5 Superstars with longest United States Championship reigns in WWE

3. Shelton Benjamin - 243 days as WWE US Champion

Shelton Benjamin won the WWE US Championship in 2009

Shelton Benjamin won his only WWE United States Championship at the 2008 Great American Bash PPV, defeating Matt Hardy in what was considered to be an upset. While Benjamin's title run lasted 243 days, it didn't raise the prestige of the Championship.

His rivals for the title included the likes of R-Truth and the Hurricane, who did little to trouble Benjamin's hold on the belt. His only meaningful angle over the title started when former Champion and future Hurt Business stablemate MVP decided to challenge for the belt.

MVP had started a losing streak after his United States Championship defeat to Matt Hardy earlier in the year and had just captured his first victory in five months in a Last Man Standing match against the Big Show. This turned MVP face and he challenged Benjamin for the US title at the 17 March 2009 episode of SmackDown.

Benjamin lost the match and the title to MVP and moved on to the ECW brand soon after. While he had an ECW Championship feud against Christian, Benjamin's star was starting to fade and he left the WWE in April 2010.