5 WWE US Title Reigns You May Not Remember

The WWE's United States Championship is currently held by Jeff Hardy. As this article is being written, Hardy has held the title for 76 days, having won it from Jinder Mahal back in April. It is far from Hardy's first championship reign within WWE as he is a multi-time World Heavyweight Champion, Hardcore Champion, Intercontinental Champion and World Tag Team Champion. In turn, Hardy is in rare company as a Grand Slam Champion within the WWE ranks.

The United States Championship itself has not always been part of the WWE. While the WWF had a U.S. Champion decades ago, this current incarnation of the U.S. title was a holdover from WWE's purchase of WCW in the early 2000s. But the title itself has often been passed around like a hot potato. According to the WWE's website, from 2010 to present day, there was been 38 championship holders of the U.S. title. The shortest of those reigns was only 3 days. In the previous decade, the title was held by 40 holders, which works out to 4 people per year on average.

As not even the most devoted of WWE fans can remember all title reigns, below are 5 U.S. Championship reigns that you may have forgotten about.

#1 Tajiri

Within the WWE, Tajiri is a former 2-time World Tag Team Champion (alongside William Regal and Eddie Guerrero), a 3-time Cruiserweight Champion, Light Heavyweight Champion, and United States Champion. Yes, a US Champion within WWE. He won the title from Chris Kanyon when it was still recognized as a WCW belt in 2001 and quickly lost it to Rhyno. Yoshihiro Tajiri -- best known as "Tajiri" in the United States -- has been active ECW, WWE, TNA, All Japan and New Japan. Prior to landing in WWE, Tajiri had a reign as an ECW World Television Champion and an ECW World Tag Team Champion.

Tajiri made a short-lived return to WWE in 2016, participating in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. Several months later, he was part of an NXT special filmed in Japan, challenging for the NXT Tag Team titles. Tajiri's full-time return to WWE was announced in December 2016 and he then wrestled a series of matches as part of 205 Live and NXT. Unfortunately, Tajiri sustained an injury as part of a match and announced his departure from the company as of April 2017.

#2 Bret Hart

Bret "The Hitman" Hart has held just about every belt possible within the WWE. He was a 5-time World Heavyweight Champion, a 2-time Intercontinental Champion, a 2-time Tag Team Champion, and a one-time United States Champion. In addition, he was a 2-time King Of The Ring winner, a 5-time Slammy Award winner, and in 2006, he became a WWE Hall Of Famer. And that is in addition to all sorts of titles and accolades from his time in WCW and Stampede Wrestling.

If that reign as United States Champion does not come to easily, think back to 2010. Hart was active on the roster alongside The Hart Dynasty, which feuded with ShoMiz, the tag team comprised of Big Show and The Miz. When The Miz had the ability to choose his opponent in a U.S. title match, he challenged Bret Hart, who wound up winning the match and title thanks to some interference from the Hart Dynasty. Hart vacated the title within the same month.

Hart still appears to be affiliated with WWE, per the company's release of Hart-related merchandise in recent years, but he has not been involved with a WWE storyline in a few years.

#3 R-Truth

R-Truth debuted as a wrestler in 1997 and made his way to WWE's developmental territorial in 1999. He left the company in 2002, only to return in 2008. As a WWE Superstar, R-Truth has held plenty of championship gold as a 2-time Hardcore champion, a former United States Champion and a former Tag Team Champion.

His run as WWE United States Champion came after Bret Hart, as on-screen General Manager, vacated the title in May 2010. R-Truth defeated The Miz as part of a tournament, winning his first singles title since returning to the WWE in 2008. R-Truth held onto the U.S. Title until June 2010.

R-Truth spent some part of 2017 on the sidelines recovering from a shoulder injury and the subsequent surgery. He was drafted to Smackdown Live as part of the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-Up. He was last seen participating in a backstage skit alongside "The Perfect 10" Tye Dillinger. At 46 years of age, R-Truth is both one of the oldest and longest-tenured members of the active WWE roster, so it will be interesting to see what his next proper storyline is.

#4 Kalisto

Kalisto reportedly started wrestling in 2006, quickly establishing himself as a top high-flyer on the indies under the name Samuray Del Sol. He signed with the WWE in 2013, reporting to NXT, where he was renamed Kalisto. In NXT, Kalisto was one-half of the Lucha Dragons tag team alongside Sin Cara, and he was moved up to the main roster of WWE in February 2015.

In early 2016, Kalisto was given a major push and he won the United States Championship, his first singles title within WWE. He ultimately had 2 reigns with the U.S. Title amidst feuds with the likes of Alberto Del Rio and Ryback. Rusev ultimately won the title from Kalisto at Extreme Rules 2016, ending a 119-day reign for the current 205 Live competitors.

Since going over to the cruiserweight division, Kalisto has held the Cruiserweight Championship. He notably defeated Enzo Amore for the title last fall. Kalisto is surprisingly active on Twitter, so if you don't watch much 205 Live, follow him on social media to find out what he has been up to lately.

#5 Cesaro

When Cesaro signed with WWE in 2011, he was already 11 years into the business. As Claudio Castagnoli, he had already been all over the world, having wrestled for Ring Of Honor, Japan's Pro Wrestling Noah, PWG, Chikara and many other independent companies. While working in WWE's developmental territory, his ring name was changed to "Antonio Cesaro."

Cesaro got his WWE main roster call-up in April 2012. His initial gimmick revolved around his "excessive aggression" and that he spoke many languages. Within a few months, he took the United States Championship from Santino Marella. Cesaro would hold onto the title until April 2013, losing it to Kofi Kingston after a 239-day reign. Since holding the U.S. Title, Cesaro has been a 5-time Tag Team Champion beyond winning the inaugural Andre The Giant Battle Royal.

Currently, Cesaro is part of the Smackdown Live roster and regularly teams with Sheamus as The Bar. The Bar recently feuded with Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt over the Raw Tag Team Championship.