12 Best WWE Pay-Per-Views That Didn't Have A World Title Match
We are(n't) the champions.
Alongside several other questionable booking decisions, Sunday's Payback pay-per-view will be bereft of a World Title match despite the fact that WWE now fosters two championships of equal status for both Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live!
Randy Orton's 'House of Horrors' clash with Bray Wyatt has finally had the WWE Title caveat removed after weeks of uncertainty. This uncharacteristic stall was representative of the company's general disarray in booking the match to begin with, including leaked surveys sent to 'WWE Fan Council' focus groups weeks after the contest was announced, and unusually vague references to the contest by commentators and performers alike.
Meanwhile, Universal Champion Brock Lesnar has begun his second reign with a major title exactly as he ended his last - largely A.W.O.L.
It does no harm having titleholder and title disappear from television should talent constantly reference their unending quest to gain gold, but there's barely been a mention of 'The Beast' or his title since the post-WrestleMania edition of the broadcast where Paul Heyman threw out a challenge to Roman Reigns that isn't likely to bear fruits until next year's edition of the 'Show of Shows'.
Though a relative rarity in a company with rigidly formulaic guidelines to promoting the events, not every WWE pay-per-view has required a defence of the top prize in order to deliver a stellar night of entertainment
With a rundown of the main events that leapfrogged a championship and the shows that survived sans straps, here are the 12 best WWE pay-per-views without a World Title match.
12. Survivor Series 1993
A return to the familiar format after 1992's departure, the 1993 Survivor Series saw a host of enjoyable enjoyable team elimination matches and two major angle triggered between future WWE Title rivals.
In the main event of the evening, Champion Yokozuna lead his 'Foreign Fanatics' into battle with Lex Luger's 'All Americans', but it was The Undertaker who would make the biggest impact on the sumo monster.
No-selling a shot to the steel stairs with characteristic aplomb, 'The Deadman' forced a memorable eye-popping double take from Yoko, who immediately panicked about the new threat to his throne.
Meanwhile, a wicked opener was dominated by Marty Jannetty and The 1-2-3 Kid's dynamic offence and the simmering blood feud between Randy Savage and Crush, and an infamous match pitting the Hart Brothers against Shawn Michaels and his masked knights kicked off the legendary feud between Bret and disenfranchised younger brother Owen.
It also marked the pay-per-view farewell of Bobby Heenan, just weeks before best friend Gorilla Monsoon would literally throw him out of the company on an episode of Monday Night Raw. The two clashing again on this card was a comedic highlight.