted just two days.

Ryder defeated six other men, including defending champion Kevin Owens, in a ladder match to win his first and only Intercontinental Championship. However, he lost the title to The Miz the very next night on Raw. The Miz, of course, then went on to have one of the longest and most entertaining reigns in years.

Up next, another uber-random pair!

Tag Champs Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre

Most people remember Cody Rhodes’s tag team championship reign alongside his Legacy stablemate Ted DiBiase Jr., but you might have forgotten that he also held tag title gold with Drew McIntyre.

At Night of Champions in 2010, “Dashing” Cody Rhodes (which I still think was his best gimmick) and McIntyre unseated The Hart Dynasty in a tag team turmoil match to become the WWE Tag Team Champions. Their reign only lasted 35 days (they dropped the titles to the even more forgettable team of John Cena and David Otunga), but it’s fascinating in hindsight given how both their careers took off once they left WWE. Rhodes is now one of the biggest stars on the indie circuit, while McIntyre has returned to WWE and is the current NXT Champion.

Our next champion ALWAYS GETS HIS MAN!

IC Champ The Mountie

On Jan. 17, 1992, The Mountie, a.k.a. Jacques Rougeau, defeated Bret Hart to win the Intercontinental Championship. And you probably don’t remember this because he won the title at a non-televised house show.

According to the storyline, Hart was suffering from the flu. But in reality, he was going through contract negotiations with WWE at the time. Naturally, WWE didn’t want to have the title on someone who was possibly on his way out, so they put it on The Mountie. Unfortunately for Rougeau, he lost the championship to “Rowdy” Roddy Piper just two days later at the Royal Rumble.

Our final champs put two of the all-time greats together!

Tag Champions Edge and Hollywood Hulk Hogan

Along with The Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz, Edge and Christian defined tag team wrestling for an entire generation. However, Edge held tag title gold with a handful of partners other than Christian, the most surprising of which is probably Hollywood Hulk Hogan.

After Hogan lost the WWE Championship to The Undertaker at Judgment Day in 2002, he teamed with Edge on SmackDown to defeat Billy and Chuck for the WWE World Tag Team Championship. It was a completely random partnership, but a meaningful one nonetheless: it was the final championship Hogan held in WWE, and prior to becoming a wrestler Edge famously attended WrestleMania VI to watch Hogan take on Ultimate Warrior. They held the titles for 19 days before dropping them to the Un-Americans (Christian and Lance Storm) at Vengeance.

What did you think of the list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.