10 Modern-Era Title Reigns That Should Have Never Happened

For a professional wrestler there should be no greater feeling in the world than capturing a championship title. From the Impact X Divison strap to the Universal Championship, every belt should serve to elevate the performer holding it.

Conversely, the belt holder should also add credibility to whichever title they are in possession of. A successful reign is like a good marriage, with an inevitable divorce coming at some point down the road. However, after said divorce, both parties will have benefited from the relationship.

Unfortunately, throughout the history of professional wrestling, there have been several instances when a title run damaged the champion, the belt itself, or in some cases both.

Too often championships have been mismanaged and given to unworthy recipients for a host of ridiculous reasons. In some instances, these once prestigious ornaments never regained their former glory, after being worn by an undeserving owner. Moreover, there are also plenty of examples of struggling titles that were made to seem even less relevant, due to bad booking.

With that in mind, it's time to take a look at some of the worst title reigns of the modern-era. These cringe-worthy championship stints will serve as a reminder that not all title runs are created equal.

Before he was known as Vince McMahon's illegitimate son and the Anonymous Raw GM, Hornswoggle held the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.

Not to be confused with the current title bearing the same name, this is the version that was previously known as the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. That's right: the same belt that was once defended in classic bouts between legendary performers like Rey Mysterio and Dean Malenko, ended up in the hands of WWE's poster child for bad comedy.

In fact, Hornswoggle was the last person to hold this version of a once relevant championship. He was later stripped of the title, as part of the illegitimate son storyline. From there, the belt would permanently disappear - without an official announcement - in 2007.

The WWE Cruiserweight strap hadn't been relevant in years and should have been honorably done away with well before the Anonymous GM's reign. Instead, the title was put to rest as part of one of the worst storylines in recent memory.