20 Longest WWE Title Reigns Since 2000

20- The Miz – 160 days (WWE Championship, 2010–2011)

The Miz cashed in Money in the Bank to win the WWE title from Randy Orton in November 2010. His 160-day reign included a successful WrestleMania defense against John Cena. It was the pinnacle of his main-event run.

19- Randy Orton – 161 days (WWE Championship, 2013)

Randy Orton won the unified WWE World Heavyweight title from John Cena at TLC 2013. He carried it for 161 days before Daniel Bryan dethroned him at WrestleMania 30 in a triple threat bout that also included Batista. This marked the start of “The Authority” storyline peak.

18- Jinder Mahal – 170 days (WWE Championship, 2017)

Jinder Mahal’s shocking victory over Randy Orton at Backlash 2017 began a 170-day reign. He successfully defended against Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura. His push made him the first Indian-origin WWE Champion and second world title holder after The Great Khali.

17- Stone Cold Steve Austin – 175 days (WWE Championship, 2001)

Austin reclaimed the championship from by turning heel against The Rock at WrestleMania X-Seven. His 175-day reign symbolized the “Two-Man Power Trip” with Triple H before losing to Kurt Angle. It was Austin’s last major title run.

16- Kofi Kingston – 180 days (WWE Championship, 2019)

Kofi fulfilled his dream by capturing the WWE title from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35. His 180-day reign saw successful defenses against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. It ended against Brock Lesnar in a match that lasted 7 seconds on SmackDown’s FOX debut.

15- Bobby Lashley – 183 days (WWE Championship, 2021)

Lashley dominated after winning the WWE Championship from The Miz in March 2021. His 183-day reign included high-profile defenses against Drew McIntyre and Kofi Kingston. Lashley’s run restored his credibility as an unstoppable powerhouse.

14- Drew McIntyre – 202 days (WWE Championship, 2020)

Drew’s first WWE title reign began at WrestleMania 36 after beating Brock Lesnar. He held the belt for 203 days through the pandemic era, defeating Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, and Bobby Lashley before finally losing to Orton.

13- Randy Orton – 203 days (WWE Championship, 2009–2010)

Orton regained the WWE Championship at Backlash 2009. His second reign lasted 203 days and featured rivalries with Triple H and John Cena. It reinforced Orton’s legacy as “The Viper” and one of WWE’s most consistent world champions.

12- Triple H- 210 days (WWE Championship, 2008)

Triple H's 210-day WWE Championship reign began in 2008 when he defeated Randy Orton at Backlash. It was a lengthy run, cementing his position as the top star on SmackDown. Key defenses included Jeff Hardy, Mr. Kennedy, and The Great Khali. He finally lost the title to Edge in a controversial match at Cyber Sunday, which was determined by a fan vote.

11- Seth Rollins – 221 days (WWE Championship, 2015)

Seth Rollins captured his first WWE title by cashing in at WrestleMania 31 against Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. His 221-day reign featured wins over Randy Orton and Sting. A knee injury against Kane during a house show in Dublin forced him to vacate the belt in November 2015.

10- Brock Lesnar- 224 days (WWE World Heavyweight Championship, 2014-2015)

Brock Lesnar’s 224-day WWE World Heavyweight Championship reign began when he decisively defeated John Cena at SummerSlam 2014 in a historically dominant performance. The reign was characterized by Lesnar’s part-time schedule, which made the title a highly coveted, scarcely seen prize. Lesnar, managed by Paul Heyman, was portrayed as an unstoppable conqueror who had also ended The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak earlier that year. The reign ended when Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract during Lesnar's match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 31.

9- JBL – 280 days (WWE Championship, 2004–2005)

John “Bradshaw” Layfield shocked fans by defeating Eddie Guerrero at The Great American Bash 2004. His 280-day hold as champion included gritty defenses against Booker T and Big Show. JBL’s reign positioned him as SmackDown’s dominant heel.

8- Triple H – 280 days (World Heavyweight Championship, 2002–2003)

Triple H's dominant 280-day World Heavyweight Championship reign began in December 2002 after he defeated Shawn Michaels in a grueling Three Stages of Hell match. As the title's centerpiece on Raw, this reign cemented the start of his infamous "Reign of Terror," where he often overcame top challengers like Booker T and Kevin Nash. The reign finally ended at Unforgiven 2003, when a determined Goldberg defeated The Game to capture the championship.

7- John Cena – 280 days (WWE Championship, 2005–2006)

Cena’s first WWE title victory came at WrestleMania 21 against JBL. He reigned for 280 days before dropping the title to Edge at New Year’s Revolution 2006. This period marked the true rise of Cena as WWE’s leading figure and the face of the company for the next 10 years.

6- AJ Styles – 371 days (WWE Championship, 2017–2018)

AJ Styles won his second WWE title from Jinder Mahal in November 2017 on SmackDown. He defended it successfully for 371 days, defeating names like Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Samoa Joe. His technical consistency and fan appeal made him the face of SmackDown during this run.

5- Cody Rhodes – 378 days (Undisputed WWE Championship, 2024–2025)

Cody Rhodes completed his long journey by dethroning Roman Reigns and ending his 1316 undisputed WWE title reign at WrestleMania 40. He held the undisputed crown for 378 days, defending the title against Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, and Solo Sikoa. This reign solidified Rhodes as the company’s top face of the modern era before dropping it to John Cena at WrestleMania 41.

4- John Cena – 380 days (WWE Championship, 2006–2007)

John Cena won the title back from Edge at Unforgiven 2006 and maintained it for 380 days. His reign saw rivalries with Umaga, Shawn Michaels, and Randy Orton before a torn pectoral muscle ended his run in 2007. It remains Cena’s longest WWE title reign.

3- CM Punk – 434 days (WWE Championship, 2011–2013)

CM Punk’s second WWE Championship reign began at Survivor Series 2011 when he defeated Alberto Del Rio. His 434-day run included major victories over Chris Jericho, Daniel Bryan, and John Cena before losing to The Rock at the 2013 Royal Rumble. Punk labeled himself “The Best in the World” during this historic reign.

2- Brock Lesnar- 504 days (WWE Universal Championship, 2017-2018)

Brock Lesnar’s 504-day first Universal Championship reign began at WrestleMania 33, defeating Goldberg. This historic run, the longest for the title at the time, was often criticized for Lesnar’s sparse appearances and limited defenses, solidifying his "part-time champion" status. He successfully defended it against challengers like Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman, and Roman Reigns (multiple times), before finally losing the title to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2018.

1- Roman Reigns – 735 days (WWE Universal Championship, 2020–2022)

Roman Reigns captured the Universal Championship at Payback 2020 and held it for 735 days before the titles were merged into what was known as the Undisputed WWE title at WrestleMania 38. His “Tribal Chief” era redefined dominance in WWE’s modern era with key wins over Brock Lesnar, Edge, and Drew McIntyre. This run became the longest world title reign of the modern era with Reigns holding both titles for a combined 1316 days between 2020 and 2024.