10 WWE Champions That Completely Buried Their Challengers
Sting When You're Winning
Any old business self-help book will reiterate how it's harder to stay on top than actually get there, but pro wrestling's one of the few industries in which even making it to the bottom of the mountain is a virtual impossibility.
No matter how far and wide WWE have cast their recruitment net over the past few years, stealing a moment of focus in the world's largest pro wrestling organisation is still something of a hallowed spot - not least because a relationship with Vince McMahon himself is seemingly as important as your perceived talent or expertise.
Virtually every moderately prosperous champion from the past three decades has confirmed it - closeness to the Chairman is vital in attaining sustained success at the top of his notoriously shaky tree, as is the propensity to know how and when to employ the power you hold by virtue of your position. Wrestling is pre-determined, but the champion is one of the few to be able to flex their feelings should a result not exactly 'work' for them.
There are times to give everything to a challenger, including the bejewelled belts the champions work their entire lives for. These, unfortunately for the chasing pack, are examples of the exact opposite.
10. Triple H (Challenger: Rob Van Dam)
A tumultuous 2002 was ultimately a calendar year than categorically confirmed WWE as a rose without any remaining bloom, but Triple H was typically on hand to take full advantage of the situation in the absence of any other established headliners.
Suddenly barren and in need of stars, 'The Game' could well have invested in the future a decade or so before spearheading huge changes in NXT, but when his own spot remained in peril there were few finer at kicking the ladder away from a feverish chasing pack.
Rob Van Dam was uncharacteristically committed to the cause that summer, having unified the Hardcore and European Titles in to his Intercontinental Title as Raw surged towards the 'one title, one show' mantra being established in the wake of Brock Lesnar's post-SummerSlam exit to SmackDown with the WWE Title.
Then came a fork in the road. WCW's old World Title belt was relaunched as the red brand's top prize and awarded to Triple H because of course it was, RVD's Intercontinental Title was taken away, and Van Dam was easily beaten by Hunter in his one crack at the top title a month later. He was permitted to mock 'The Game's entrance in the match - a single moment of joy in a fog of of boredom, desperation and despair.