Multiple Hall of Famers, controversial star - 5 WWE legends who never won the World Heavyweight Championship

April 24, 2023, was a big day in WWE history. Just prior, Triple H announced the entire company would be shaken up with the Draft, but that claim was proven accurate when he revealed Roman Reigns would become exclusive to one brand.

Whichever brand didn't draft Roman would seemingly be without a world champion. As a result, the new World Heavyweight Championship was created and officially revealed on the aforementioned date. There is currently an ongoing tournament to crown the inaugural champion.

This isn't the first time the World Heavyweight Championship has been presented. Triple H became the first-ever champion in 2002, and that belt remained active until it was unified at the end of 2013. It isn't yet clear if the new belt will be part of the same lineage.

Tons of talented stars held the first iteration of the World Heavyweight Championship, but surprisingly, there were a handful of names who never won the gold. This article will look at a handful of stars who never won the "Big Gold Belt."

#5. Stone Cold Steve Austin walked out before the title was created

World Champion of the day: Stone Cold Steve Austin - Began his third run as WWF champion at WrestleMania XV on March 28, 1999. This reign lasted 56 days. 🏆 #WWF #WWE #Wrestling #SteveAustin https://t.co/9jIqg7Kvwa

Stone Cold Steve Austin is arguably the biggest star in WWE history, at least for a short period. His ascend began in 1998 and helped turn the tides in the Monday Night War.

The Texas Rattlesnake was never able to even challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship, much less win it. He walked out of WWE in June 2002, and the belt was introduced in September.

Austin returned in early 2003 but only had three matches before retiring. Two matches were with Eric Bischoff, and one was with The Rock, thus making a World Heavyweight Championship reign impossible.

#4. JBL reigned on SmackDown when the World Title was on RAW

What did you think of JBL as WWE Champion? https://t.co/2uPSXK5Jss

John Bradshaw Layfield was one of the most despised wrestlers in WWE. As a top star, he feuded with Eddie Guerrero, The Undertaker, John Cena, and Big Show.

JBL was on top of the industry when the World Heavyweight Championship was active. However, his time as a main eventer saw him on the SmackDown brand. While he was on the blue brand, the World Heavyweight Championship was on Monday Night RAW.

Still, JBL was a world champion in the era. At one point, he held the WWE Championship and even the distinction of being the longest-reigning title holder in SmackDown history. However, the Wrestling God would have undoubtedly enjoyed a second world title reign.

#3. The Rock began phasing out his career when the title was introduced

Happy Birthday to Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock)

✅ 8x WWE Champion
✅ 2x WCW Champion
✅ 2x WWE Intercontinental Champion
✅ 5x WWE Tag Team Champion
✅ Royal Rumble 2000 Winner
✅ Wrestlemania 15/16/17/28/29 Main Eventer

The Great One indeed🎉 https://t.co/w7Vc5iMNYo

The Rock is another superstar who can claim to be one of the most popular in WWE history. He rose to the top of the industry during the Attitude Era and then took over Hollywood, where he remains a crucial figure to this very day.

Like Steve Austin, The Rock was only an active competitor for a brief period when the World Heavyweight Championship was active. The People's Champion had already ventured into acting and was no longer a full-time star.

The former WWE Champion returned for a rivalry with John Cena and even CM Punk, but the World Heavyweight Championship wasn't on the red brand then.

Could The Rock return for the new World Heavyweight Championship? The odds are unlikely, but not impossible.

#2. Eddie Guerrero only won the WWE Championship

Eddie Guerrero is one of the most influential stars in WWE history. Numerous stars in pro wrestling today cite Latino Heat as a major influence. He was a multi-time champion in both World Wrestling Entertainment and WCW.

Latino Heat only spent a brief period on Monday Night RAW before moving to SmackDown, where he was finally pushed to the top. In fact, while on SmackDown, Guerrero defeated Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship.

Unfortunately, Guerrero passed away shortly after the World Heavyweight Championship was moved to the blue brand. A long-standing rumor suggests he could have dethroned Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship had he not passed away. Sadly, fans will never know for sure if that would have happened.

#1. Hulk Hogan's resume doesn't include the World Heavyweight Championship

Hulk Hogan is one of the most controversial stars in WWE history. Despite the controversy surrounding some of his alleged actions behind the scenes and away from wrestling, he's also one of the most iconic names in the industry's history.

The Hulkster won the WWE Championship for the last time just a few months before the World Heavyweight Championship was created in 2002. With an on-again, off-again relationship with Vince McMahon, he never had a sustained run that lasted more than a few months after the introduction of the World Heavyweight Championship.

Hogan did hold World Championship Wrestling's version of the "Big Gold Belt." Still, that title has a separate lineage from the title introduced by Eric Bischoff in 2002 and is most likely different from the one presented in 2023.