The Top 9 WCW/WWE United States Champions

The United States championship is one of the essential titles in the history of professional wrestling. The United States championship has a few different stories about its history because of where the championship started and where it is at today. WCW viewers loved the title because it was the second most important title you could have after the World Title. The WWE viewers loved the title because of the title being on the Smackdown brand in the early 2000s. From Harley Race to John Cena, many top-tier professional wrestlers have held the United States championship. In this article, I will be discussing the top ten wrestlers from WCW/WWE to have held the championship.

9. Ricky Steamboat 

Ricky Steamboat is the most outstanding wrestler, to never to hold the WWE world championship. Ricky Steamboat was one of the top wrestlers in the early NWA/WCW days. Ricky, in the late 1970s, went on an amazing run as the United States champion and even defended the title against Ric Flair multiple times.

8. Roddy Piper 

Roddy Piper is the perfect example of a man who started a the bottom and worked his way up to being one of the most incredible heels of all time. Roddy Piper feuded with many legendary wrestlers throughout his impressive professional wrestling career, but it was his original United States title reign where fans could see that Piper was a true star. He initially won the belt in 1981 from Ric Flair. Piper would become a U.S champion three times with his third title run starting when he took the belt off of Bret Hart.

7. John Cena 

The WWE brought back the United States championship in 2003 and making it the second most crucial championship on the Smackdown brand. The United States championship would gain popularity in the WWE when John Cena would defeat Big Show. John Cena would have a legendary feud with Booker T that would end in an underrated best-of-five match series. John Cena used the U.S belt to help him become a more prominent wrestler in the WWE.

6. Eddie Guerrero 

Eddie Guerrero is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, so it was no surprise that great matches would occur when he became U.S champion. Eddie would win his first U.S title in WCW by defeating Diamond Dallas Page in a hard-fought battle. The second time Eddie would win the U.S title would be in WWE by defeating longtime rival Chris Benoit. The United States championship for Eddie Guerrero was a big deal because, during his time as U.S champion, fans could see that Eddie could be a giant star.

5. Rick Rude

Rick Rude leaving WWE for WCW was the right move because he could showcase his full ability in WCW. Winning the U.S Championship was a massive boost to Rick Rude’s career because it made him a threat to anyone who challenged him for his title. Rude would go on to carry the championship for an entire year from November 1991 to December 1992. Rick Rude was having a legendary title run before it was cut short because of injury.

4. Booker T

Booker T was indeed a homegrown WCW talent that didn’t get the respect he deserved in WCW until it was too late. Booker T held nearly every WCW championship, including the United States championship. Booker T put on classic matches in WCW and WWE when it came to the United States championship. Booker T had terrific matches with wrestlers such as John Cena, Rob Van Dam, and Chris Benoit. Booker T is the perfect example of someone who has worked to be one of the greatest.

3. Bret Hart 

Bret Hart leaving WWE and going to WCW during the Monday Night Wars was a huge deal, especially because he left the WWE. When Bret left WWE, fans didn’t know what to expect from Bret in WCW because it was a whole new set of wrestlers for him to wrestle. Hart would put on some great matches against Sting, Lex Luger, and Diamond Dallas Page.

2. Ric Flair 

Before the WCW took over the NWA, Ric Flair was the top guy who fought for the United States Championship. In the late 1970’s Ric would feud with Ricky Steamboat, Jimmy Snuka, and Roddy Piper for the legendary belt. Ric Flair made the United States belt one of the most popular belts in professional wrestling.

1. Lex Lugar 

When it comes to the United States championship, there is only one man whose name always gets mentioned: Lex Lugar. Lex Lugar was a five-time champion who still owns the record for consecutive days and most total days. The Lex Lugar that fans saw in WCW Wasn’t the same in WWE when Vince wanted to make Lex the next Hogan. Lex Lugar helped WCW dominate during the late 90;s because he was the perfect mix of strength and had enough swag to get fans to love him.