The WWE has had its fair share of champions since its inception in 1980 when it was known as the WWF. It's had champions such as Edge and Chris Jericho, who have held numerous belts at not only the top, but at all levels of the card. Just as Edge and Jericho have been able to shine regardless of where they've been placed on the card in reference to their title reigns, many individuals have been passed over for championship opportunities.

For instance, Roddy Piper and Wade Barrett never held the WWE's most illustrious prize, the WWE Championship, despite having all the necessary tools needed to be the company's top guy. While Piper and Barrett never held the premier title in the company, they weren't strangers to holding gold. Here, we take a look at those both past and present within the WWE ranks who we can't believe held gold at one point or another.

19 15. Alicia Fox

Fox originally came into the WWE ranks as a wedding planner in 2008 for Edge and Vickie Guerrero. Two years later, Fox had become WWE Divas Champion when she came out victorious in a fatal four way match against Gail Kim, Maryse and Eve. Fox held the title for just a tad under two months at fifty-six days before she dropped the belt to Melina at SummerSlam. Prior to losing to Melina, Fox had a successful defense against Eve. Fox has never won a championship in the six years plus she's been in the WWE since losing the WWE Divas Championship. To make matters worse, Fox hasn't really ever been a threat for the women's highest prize in the company. Moreover, Fox is more often jobbing than not.

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16 14. Ezekiel Jackson

The fact that Jackson was the last man to hold the ECW Championship still infuriates ECW enthusiasts to this day. Not only was Jackson not an ECW original, but he wasn't one the ECW fanbase was very fond of. Had Christian, a WWE veteran retained the championship, the backlash would likely be nonexistent as he was a WWE veteran who had more than paid his dues. Jackson also held the WWE's Intercontinental Championship for fifty-one days when he defeated former Corre leader, Wade Barrett. Jackson defeated Barrett in a rematch for the title and also had a victory over Ted DiBiase before he ended up dropping the belt to DiBiase's partner at the time, Cody Rhodes. Jackson's tenure with the title was nothing short of a run-of-the-mill title reign.

15 13. Marc Mero

Mero is most renown for being the former husband of Sable, the current wife of the "Beast Incarnate", Brock Lesnar. To add on, the moment most think of when referencing Mero is when Sable power bombed her former husband in a storyline in which Mero played the jealous husband of Sable as a result of the large amount of fanfare she was receiving. Mero became Intercontinental Champion by defeating Faarooq in a tournament for the then vacant belt. Despite winning the tournament, it was clear that the WWE didn't have much faith in Mero holding the belt for a lengthy time period. Mero was champion for less than a month at twenty-eight days before he was bested by Triple H. Mero wouldn't go on to hold gold ever again within the WWE ranks.

14 12. Kanyon

The late Chris Kanyon reigned as WWE United States Champion for forty-eight days in 2001. However, while Kanyon may have been a 1x U.S. Champ, he never actually won the title; instead, Kanyon was given the title by the five time, five time, five time, five time, five time WCW Champion, Booker T. To Kanyon's credit, he did actually earn a championship within WWE and ironically, it was during his U.S. Championship reign as well. Along with DDP, Kanyon became one half of the WWF Tag Team Champions. However, this reign was even shorter than Kanyon's reign as U.S. Champ, as the pair lost the title after just ten days when they were defeated by the kayfabe brother tandem of the Undertaker and Kane.

13 11. Kalisto

One half of the high flying tandem of the Lucha Dragons, Kalisto shocked many when he defeated Alberto Del Rio in an open challenge on Raw. It wasn't surprising that Kalisto's reign lasted one day as he dropped the title back to Del Rio the next night on Smackdown. However, what is surprising is that Kalisto regained the title a mere thirteen days later. This time, Kalisto's reign was nowhere near as short as his first reign. On the contrary, it lasted close to four months at 119 days before he lost the title to Rusev at the Royal Rumble PPV. During the reign, Kalisto defeated Del Rio in a two out of three falls match at Fastlane, along with the likes of Neville and Ryback.

12 10. Stephanie McMahon

The wife of COO, Triple H, and current Chief Brand Officer for the WWE, McMahon's title reign may surprise newer viewers. McMahon held at the time, the WWF's Women's Championship for 146 days from March 28th, 2000 to August 21st, 2000 before she dropped it to Lita. McMahon's reign came off as dominant as her and storyline husband (at the time), Triple H, held the company's highest prizes for both male and female talent respectively. McMahon has sporadically appeared in in ring matches for the company as she has played the role of an authoritative figure more so than anything. McMahon last wrestled Brie Bella at SummerSlam in 2014. The now forty-year-old mother of three doesn't currently have anything lined up to indicate she will be returning to the ring anytime soon.

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9 9. Legion of Doom

While Hawk and Animal had numerous reigns as tag champs, the second version of LOD, Animal and Heidenreich also had a reign of their own. Animal holding gold isn't surprising; Heidenreich holding gold is. The duo defeated Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro of MNM at a Smackdown taping from Madison Square Garden on April 18th, 2005. The pair would hold the belts for ninety-three days before they would drop them in upstate New York, at the Great American Bash to the same tag team they had grasped the belts from. Animal and Heidenreich wouldn't avenge their defeat and this would be their lone reign as tag team champions. Another likely forgotten fact about the revamped LOD is that they had the fiery redhead, Christy Hemme act as their manager for a short period of time.

8 8. Jillian Hall

Most likely remember Hall for being the worst singer in WWE history.  Or possibly for being JBL'S image consultant. Or that hideous growth on her face! But, most likely don't remember that Hall is recognized for being a 1x WWE Divas Champion. A lot of this stems from if you hadn't seen the October 12th, 2009 episode of Raw, you likely would be unaware of Hall's reign. Hall won the title by defeating Mickie James. However, upon defeating James, Hall had to defend the title on the same night against Melina. Hall ended up losing the title to Melina in her first defense. Hall never won another title in WWE. Hall also holds the distinction of having the shortest WWE Divas title reign, a record no one wants to hold.

7 7. Essa Rios

The former on screen boyfriend of Lita never achieved the amount of success as his other half, but he did still manage to hold gold. Not to mention, he dethroned Gillberg, the most dominant Light Heavyweight Champion in the company's history. Gillberg held the belt for 448 days before Rios won the belt on an episode of the now defunct Sunday Night Heat. Despite Rios ending Gillberg's lengthy title reign, he did not have a lengthy title reign in his own right. Instead, Rios only held the strap for a mere thirty-four days before he dropped it to Dean Malenko. Rios would go on to never hold gold again in the WWE. He was also released the following year in 2001; he continues to wrestle on the independent scene to this day.

6 6. Ahmed Johnson

The former member of the Nation of Domination looked like he possessed the ideal physique for Vince McMahon's standards to be a future world champion when he stepped foot into the company. Unfortunately for Johnson he never held the company's most illustrious prize. But, he did end up winning the Intercontinental title and by doing so he became the first African American in WWE history to win a singles championship when he defeated Goldust in June of 1996. The company seemed to get cold feet with Johnson as he never ended up losing the title, rather he ended up forfeiting the title after holding the belt for fifty days. Johnson never held another championship and he was done with the company two years later in 1998.

5 5. Luke Harper

What's more surprising, Luke Harper holding gold, or the patriarch and "Eater of Worlds" of the Wyatt Family, Bray Wyatt not having held gold as of today? Harper is a 1x Intercontinental Champion by virtue of beating Dolph Ziggler on an episode of Monday Night Raw. Harper's reign only lasted a mere twenty-seven days and was a rather uneventful one. Harper ended up dropping the belt back to Ziggler at the TLC pay per view in Ziggler's hometown of Cleveland, Ohio on December 14th, 2014. Not much can be accomplished with a reign as short as Harper's. However, what was clear is that for the short time that Harper held the belt is that he was not ready to be a mid card title holder for the company.

4 4. Orlando Jordan

JBL's Chief of Staff as part of his Cabinet stable held the WWE United States Championship simultaneously as JBL held the WWE Undisputed Championship. Jordan not only reigned for over five months at 173 days, but he beat quite the prospect at the time, John Cena for the United States belt. Jordan ended up losing the title at SummerSlam in 2005 to the remotely spoken of, Chris Benoit. To make matters worse, Jordan was defeated in rather humiliating fashion as Benoit disposed of him in a minuscule 25.5 seconds. Jordan never regained the U.S. title, nor did he ever win any other titles during his tenure with the company. Jordan was done with WWE in 2006 and has been wrestling on the independent circuit ever since.

3 3. Pete Gas

Gas, a former high school pal of Shane McMahon, became WWE Hardcore Champion not only on one occasion, but two. Despite having two reigns on his resume, Gas never held the belt longer than a day. Yet, Gas does have the honor of being the first person to hold the belt as a result of the belt being defended on a twenty-four hour and seven day basis. Gas first won the belt by pinning Crash Holly in the unlikely location of New Jersey's Newark Airport. The second time Gas won the Hardcore Championship was at WrestleMania 2000 during the 13 man Hardcore Battle Royal. However, he didn't walk out of WrestleMania as champion, the man often referred to as Elroy Jetson, Crash Holly did walk out as the Hardcore Champion.

2 2. K-Kwik

The name K-Kwik may be unfamiliar to some; however, the name R-Truth may ring a bell. Truth has won the United States Championship on one occasion as well as the Tag Team Championship with Kofi Kingston. K-Kwik was apart of the WWE from 2000-2002. During this time period, he is likely most remembered for being in a tag team with Road Dogg. While the two never won the tag belts, K-Kwik won the Hardcore Championship on two occasions. Two short occasions at that as the combined time for both reigns is less than a single day. K-Kwik defeated Raven for his first reign, but didn't depart the arena with the title as he was defeated by Crash Holly on the same night. Ironically, his second reign endured the same exact fate.

1 1. Godfather's Ho, Bobcat

A wide array of individuals held the Hardcore Championship. However, it's highly unlikely that any of these individuals surpasses one of the Godfather's hoes. While Crash Holly was defending the Hardcore Championship against the Godfather in an actual match, one of the Godfather's hoes, Bobcat took advantage and pinned Holly. Bobcat was officially recognized as the Hardcore Champion for fifteen seconds. They say everyone receives their fifteen minutes of fame; it looks like Bobcat had to settle for fifteen seconds. Holly regained the title shortly after and thankfully so considering had Bobcat held it any longer it would significantly devalue the Hardcore Championship. Bobcat never held another championship within the WWE and this shouldn't come as a surprise considering she was a valet and not a wrestler.