10 WWE Title Reigns That Never Lived Up To The Victory

For many, the biggest thrill in wrestling is watching the ascent of a superstar to the top of the mountain. Seeing them forge a genuine bond with the fans, watching as their profile and rivalries grow and eventually, they win the top belt.

Becky Lynch's growth, from overlooked 'Lass-Kicker' to 'The Man' was exceptional, and as was her WrestleMania 35 victory and subsequent title reign. The same can be said for the likes of Batista and John Cena, two stars who rose at the same time to win the big one and embark on credible, well-received title runs.

But sometimes, whilst the title victory in itself is a euphoric moment, one that lives long in the memory, the subsequent championship reign just doesn't connect.

Suddenly, all that fan investment that fueled the chase, is replaced with apathy. Usually, it's the dull booking that dampens the buzz, but sometimes, it's the wrestlers themselves who don't rise to the occasion. It could be that the superstar just wasn’t ready for the spotlight, and the run never hits the dizzy heights of the actual title win.

It can be a real shame, as whilst some of these stars rebounded and achieved further success, some of these lacklustre title runs actually stopped talents from ever reaching the mountain top ever again.

The concept of the Money in the Bank has long since been in need of a refresh. Over the past few years, with uninspired winners like Baron Corbin, Otis (and then losing it to The Miz) and now, currently in the hands of Theory, it feels like the cash in has been played out.

Yes, the idea of a cash-in happening still generates a hell of a pop from the crowd, but the excitement beyond that isn’t really there.

One time when it was, and the concept worked to a tee, was in 2013 when Dolph Ziggler gave us arguably the best cash-in of all time. As an injured Albert Del Rio was being tended to after defeating Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter in a handicap match, ‘The Show Off’s’ music hit, generating one of the biggest pops of the last decade.

It wasn’t just the moment, it was the cathartic roar from the fans who had been invested in Ziggler and had seen one of the most talented men on the roster be overlooked for too long. Nowadays, he is seen as a bit of a meme, but in the early 2000s, Ziggler was seen as a future main eventer.

Unfortunately, the euphoria of that night never transcended into the title reign as Ziggler soon went down with a concussion and dropped the belt back to Del Rio not long after he returned from injury. He would never reach that height of popularity again.