10 WWE Champions Who Were Brutally Underrated & Deserved Way Better

Since 1963, 55 men have held the WWE Championship - the promotion's top championship - for a total of 147 reigns. In that span, we have seen these titleholders help define their era. Whether it was Hulk Hogan ushering in the 'Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection' of the 1980s or John Cena being the poster child for the Ruthless Aggression era, many men have carved out their place in history while wearing the belt.

Reaching that pinnacle in the biggest sports entertainment company in the world usually means immortality, and eventually, a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. However, looking past all-time legends like Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart, or The Undertaker, there are a handful of former champions that have fallen by the wayside.

Whether their names have been forgotten or the fans have simply overlooked their contributions as champions, those stars have proven that grabbing the gold doesn't always guarantee any level of immortality.

10 Sheamus

It's hard to believe, but Sheamus has held the WWE World Title a total of three times since joining the main roster in 2009. That's more than icons like Randy Savage or Pedro Morales or modern superstars like AJ Styles and CM Punk. Still, most of those titles came and went quickly - early in his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment.

At the same time, he didn't have a career-defining championship reign during that span. Because he's essentially been moved out of the main event picture for several years, some fans may have forgotten those 'blink-and-you'll-miss-them' times he held the big belt.

Overlooked or not, there's no doubt the Irishman is a future Hall of Famer, and he will be remembered as one of the top international competitors to have graced a WWE ring. He's still going strong today, chasing the only title that has eluded him in his career - the Intercontinental Championship.

9 Bobby Lashley

Despite being a multi-time WWE Champion and one of the most legit athletes and combat fighters ever, Bobby Lashley has often been overlooked and under-booked by the company. He tangled with some of the best the promotion had to offer, yet never got to the level of someone like Brock Lesnar.

While people may remember that he had the belt, it's hard to name anything special from his reigns. For the most part, Lashley's WWE career will most likely be defined by his 'Battle of the Billionaires' match at WrestleMania, when he acted as the in-ring representative for future US President, Donald Trump, against Umaga and Vince McMahon. His time on top of the company, however, is almost an afterthought.

8 The Miz

The often-maligned Miz continually reminds fans that he is a two-time WWE World Champion. So, while his time with the title isn't so much as forgettable, it's more like 'underrated'. Because of his bluster and foolishness, The Miz is often not viewed as a serious wrestler. That's why many fans and critics scoffed at him winning the belt the first time around. To them, he was just a flash in the pan. His brief second reign didn't convince them much, either.

At this point, The Miz has been with the company for about 20 years, and he's accomplished quite a bit in that time. Both inside the ring and out, he's been an ambassador for WWE, and he was a worthy champion. However, fans often still see him as that obnoxious kid who entered the promotion so long ago.

7 Pedro Morales

Morales held the (then) WWWF Championship in the mid-1970s for a total of 1,027 days. While it was his only time as the kingpin of the promotion, he provided a steady hand in the years after Bruno Sammartino's amazing eight-year run. He also helped pack Madison Square Garden with Latino fans, who saw him as su héroe.

He would lose the belt to veteran Stan Stasiak in a finish that was so controversial, the decision wasn't announced on the house microphone. Promoters were too afraid the crowd might riot. However, as Morales' popularity waned, so did his spot on the card. Many fans today remember him from the early and mid-'80s, when he was booked as mostly a mid-card performer.

6 Jeff Hardy

At the turn of the century, the idea that career tag team artist Jeff Hardy would ever win the WWE Championship was almost laughable. Always undersized - and an underdog - he was a fan favorite, but lacked many of the qualities of the heavyweights who preceded him.

By 2008, however, The Charismatic Enigma had risen through the singles ranks of the promotion. Hardy would find himself in a Triple Threat title tilt with Triple H and Edge. The daredevil would pull off a shocking victory. One that opened the door to performers of all sizes and styles to aspire to be WWE Champion someday.

5 Dean Ambrose

This ranking is no fault of Dean Ambrose (now, of course, known as Jon Moxley in AEW). It's the short length of his championship run that really negated his reign and his character. It's been said that this 'failure to launch' was the impetus for Ambrose eventually departing WWE.

It's also a key reason why his time on top is so often overlooked. People remember his cash-in of the Money in the Bank briefcase to defeat Seth Rollins, but the next 83 days are forgettable. It appeared that the title reign ended way too soon, and that Ambrose got knocked off his perch just as soon as he was gaining momentum. While his championship wasn't a total waste, it was definitely far too brief.

4 Stan Stasiak

Nine days. That's how long the steady hand of Stan 'The Man' Stasiak held a grip on the title in the mid-1970s. He is often labeled as a 'transitional champion'. In this case, the Master of the Heart Punch was being trusted to facilitate the belt from Pedro Morales and back to former champ Bruno Sammartino.

Make no mistake, despite his short reign, it was still a prestigious position to be put in. Promoter Vince McMahon Sr. had faith that Stasiak would do the job honorably and with no complaints. Stan The Man did just that, and eventually settled back into the upper mid-card level, before returning to his home territory in Portland, Oregon. He was posthumously inducted into the Legends' Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.

3 Mick Foley

Mick Foley may be WWE's most lovable and unforgettable figure ever. He's a hardcore legend, a Hall of Famer, a successful author, and an all-around good guy. And for a time in the late 90's, he was trading the World title back and forth with The Rock.

While Foley held the title three times, it was only for a total of 36 days, as recognized by the promotion. While Foley, and his alter ego Mankind, will always be remembered by the WWE Universe, it's for reasons other than him holding the biggest title in the world.

When fans picture Foley, they remember his cage fall at Hell in a Cell, his use of Mr. Socko, or his legendary pairing with The Rock. However, he's rarely mentioned among the great WWE Champions.

2 Ivan Koloff

"You could hear a pin drop." That's what has often been said about Ivan Koloff's 1971 victory over Bruno Sammartino. A stunned Madison Square Garden crowd sat silently, as they witnessed something they could hardly believe: The end of Bruno Sammartino's historic, eight-year title reign.

Koloff would also be considered a transitional champion in the annuals of history, but he was a skilled grappler with legitimate strength. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, he would adopt the evil Russian character of Ivan Koloff and become a reliable and valuable heel in several promotions for years.

Unfortunately, he would only hold the WWE Title for 21 days, before losing it to Pedro Morales. Many fans today would likely recognize him as 'Uncle Ivan', the mentor of his storyline nephew, Nikita Koloff. Very few can recall the night he stunned Sammartino - and the world - on a chilly New York night.

1 The Iron Sheik

Many only remember The Iron Sheik as the man who lost the WWE Championship to Hulk Hogan. And for good reason. It ushered in the Era of Hulkamania and a radical change in how we viewed wrestling. The Sheik would stay on for years with the promotion after dropping the title, but mostly appeared in a tag team with Nikolai Volkoff and later as a manger.

Why this title reign can't be overlooked is that it's not just a bridge between two iconic champions - Bob Backlund and Hogan - but also the embrace of 'Rock 'n' Wrestling and the cartoon era of the 1980s. It also signified the change in the way Vince McMahon Jr planned to do business in comparison to his father.

While the Iranian champion was a legitimate Olympic grappler and an old-school throwback, he's often remembered more for his gimmick than his in-ring work. However, he was a brutal tactician with ungodly strength. He was also apparently very loyal to McMahon and the promotion: Rumor has it, rival promoter Verne Gagne allegedly offered The Iron Sheik $100,000 to double-cross Hogan, break his leg, and keep the title. The Sheik refused, and the rest, as they say, is WWE history.