10 Most Pointless WWE Title Wins

2. Alberto Del Rio Defeats John Cena

A return from the independent scene immediately into a clean win over John Cena is probably the most perfect way to re-emerge in WWE, but Alberto Del Rio's October 2015 return at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view betrayed a malaise that followed in his 11-month second stint.

Outside of a brief summer trade-off with Seth Rollins, John Cena had spent much of the post-WrestleMania calendar elevating the United States Title to loftier heights than the WWE iteration had ever seen.

With some outstanding television and pay-per-view matches contested for the prize, an expectation had emerged that it would take a special performance from a special talent to unseat 'The Champ'.

Issuing an open challenge as he had done previously, Cena expected a familiar face but was greeted by Zeb Colter introducing former rival Del Rio to a mammoth response from the live crowd.

In just seven and a half minutes, Del Rio nailed 'Big Match John' with a single superkick and shockingly snared the title.

Ordinarily the type of upset that would attach a rocket to a performer, the scale of the result was never really dwelled upon, as Alberto moved into a tepid feud with Kalisto that would see both share title reigns across their rivalry.

Del Rio was gone by August, bookending his spell with a comprehensive defeat to Cena that mirrored his re-emergence.