Eight instances when WWE didn't have a champion
Triple H stripped Daniel Bryan of the title and WWE finds itself again without a champion
“Just so you know, I don’t care about earning your respect! I didn’t hit a 30-foot Swanton to impress you. I did it to hurt you! I did it for my brother Matt! I did it because I’ve waited too long for this opportunity! Most importantly, I did it to show you that I’ll do whatever it takes to become WWE Champion!” – Jeff Hardy
WWE is all about entertainment and the Championship title, but imagine it being without any champion. The surprising thing is, it has happened many times.
Remember CM Punk vs John Cena at Money in the Bank, 2011? Punk won the match and left the arena with the championship. His contract was expired, and Vince didn’t want him to come back.
Punk was the Champion, but at that time nobody was a champion in WWE.
Here are some other reigns when WWE had no champion:
1. Andre the Giant won the title from Hulk Hogan on Feb 5, 1988 after Ted DiBiase bribed the referee.
Hogan’s shoulder was up after two count, but referee scored the three count. It was rematch for WrestleMania 3. Then Andre sold the title to Ted DiBiase but the president nullified the decision and vacated the title.
After 51 days, Randy Savage defeated Ted DiBiase to win the Title.
2. Hulk Hogan was stripped of the title on Dec 4, 1991 by the president Jack Tunney due to previous controversial title change.
Championship was vacated for 46 days. Ric Flair then won the Royal Rumble match to win the Championship by eliminating Sid Justice.
3. Shawn Michaels forfeited the Championship title due to a knee injury on Feb 13, 1997. He had won that title from Sycho Sid just 25 days ago.
Bret Hart won the title after 3 days, defeating Stone Cold, the Undertaker and Vader in a Four Way Elimination match and then lost it to Sycho Sid after 1 day.
4. Stone Cold was defending his title against Kane and the Undertaker in a Triple Threat Match on Sep 27, 1998. Both Kane and Taker pinned Stone Cold simultaneously. Stone Cold lost the title, but there was no champion.
A match between Kane and The Undertaker took place at Judgement Day PPV, but it ended in a no-contest. After 49 days, the Rock defeated Mankind to win his first championship title and to fill the vacant space at St. Louis.
5. Vince McMahon, with Shane McMahon as guest referee, defeated Triple H to win the Championship, and then after 6 days he vacated the Title.
Triple H again won the title, defeating 5 other men, including the Rock, Mankind, Big Show, British Bulldog and Kane.
6. John Cena won the TLC match against Edge at Unforgiven 2006 to win the Championship.
After holding the title for record 380 days, Cena had an injury and the title got vacant. After 5 days at No Mercy, Mr. McMahon awarded Randy Ortan the WWE Championship.
Triple H took the title from him at the same night, and again on the same night, Ortan defeated him in a Last Man Standing match.
7. Batista defeated Randy Orton in a Steel Cage match at Extreme Rules 2009. Batista suffered a torn left injury and WWE went without a champion for 6 days.
Ortan again defeated HHH, Cena and Big Show to win the title.
8. Currently, the WWE Championship is vacated after a controversial pin-fall by the referee. It’s been 4+ days, and we still have no WWE Champion.
Those were some unwanted situations when WWE was without a champion. This time, it’s Daniel Bryan vs Triple H. Let’s see for how many days we will not have a champion.