10 shortest combined reigns as WWE Champion
The WWE Championship is the most prestigious belt in all of professional wrestling, and as such, many fans believe that long title reigns are the way to go in terms of making the strap feel even more important.
Whether you agree with that statement or not isn't really the point, as we're here to look at the case that goes against that theory.
Not everyone can be WWE Champion - we know that. However, it seems a bit bizarre to take the title off of people so soon after them winning it. Whilst it can be considered good for storyline purposes, in the grand scheme of their careers they'll be known as "the guy that barely held onto the belt".
People love looking through every Superstar's past achievements these days, and that kind of thing is sure to stand out above the rest.
Now that may be a little over-dramatic, but at the same time, you cannot deny the sentiment. As we look through the list of the 10 shortest combined reigns for the championship, try and consider how these guys were feeling after being told that they'd quickly lose the thing they fought so hard to claim.
With all that being said, let's take a look.
#10 Batista - 37 days
The Animal Batista is well known for his successful tenure in the WWE, but he certainly had his fair share of issues throughout the years that hindered him from time to time. Whilst it was nothing too severe, Batista highlighted towards the back end of his last run how he didn't like the direction in which the company was going.
Which makes the timing of his two WWE Championship reigns in 2009 and 2010 all the more interesting. After vacating the belt just two days after winning the title against Randy Orton, Batista went on to hold it once again from Elimination Chamber 2010 leading into WrestleMania 26.
Also read: 5 greatest Intercontinental champions of all time
His feud with John Cena was certainly an entertaining one, but a lot of fans were eager to see Big Dave once again reign supreme over Cena. Alas, it wasn't to be, and in the end, it makes sense as Batista was much more heavily featured alongside the World Heavyweight Championship during his time in sports entertainment.
We go back a few decades now to one of the biggest heels in history.