The Great Eight: Top 8 WWE United States Champions

So, I totally blanked and thought I did one of these for the WCW United States Championship, but I guess I didn’t. So, you are getting the WWE version first. The WWE acquired the United States Championship when it bought WCW. It was unified with the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Survivor Series 2001. They would reactivate the title in 2003.

The United States Championship has some weight behind it. It was first debuted in 1975, and has been held by such names as Harley Race, Terry Funk, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper, Wahoo McDaniel, Magnum T.A., and Dusty Rhodes.

Since the WWE brought it back, some of the biggest names have held the title, and many have used it to catapult themselves up the card. It’s a title with a rich history, and as a WCW kid, it holds some nostalgia for me.

We will be zeroing in on the time period from when the WWE reactivated the title to now. That gives 26 years of history and champions to celebrate. So, let’s get to it!

Fun Facts:

Since its return in 2003, there have been 91 different champions.

John Cena holds the record for most reigns (five) and most combined days as champion (426).

Dean Ambrose holds the longest single reign (351 days).

Ranking Explanation:

As always, for championship rankings. The length and number of reigns hold a lot of weight for me. While wrestling is scripted, having a championship shows the company’s faith in you. For the United States Championship, I also put stock in in-ring abilities. The rich NWA history was all about what happened between the ropes. Lastly, I will look at how the wrestler used the title to get themself and the title over.

Plugs

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Disclaimer:

This is my list; if you don’t like it or have a different list, awesome! Please share your own list and opinions in the comments section. I welcome open discourse about this wacky art we all love. It is an art form, so it is subjective; we all have our opinions on it, and all of them are valid. So, if you want to share your thoughts and opinions, don’t insult others for their opinion. There is already enough negativity in the world; let’s not add to it. And with that, on to the list!

The List

Honorable Mentions:

The Miz, Samoa Joe, Booker T, Carmelo Hayes, Shelton Benjamin

8: Daniel Bryan

The man no one thought would make it in the WWE had some rough years before fully breaking out. But his in-ring talent and connection with the fans were never in doubt. It was just a matter of Vince McMahon seeing what everyone else saw.

Just like Cesaro, his run as the United States Champion felt like a test of sorts. While Cesaro never rose higher, Bryan Danielson is a different story. He used every bit of his 176 days as champion to prove he was the Best in the World.

He used his talent to elevate those around him, giving Miz and Ted DiBiase their best matches. It’s just a shame that so much of his reign was relegated to house shows. The fact that we didn’t get to see his matches with William Regal from that time period is just a damn shame.

Bryan is here more for his abilities in the ring, and if more of his run had happened on TV, he would be much higher.

7: Antonio Cesaro

Oh, what could have been. Cesaro deserved so much more than he got. He was one of the best in-ring talents during his time in the WWE. Anytime he was in a match, we knew we were in for a great time. His 239-day reign as the United States Champion gave me high hopes that he would rise to the top.

Unfortunately, this would be his only singles championship during his time with the WWE. Fortunately, the reign gave us some absolute bangers. He had a good match with Tyson Kidd on NXT. And a great Fatal Four-Way with Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, and Wade Barrett. He also had a good feud with The Miz and a great match with Adrian Neville.

Cesaro is an amazing in-ring talent, and his initial push as United States Champion proved that. The fact that the WWE never fully capitalized on his ability and popularity is a shame. But his time as champion earns him his spot on this list.

6: Eddie Guerrero

Eddie Guerrero was chosen to be the man to bring the title back. And you couldn’t really ask for a better person to reestablish the title. Eddie Guerrero is my greatest of all time, and I’m always shocked when he isn’t discussed in the same breath as Shawn Michaels, AJ Styles, and Bret Hart.

He didn’t have the longest reign, but his in-ring talent and charisma give him a slight edge over Cesaro. During his 84-day reign, he did what he always did and gave us the best match every night.

He had great matches with Tajiri, John Cena, Charlie Haas, and Matt Hardy. His reign would end when he dropped the title to Big Show, and while it wasn’t a long run, he used it to show everyone he deserved to be at the top.

It would take a few more years to get there, but his brief stop as United States Champion helped to show he could carry the top prize.

5: Rusev

When Rusev debuted in the WWE, he was a throwback to the old-school foreign monster. He was a physically impressive man who could also back it up in the ring. Sporting an impressive win streak, he would beat Sheamus, someone who would stay closely tied to his career.

Rusev is our first two-time champion on this list.  His first one would last 146 days, and his second would last 126 days.

He would continue to put on bangers with Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, and John Cena. Cena would also be the one to end his first reign at WrestleMania 31. And honestly, I think Rusev should have won that match. It could have propelled him further up the card.

His second reign would start at Extreme Rules 2016, when he beat Kalisto for the title. He would have a good, but short, match with Cesaro, get a big win over Mark Henry, and another good match with Cesaro before dropping the title to Roman Reigns.

Rusev, like Cesaro, is a guy who could have been World Champion. But for whatever reason, McMahon didn’t pull the trigger. Rusev at least had more than one singles championship during his time in the WWE. And there is still a chance for more.

Rusev’s abilities in the ring and the way he could absolutely dominate wrestlers, while also not being afraid to sell for them. Gives him spot number five on this list. We need more big guys like him. Guys who look believable going against anyone, and who can make them all look good.

4: MVP

I think people sleep on MVP. The goofy full-body gear aside, MVP had all the makings of a guy who could be a champion. He has the charisma and mic skills, and he has the in-ring skills. He just never got the booking fully behind him.

MVP had two reigns as United States Champion. The first one was for 343 days, and the second was for 76 days. And unfortunately, like Cesaro, these were his only singles championships in the WWE.

His first reign started by beating Chris Benoit in a Two Out of Three Falls match. And from there, he would have good matches with Matt Hardy (also some really bad booking in that feud). He also had good matches with Rey Mysterio, Batista, and Ric Flair. He would finally drop the title to Matt Hardy, ending an impressive 343-day reign.

His second run gave us some good matches with Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, and Kofi Kingston.

Like Rusev and Cesaro, it’s a shame MVP was never given more to work with. He had all the makings of being a top guy during the first brand extension, but alas, it was not meant to be. At least we did get this impressive run as United States Champion.

3: AJ Styles

AJ Styles is in my top five of all time list. The man rarely had a bad match and could have a good match with just about everyone. He went a little backwards by winning the WWE World Championship first.

He would have two short reigns after losing the World Championship, trading the United States title with Kevin Owens before losing it to Baron Corbin. It would be his third reign, in 2019, that really cements his spot on this list.

His matches with Ricochet, Cedric Alexander, and Humberto Carrillo were all great. Styles really exemplifies the in-ring work aspect of being a United States Champion. He is also another guy that no one thought would make it in the WWE. But his first United States reign had already cemented him as a Triple-Crown Champion. With many more reigns to come.

I think he is fully deserving of his spot on this list. And really, any list that can include AJ Styles should probably include AJ Styles.

2: Dean Ambrose

The longest reigning WWE United States Champion. Dean Ambrose held the title for an impressive 351 days before losing it to Sheamus. And talk about guys who use the title to propel themselves to the top.

I don’t think any of us thought Ambrose would rise to the heights he did in the WWE. I sure hoped he would, but he was the least likely to do so out of the SHIELD. His 351-day run as United States Champion showed the company at least wanted to see if he had what it takes.

He would kick off his run by beating Kofi Kingston, and from there, he would have several good matches with Kingston, Neville, Rob Van Dam, Dolph Ziggler, and Big E. Langston. Sadly, his reign would end in a 20-Man Battle Royal, instead of a regular match. A Battle Royal is not a good way to end such a long run. But this was the WWE we had in the 2010s.

Regardless of how he lost it, holding the title for almost a year showed the faith the company had in him, and he used it to shoot himself up the card and to future World Champion status.

1: John Cena

Not only does he have the most days as champion, but he also has the most reigns with the title in WWE history, and is tied with Lex Luger for most days in the titles’ total history. Of course, this is John Cena we are talking about, so is anyone surprised?

The United States Championship was the first big title win for Cena. After a big debut, he almost fizzled out. But Cena was able to reinvent himself and shoot up the ranks on SmackDown. That rise put him in the path of Big Show at WrestleMania XX. And he just kept the foot on the gas from there.

No one else in the history of the WWE United States Championship better used it to not only get themself over, but to also put the title over. His early reigns helped to establish Cena as a main event mainstay. And his later runs helped to bring prestige back to the title.

Cena will always divide crowds, but one thing that can’t be denied is his passion for this business. He always did his best to give us his all every night, and that elevated everything and everyone around him. He is fully deserving to be sitting at the top of the list of the greatest WWE United States Champions of all time.

Preview:

Tune in next week, when we cover the great eight NWA/WCW United States Champions!