7 Greatest Champions of WWE’s Modern Era

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3. “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan
Total Reigns (modern era): 6
Total Days as Champion (modern era): 806

Throughout his entire career Hulk Hogan won the WWE(F) title 6x and held it for 2,185 days, the most of anyone aside from Bruno Sammartino, who held it for 4,040 days split amongst 2 title reigns. In WCW, Hogan won the title another 6x and held onto it for a total of 1,177 days (more than anyone). All but 1 of his WWF titles occurred before the advent of monthly PPVs however. It wasn’t until his 2nd WCW title reign, when Hogan was almost 43, that he first won a championship it the modern era of wrestling.
One month after joining the NWO at Bash at the Beach in 1996, Hogan beat the Giant at Hog Wild in Sturgis to win the World Championship. The title win was his first as a “bad guy”.

He would hold onto the title throughout the rest of 96 and most of 97, pausing briefly to give Lex Luger a 5-day reign as champion. Sting would defeat Hogan at Starrcade 97 to close out the year. Hogan would win the title twice more throughout 1998, holding onto the belt for a couple of months each time. He would win the title once more in 1999 as well.

Then some funny business happened with Vince Russo and we never saw Hogan in WCW again.

Hogan would win the WWE Championship for the 6th time in 2002, 1 month after losing to the Rock at WrestleMania 18, but receiving a hero’s ovation in the process. His final reign would only last 28 days, as he would drop the belt to the Undertaker at Judgement Day 2002.