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The WWE Universal Championship has been retired. This change was reflected under the championship section on the company's official website. The belt was introduced in 2016 and was active for eight years.
After the brand split was reintroduced in July 2016, the coveted WWE Championship became exclusive to SmackDown. RAW introduced a brand new world championship, the Universal Title.
Over the next few years, the title was held by eight superstars, including some of pro wrestling's biggest names. Here, we rank those champions from worst to best. For those who won the belt multiple times, a holistic breakdown and rank have been provided.
#8. Finn Balor, the inaugural champion, held the Universal Championship for 24 hours
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The Universal Title's stint had a rocky start. Finn Balor defeated Seth Rollins at SummerSlam 2016 to become the inaugural champion. However, The Demon injured his shoulder and had to relinquish the belt within 24 hours of the biggest championship win of his career.
The initial response to the title was underwhelming because the live crowd had harsh comments about the belt's design. It didn't help that Balor couldn't celebrate with the championship and raise it to the fans to celebrate his win due to an injured shoulder.
There were no championship defenses, and the unfortunate circumstances put a blemish on Balor's legacy that remains to this day. Upon vacating the Universal Championship, The Prince never recovered and failed to reach that level again.
#7. Goldberg's two WWE Universal Championship reigns were universally panned
WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg has held the Universal Championship twice, and both of his title reigns were controversial. At Fastlane 2017, the former WCW star crushed Kevin Owens in under a minute to win the belt.
Goldberg's title reign was heavily criticized. KO and Chris Jericho carried RAW between late 2016 and early 2017. Fans wanted to see the two Canadian stars battle for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania.
Nonetheless, the eventual Universal Title clash at 'Mania between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar didn't need the championship. Lesnar defeated the WWE Hall of Famer to win the belt.
However, despite subpar performances in the ring, Goldberg returned for another run in early 2020 to challenge "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt at Super ShowDown. In a surprising but unwelcome twist, the legend defeated Wyatt and gave The Fiend his first defeat.
This booking decision drew extensive criticism, as it nearly destroyed The Fiend's momentum. The goal was to set up Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns for WrestleMania 36, but the match never happened, as Reigns pulled out of the show due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
#6. Braun Strowman's Universal Title reign was uninspiring
When Roman Reigns pulled out of his Universal Championship match against Goldberg due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Braun Strowman was randomly chosen as the last-minute replacement. The Monster Among Men convincingly defeated the WWE Hall of Famer to win the belt.
However, Strowman's title reign never felt special. The lack of a live crowd removed much enthusiasm from his matches. He had average matches and uninspiring storylines.
In contrast, Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship reign was more intriguing. McIntyre had better matches, compelling opponents, and fresh narratives. Strowman's Universal Title reign fixated on a never-ending rivalry with Bray Wyatt that featured a lackluster Wyatt Swamp Fight at Extreme Rules 2020.
Furthermore, The Monster Among Men's Universal Championship run came three years too late. Strowman was at the peak of his popularity in 2017, but WWE never put the Universal Title on him during that phase.
#5. Brock Lesnar held the Universal Championship three times
Brock Lesnar was synonymous with the bright red version of the Universal Championship, which was exclusive to RAW from mid-2016 to late 2019. The Beast Incarnate held the belt three times for a combined 688 days.
His first Universal Title reign lasted 504 days. Over this long period, Lesnar successfully defended the championship six times. This run featured some thrilling matches, including a universally praised Fatal Four-Way Match at SummerSlam 2017.
However, Lesnar's part-time status and limited number of appearances derailed much of the momentum of his title reign, leading to fans getting bored. After dropping the championship to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2018, Lesnar regained the title a few months later.
This time around, he had only one successful championship defense against Finn Balor at the 2019 Royal Rumble. Lesnar's final Universal Title reign came in the middle of his feud with Seth Rollins, where both men played hot potato with the belt.
Lesnar's reigns weren't great, but his name and matches added prestige to the title, especially during its infant stages.
#4. Seth Rollins is a two-time Universal Champion
When Roman Reigns relinquished the Universal Championship in October 2018 due to leukemia, WWE backed Seth Rollins as its top babyface. Rollins received a mega push, and he won the Universal Title at WrestleMania 35 by dethroning Brock Lesnar.
Rollins' title reign started hot with a dream encounter against AJ Styles at Money in the Bank 2019 that stole the show. This was the peak of his run, as Monday Night Rollins began an uninspiring feud with Baron Corbin.
Corbin never got over as a top heel, and his matches with Rollins were average. The inclusion of Becky Lynch and the eventual Mixed Tag Team Extreme Rules Match was a fun addition. However, an MITB cash-in by Lesnar cut The Visionary's reign short.
Lesnar was a transitional champion, as Rollins fought through hell at SummerSlam 2019 to regain the Universal Title. Unfortunately, the second title reign was far worse. It coincided with The Fiend's rise to fame, and Rollins' actions grew controversial.
The WWE Universe turned on Seth, and The Fiend defeated The Visionary at Crown Jewel 2019 to win the Universal Championship. The title loss planted the seeds for Rollins' evolution into the Messiah.
Rollins' first championship reign was pretty decent, while the second run was marred by questionable booking decisions and a crowd revolt.
#3. The Fiend was unstoppable as the WWE Universal Champion
In late 2019, the WWE Universe was fully invested in The Fiend, the late Bray Wyatt's sadistic alter ego that had cast an ominous shadow. The character's popularity contributed to the negative reception of Seth Rollins' Universal Championship reign.
Nonetheless, aside from the controversial loss to Goldberg, there was nothing to complain about in Wyatt's first Universal Championship reign. Upon destroying Rollins, The Fiend targeted the next top babyface in Daniel Bryan. Bryan and Wyatt had amazing chemistry, which was on full display during this feud.
It reached its climax with a hellacious Strap Match at Royal Rumble 2020, which was won by The Fiend. Wyatt also had a mini-feud with The Miz. The beauty of this run was how the monster's antics changed his opponents.
Rollins became a heel, Bryan reverted to his natural babyface persona, and The Miz became an arrogant heel again. Wyatt's second reign was non-existent, as he only held the championship for six days, serving as a transitional champion between Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns.
However, his first run was remarkable, and it shouldn't have ended prematurely. In hindsight, The Fiend should have walked into WrestleMania 36 as Universal Champion.
#2. Kevin Owens' Universal Championship reign is criminally underrated
After Finn Balor relinquished the Universal Championship, Kevin Owens won a Fatal Four-Way, with some assistance from Triple H, that featured Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Big Cass to win the title.
KO was not the typical fighting champion, but he was a full-time star. Courtesy of an intriguing friendship, Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho became the constant highlight of RAW at a time when SmackDown gave the flagship show fierce competition.
In addition to the entertainment, the rivalries and matches were brilliantly executed. The Prizefighter is one of the best in the ring, and he has had some amazing opponents. While his matches against Rollins were great, his No Disqualification Match against Reigns at the 2017 Royal Rumble stole the show.
As discussed earlier, KO unceremoniously dropped the title to Goldberg. Nonetheless, it was a thoroughly enjoyable run.
#1. Roman Reigns was dominant as WWE Universal Champion
It is hard to select a better world title run than Roman Reigns' record-setting 1316 iconic reign in the last five decades. However, the primary focus will be on the Only Tribal Chief's Universal Title reign before the eventual unification with the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 38.
Roman Reigns' heel turn revived his career and gave birth to an iconic era based on top-tier storytelling and incredible wrestling matches. His transition from The Big Dog to The Head of The Table was brilliantly done, and his initial feud with Jey Uso was a cinematic and emotional masterpiece.
The Original Tribal Chief also had a series of brutal and well-received matches against Kevin Owens. However, his Universal Championship reached the next level at WrestleMania 37, when he double-pinned Daniel Bryan and Edge (AKA Cope) in a memorable Triple Threat Match.
His form continued in feuds with Cesaro and Rey Mysterio. When live fans returned, WWE booked a blockbuster match between Roman Reigns and John Cena for SummerSlam 2021. Soon after, he began his feud with Brock Lesnar, and the rest is history.
The fact that most fans forget about his initial Universal Championship run in 2018 is a testament to the impact and legacy of his iconic run between August 2020 and April 2024.
