Winning a championship should be a huge deal in a wrestler's career. Once upon a time, that was true. There was a time when workers could hold belts for at least several months or even a few years. Today, a reign lasting more than four months is considered a long one. This has sadly led to the rise of the "paper champions." People who are meant to hold the belt for a short time to spark things up before dropping it to someone else. While this has existed in wrestling history forever, the fact remains that WWE has seen scores of such champions whose reigns were never meant to go long.

Related: The 10 Most Ridiculous Ways A World Title Was Won In WWE

While it's easy to dismiss these titleholders as unworthy, the truth is that many actually were. Some were guys who deserved a run on the top due to long careers that were very popular. Then there are champions who were underestimated in those roles, who could have gone on much longer. For every "unworthy" WWE champ, there's at least another who should have held the belt longer. Here are five "paper champions" in WWE who were underestimated in their roles and five who deserved the belt to show that the label shouldn't be an insult.

10 DESERVED: Rey Mysterio

Maybe some can complain about a World champion who's 5'6" and 175 pounds soaking wet. But with his long career, Rey Mysterio did deserve a shot at the main event level. In 2006, he won the World Heavyweight Championship as a tribute to Eddie Guerrero, and while his reign wasn't long, it was fun to see.

In 2011, Rey won the vacant WWE Title in a beautiful moment. Sadly, he held it less than two hours before losing it to John Cena. With his terrific outfits, abilities, and charisma, Rey proved you don't have to be a colossal muscleman to deserve a shot at the top.

9 UNDERESTIMATED: Big Show

When you're seven feet tall and 500 pounds, you make a very intimidating champion. Over the years, the Big Show has gotten some shots at the top, and while they don't last long, he's effective in the role. He became WWE Champion at the 1999 Survivor Series as an unexpected replacement for Steve Austin.

Related: 5 Ways Big Show's Careers Should End (& 5 Ways It Shouldn't)

He had a second reign beating Brock Lesnar three years later as well as a couple of turns as World Heavyweight Champion (one of which lasted just minutes). With his size and ability to captivate a crowd, Show may have deserved longer runs as WWE Champ as the challenge of beating this monster made for compelling matches.

8 DESERVED: Buddy Rogers

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Historically, Buddy Rogers is the very first WWE Champion (back when it was the World Wide Wrestling Federation). The original "Nature Boy" was one of the greatest characters of all time who has influenced every heel who's followed. From the start, Rogers' reign was meant to be short as WWWF had just broken off from the NWA with him as champion.

After only a month, Rogers dropped the belt to Bruno Sammartino to kick off Bruno's record reign. Given how so many hail him as one of the most exceptional workers in history, one can't argue Rogers didn't deserve being WWE's first champ.

7 UNDERESTIMATED: Ivan Koloff

"The Russian Bear" was always underrated as a fantastic heel with a great style. In 1971, Koloff ended Bruno Sammartino's seven-year reign as WWE champion. Madison Square Garden was literally silent in shock over the victory. Worried over a massive fan backlash, WWE had Koloff drop the belt just three weeks later to Pedro Morales.

Related: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked

That cut short what could have been a productive heel run as Koloff proved himself an excellent character for several years afterward. His place in history is assured, while Koloff may have done excellent business as champion.

6 DESERVED: Rob Van Dam

RVD's run as WWE Champion is sadly better known for how badly it ended. Yet it can't be denied that Rob Van Dam was long overdue for a shot at the top. After stealing the show in ECW, he'd risen up in WWE with fans loving his matches.

Many pushed for him as a champ in 2002 or 2003, and RVD might have done well there. He finally beat John Cena at ECW One Night Stand 2006 to pay off on his promise. Sadly, RVD had to give up the belt after a run-in with the law, but at least he finally got his chance as champion.

5 UNDERESTIMATED: Kane

In his two decades in WWE, Kane has held nearly every title in the company more than once. Yet, amazingly, he had just one day as WWE Champion. At King of the Ring 1998, Kane defeated Steve Austin in a First Blood match for the belt. The next night on RAW, Austin goaded Kane into a rematch where he regained the title.

Related: 10 Things Kane Never Accomplished In Wrestling

Somehow, Kane has never gotten back to that level, which is surprising given how effective he'd be. He had a stint as World Heavyweight Champion, which also didn't last long as The Big Red Machine could have been a longer-running champ.

4 DESERVED: Andre The Giant

Andre the Giant with the WWE title

Andre the Giant was always more of an attraction than a good in-ring worker. He never needed a title because of his huge fame, but giving him one was overdue. In 1988, Andre beat Hulk Hogan on an NBC event to win the championship thanks to a crooked ref and fast count.

After less than a minute, Andre gave the belt to Ted DiBiase. Despite that, it was nice that after all his years of service, Andre finally got to hold the WWE Title, even if it was for such a brief time and solidified his legacy.

3 UNDERESTIMATED: Christian

It's a shame Christian never got the major nod he deserved from WWE. He was always in the shadow of Edge, and it took going to TNA to get him into a serious main event slot. When he returned to WWE, he was ruled ECW for a bit.

Related: 10 Best Matches Of Christian's Career Ranked

When Edge retired, Christian rose up to win the World Heavyweight Title. He should have had a long reign but instead dropped the belt fast to Randy Orton. Christian had a couple more shots that didn't last long and too bad as he could have been a tremendous long-term champ with his fantastic charisma.

2 DESERVED: Mankind

After years as one of the most dependable guys around, Mick Foley took off as Mankind in WWE. By late 1998, his antics (like Hell in the Cell) had made him a major fan favorite. His WWE Title win over The Rock is always remembered thanks to how it aired opposite the "Fingerpoke of Doom."

Foley's reigns were short but still fun. He later held the title for a couple of days in 1999 before losing to HHH. Foley earned that title to help become one of the most loved guys in the business.

1 UNDERESTIMATED: The Iron Sheik

The Iron Sheik's place in WWE is always set by how he helped create Hulkamania. In December of 1983, Sheiky shocked the world by defeating Bob Backlund for the WWE Title when Backlund's manager, Arnold Skaaland, threw in the towel.

A month later, Sheik lost the belt to Hulk Hogan to kick off Hogan's epic reign. This ignores how The Iron Sheik was a fine pick for a heel champ to get the crowd going and could have lasted longer as champion. If nothing else, without the win over Sheiky, Hogan's rise to power might not have taken off so well.

Next: Predicting The Next 10 WWE Champions (& How They'll Win It)