On CM Punk’s Best In The World special, Triple H once said something to the effect of the sometimes the belt makes the guy and other times the guy makes the title. In some cases, every so often, neither of those sentiments are true. It hard to believe, but even with the multitude of titles that exist in a promotion that sometimes, a superstar was never booked to win one!
It might be the richest prize in all of professional wrestling, but for whatever the reason some of the best wrestlers never got the chance to run with any of the titles the WWE had to win.
10 Jake The Snake Roberts
No, stealing the Million Dollar Championship doesn’t count. Jake The Snake had so many great moments in his career, and his life after the ring has become a bit of an inspiration thanks to DDP, but one thing Jake never did was win a title in the WWE. Even a lot of his best angles happened right before or after his opponent won or lost the belt - Steamboat, Savage, Taker, and Rude all had either just come off a title run or were set to start a title run when they had a program with Jake. As for the Snake, wearing Damien was enough.
9 Bam Bam Bigelow
Fun fact - Bam Bam Bigelow made his professional debut for Paul Heyman at an indie show emanating from Studio 54. His debut in the WWE was a few years later and he had a star making performance at the inaugural Survivor Series, seemingly being groomed for a big babyface push.
While never really got that run, or a WWE title run, the Bammer has the distinction of getting to main event WrestleMania XI, against NY Giants legend, Lawrence Taylor.
8 Vader
When the Mastodon Vader made his debut in early 1996, he had already cemented his claim as being the best big man ever. After having numerous title reigns in Japan and in WCW, it seemed like a matter of time before he was clutching onto the WWE title. But after having a poor showing agains Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam ‘96 (depending on a certain point of view), ol’ HBK politicked to get the program change to work with Sid instead of the much bigger and badder Vader. Hopefully, he’ll get a posthumous Hall Of Fame induction as a consolation prize.
7 Tori
The Attitude Era Divas had a unique roster filled with girls who couldn’t work and were almost always booked in bra and panty matches, and then where women like Lita and Tori - hard hitting hot women who could have the tawdry matches, but also work great matches too. Tori debuted as Sable’s stalker before transitioning to being a member of DX. But in between that, she had the first ever ladies hardcore match against Ivory. Interestingly enough, after touring the world, Tori not only never won the WWE Women’s Title, she only won one world title throughout her career.
6 Sami Zayn
Sami’s not the only member of the current roster that hasn’t won a title yet, but it is a little odd that he has had several high-profile feuds with the likes of AJ Styles and Kevin Owens and hasn’t grabbed any gold yet. He has been suffering the proverbial “curse of the good worker,” but he also doesn’t have the look that Vince covets. Zayn looks like your average Joe, which might make appealing to a lot of fans, but it’s never going to put him line for a big run.
5 Luna Vachon
As second-generation star, Luna Vachon got to hang around locker rooms her whole life and much like Stephanie McMahon, considered the mythic André The Giant her friend.
She debuted in WWE years before the Attitude Era but served more as a foil for Alundra Blayze, managing Bull Nakano than having a full-scale war with the Women’s Champ. Had they been allowed to let loose and go to war, the Women’s Revolution would have come twenty years earlier.
4 King Kong Bundy
Unfortunately, the wrestling community lost King Kong Bundy earlier this year. The “Walking Condominium,” as Gorilla Monsoon liked to call him got to headline WrestleMania 2 with Hulk Hogan in so far, the only Steel Cage match in Mania history. With Hulkamania on the rise, this was the highest echelon that Bundy attained in the WWE, which is nothing to be ashamed by at all. Nine years later, he would become part of The Streak, losing at WrestleMania XI against the Undertaker.
3 Dana Brooke
Dana Brooke and her Flex Appeal gimmick hasn’t gotten over like gangbusters, and she has always been booked to be second fiddle to either Charlotte or Titus Worldwide. While the other active member on this list doesn’t have the kind of physique that Vince covers, Dana Brooke certainly does.
Not only is she a buxom bodybuilder, but she can go in the ring and she’s only getting better. It might be a matter of time before gold is around her waist, but with the way she’s been booked, most likely not.
2 Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Hacksaw Jim Duggan was a huge sensation in the Mid South Territory and was poised to become a megastar in the WWE - the rumor was he was set to be the next big Hogan-level star. Whether he could’ve pulled it off or not is another argument for another day. But getting caught hanging out with the Iron Sheik doing come extracurricular activities is what derailed that idea. While he was always loved by the fans, the WWE’s version of Buford Pusser, he never got to walk to the ring with anything other than his 2X4.
1 Dusty Rhodes
While Dusty had come into the WWE in the twilight of in-ring career, he could have had a run with either the Intercontinental title or become the first ever former NWA champion to capture WWE gold (that honor would go to Ric Flair). But instead, the Dream just did what he always does - got over with sheer charisma. He never even got near a title during his WWE run. Big Dust at this point in his career didn’t even need the belt.