10 Shortest WWE World Championship Title Reigns
1. Andre The Giant
Length of WWE Championship Reign: 1:45
For fans of a certain age, this is perhaps the most famous world title change, as it took place on primetime TV and featured the end of Hulkamania’s run at the top of the WWF.
Andre the Giant had lost at WrestleMania III, but the feud was still simmering throughout 1987 and into early 1988. He and Hulk Hogan squared off at The Main Event in February 1988, with Andre flanked by Ted DiBiase and Virgil.
Andre managed to get the advantage and suplex Hulk into a pinning predicament, and the referee counted 3 – despite Hogan’s shoulder shooting off the mat before a 2 count. Just like that, Hogan’s four-plus-year run with the title was over, and The Giant was crowned the champion.
But Andre wouldn’t hold the title for long. Just seconds after being announced as the new WWF Champion, he declared that he was surrendering the title to DiBiase, thus forfeiting the championship.
From end bell to Andre saying he was surrendering the title, just north of 100 seconds passed. (To those of us fans who watched it live, it felt like a lifetime.) It still is the shortest WWF/E Championship reign on record – if only by 15 seconds.
Will another world title run end quicker? We’ll have to keep
and eye out – and the stopwatch handy.