The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 6

The Undertaker (March 23, 1997 - August 3, 1997)

The Undertaker won his second WWE title, six years after his first

The WWE Championship hot potato finally ended when The Phenom reclaimed the gold, six years after his initial title win.

His title-winning bout was a tedious affair in all honesty, but his victory was much celebrated. What wasn't celebrated however, was the WrestleMania buyrate; a disastrous 237,000 buys, by far the lowest in company history. The absence of Michaels on the card didn't help and a Hart/Austin re-match didn't draw, despite the bout on the night becoming an instant classic.

Although the WWE title finally had some stability around 'Taker's waist, as the Deadman held onto the belt for five months, it was an afterthought in the shadow of the Hart/Austin, Michaels/Austin feuds, as well as the re-establishment of the Hart Foundation - now an Anti-American quintet, consisting of Hart, his brother Owen, The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith, Jim Neidhart and Brian Pillman.

The Undertaker defended the title in an energetic brawl versus Mankind at In Your House: Revenge of the Taker, but the bout was in the semi-final position underneath the Hart/Austin headliner.

'Taker next met Stone Cold at In Your House: A Cold Day In Hell, in an excellent match-up, this time in the main event slot. His following title encounter versus Faarooq was a dud. He successfully defended the strap versus familiar foe Vader at In Your House: Canadian Stampede before dropping the belt in a classic collision with Hart at SummerSlam 1997.

After a super heated battle, 'Taker was on the receiving end of a stiff chair shot from Special Referee, Michaels, who had been aiming for Hart.

When Hart ducked, the Deadman was easy pickings for the pinfall. Michaels reluctantly counted and Hart was WWE Champion for a record equalling fifth time.

It would be a reign that would live in infamy forever.