10 WWE Championship Reigns That Definitely Should Have Been Longer
Every kid grows up dreaming of being WWE Champion for an hour...
It has been exactly ten years since Rey Mysterio won the WWE Title for the first and only time.
It has also been exactly ten years since Rey Mysterio lost the WWE Title.
In the wake of WWE Champion CM Punk's exit, WWE set up a mini tournament to crown a new champion, with the masked man beating The Miz in the final on the July 25, 2011 episode of Raw.
It was a great moment for Rey, who had enjoyed two previous runs with the World Heavyweight Title, but it was spoiled just hours later when John Cena entered the picture and beat him for the title (in order to set up a title versus title programme with the returning Punk).
Not only was this a bad look for supposed good guy John Cena, but fans were also miffed that the hardworking and exciting Mysterio wasn't given a proper run with the belt.
That had been a recurring theme in WWE over the years, as they often gave popular stars either the WWE or World Heavyweight Title - depending on which brand they were on - only to quickly take it away from them.
Here are ten WWE (and World Heavyweight) Title reigns that should have, by rights, been a lot longer.
10. Bray Wyatt (2017)
Poor Bray Wyatt has been through the wringer over the years.
He's one of WWE's most outlandish characters in recent memory, and certainly had an aura and a presence about him (as too did the whole Wyatt Family), but he is one performer who has suffered perhaps more than any other thanks to poor booking and writing.
In early 2017, however, the Eater of Worlds was on a tear, surviving until the final three in the Royal Rumble and then bagging a place in the WWE Title Elimination Chamber match at the namesake pay-per-view.
On the night, Bray was successful in his quest to win the big one, beating a strong field that included AJ Styles, John Cena and Dean Ambrose and setting up a WrestleMania showdown with Rumble winner Randy Orton.
During this time, The Viper was a member of the Wyatt Family and refused to face the leader of the backwoods dwellers at the Showcase of the Immortals.
Well, before he burnt down the Wyatt Family compound that is.
The two met at 'Mania in a major misfire of a match, more remembered for Kevin Dunn's misguided insect-projection than any of the action.
Making things worse, Orton unnecessarily beat Wyatt to win his umpteenth world title, ending the reign at a weak 49 days. His lone defense of any note was in a triple threat with Styles and Cena on the SmackDown after Elimination Chamber.
Still, I suppose it could have been worse. He could have lost in three minutes to Goldberg in Saudi Arabia.
Written by Lewis Howse
Features journalist for Cultaholic.com and script writer for the Cultaholic YouTube Channel.
