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Rating The Champ

WWF World Titles – 1992

Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1992, and we’ll continue to go back from here.

In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.

Ric Flair (January 19, 1992 – April 5, 1992)

  • Televised matches: 3
  • Record: 1-2

My match ratings:

  • Royal Rumble Match – Royal Rumble 1992 (****1/2) *HR*
  • Randy Savage def. Ric Flair(c) – WrestleMania VIII (****1/2) *HR*

Back in 1991, Ric Flair joined the World Wrestling Federation as the “real” World Champion, causing the WWF Championship to eventually be vacated in late 1991 by costing Hulk Hogan the belt against Undertaker at Survivor Series. The strap would then be on the line in the Royal Rumble Match in 1992, which Ric Flair won after entering at number three. That Rumble match is, without any question, one of the best ever done and Flair & Bobby Heenan’s work in that one will never be forgotten. As champion, Flair started a feud with the legendary Randy Savage, going after Miss Elizabeth and famously telling Savage “she was mine before she was yours” to set up their ‘Mania title bout. That match was absolutely incredible, and ultimately saw Flair’s own tactics getting the better of him. This reign was spectacular, despite the fact Flair only wrested once apart from his title win and loss. Anyway, this was still a memorable and quite awesome title reign.

Rating: 8/10

Randy Savage (April 5, 1992 – September 1, 1992)

  • Televised matches: 4
  • Record: 2-2

My match ratings:

  • Randy Savage def. Ric Flair(c) – WrestleMania VIII (****1/2) *HR*
  • Randy Savage(c) def. Shawn Michaels – UK Rampage 1992 (***1/2) *R*
  • The Ultimate Warrior def. Randy Savage(c) by CO – SummerSlam 1992 (****) *HR*
  • Ric Flair def. Randy Savage(c) – Prime Time Wrestling Sept. 1 1992 (***1/2) *R*

What a difference a year makes in wrestling – at the end of WrestleMania VII in 1991, Randy Savage was legit done as a pro wrestler. Eventually big stars such as Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior weren’t wrestling full-time schedules anymore, and Vince McMahon asked ‘The Macho Man’ to return – at the end of WrestleMania VIII the following year, he was beating Ric Flair after a classic match to once again win the WWF Championship. As champion, Savage retained the gold in a forgotten bout against Shawn Michaels in the UK, was apart of a spectacular (but ultimately disappointing since Warrior refused to turn heel) story with The Ultimate Warrior, Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect heading into SummerSlam. At that event, Randy had another fantastic match with The Warrior and retained despite losing by count-out, only to lose the gold back to Ric Flair just a few weeks later on Prime Time Wresling. He only wrestled four matches as champion, but damn they were all different and great in their own different ways. Plus, this reign was actually all about the championship unlike Savage’s first reign where the focus was all on the Mega Powers, and especially his partner Hulk Hogan to be quite honest. Another spectacular reign for one of the best years in the history of the company, scandals not included.

Rating: 9/10

Ric Flair (September 1, 1992 – October 12, 1992)

  • Televised matches: 1
  • Record: 1-0

My match ratings:

  • Ric Flair def. Randy Savage(c) – Prime Time Wrestling Sept. 1 1992 (***1/2) *R*
  • Bret Hart def. Ric Flair(c) – House Show Oct. 12 1992 (****) *HR*

Speaking of scandals, once all that got in the way the company had to put the belt on a clean babyface as soon as possible. The decision was for Ric Flair to win back the gold from Randy Savage to transition it to said babyface, a little over a month later. Flair only had the title for a short time as a result, and only wrestled one match during this reign as the title change took place at a house show. Unlike his first reign, there’s not much to say about Flair’s second. He did what he had to do, but this reign was never about him to begin with.

Rating: 4/10

Bret Hart (October 12, 1992 – April 4, 1993)

  • Televised matches: 6
  • Record: 5-1

My match ratings:

  • Bret Hart def. Ric Flair(c) – House Show Oct. 12 1992 (****) *HR*
  • Bret Hart(c) def. Shawn Michaels – Survivor Series 1992 (****1/2) *HR*
  • Bret Hart(c) def. Razor Ramon – Royal Rumble 1993 (***1/2) *R*
  • Yokozuna def. Bret Hart(c) – WrestleMania IX (***)

When Bret Hart won the WWF Championship for the first time in his career, it felt different. And it felt good. Business was not good, the company weren’t living their best days and they smartly turned to technical wrestlng and brilliant storytelling inside the ropes. Sure, Bret was never the best on the microphone, especially compared to the other people in this list, but you can’t say he didn’t cover that up in his matches. All of his matches felt different, original and fit the opponent he was working with on that particular night. It was not easy to get behind Bret Hart as a babyface by listening to his promos, but once the bell rang and the way he sold vulnerability, agony and desperation, he could get it done that way. This reign was spectacular, and makes the end of WrestleMania 9 even more sad looking back after the great year that was 1992.

Rating: 7/10

ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING

  1. Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/03/1998 – 28/06/1998 10
  2. The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
  3. Bret Hart (WWF Championship, 20/03/1994 – 23/11/1994) 10
  4. Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 01/04/2001 – 23/09/2001) 9
  5. Triple H (WWF Championship, 03/01/2000 – 30/04/2000) 9
  6. Randy Savage (WWF Championship, 05/04/1992 – 01/09/1992) 9
  7. Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 15/12/2002 – 30/03/2003) 9
  8. Brock Lesnar (WWE Championship, 18/09/2003 – 15/02/2004) 9
  9. John Cena (WWE Championship, 17/09/2006 – 02/10/2007) 9
  10. CM Punk (WWE Championship, 20/11/2011 – 27/01/2013) 9
  11. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship, 13/11/2018 – 07/04/2019) 9
  12. AJ Styles (WWE Championship, 11/09/2016 – 29/01/2017) 9
  13. Ric Flair (WWF Championship, 19/01/1992 – 05/04/1992) 8
  14. The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/02/2001 – 01/04/2001) 8
  15. The Undertaker (WWF Championship, 23/03/1997 – 03/08/1997) 8
  16. Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 28/03/1999 – 23/05/1999) 8
  17. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship, 16/12/2007 – 30/03/2008) 8
  18. Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 27/07/2003 – 18/09/2003) 8
  19. Edge (WWE Championship, 08/01/2006 – 29/01/2006) 8
  20. Chris Benoit (World Heavyweight Championship, 14/03/2004 – 15/08/2004) 8
  21. Randy Orton (World Heavyweight Championship, 06/05/2011 – 17/07/2011) 8
  22. Brock Lesnar (WWE Championship, 25/08/2002 – 17/11/2002) 8
  23. Batista (WWE Championship, 21/02/2010 – 28/03/2010) 8
  24. Bret Hart (WWF Championship, 19/11/1995 – 31/03/1996) 8
  25. The Rock (WWE Undisputed Championship, 21/07/2002 – 25/08/2002) 7
  26. Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/06/1998 – 27/09/1998) 7
  27. Brock Lesnar (WWE Championship, 17/08/2014 – 29/03/2015) 7
  28. Bret Hart (WWF Championship, 12/10/1992 – 04/04/1993) 7
  29. Edge (WWE Championship, 03/07/2006- 17/09/2006) 7
  30. Shawn Michaels (WWF Championship, 31/03/1996 – 17/11/1996) 7
  31. The Rock (WCW Championship, 19/08/2001 – 21/10/2001) 7
  32. The Rock (WWF Championship, 15/11/1998 – 04/01/1999) 7
  33. Bret Hart (WWF Championship, 03/08/1997 – 09/11/1997) 7
  34. Kurt Angle (WWF Championship, 22/10/2000 – 25/02/2001) 7
  35. Batista (World Heavyweight Championship, 26/11/2006 – 01/04/2007) 7
  36. The Rock (WWF Championship, 15/02/1999 – 28/03/1999) 7
  37. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 07/10/2007 – 27/04/2008) 7
  38. John Cena (WWE Championship, 07/04/2013 – 18/08/2013) 7
  39. Chris Jericho (World Heavyweight Championship, 07/09/2008 – 26/10/2008) 7
  40. Triple H (World Heavyweight Championship, 14/12/2003 – 14/03/2004) 7
  41. Kurt Angle (World Heavyweight Championship, 13/01/2006 – 02/04/2006) 7
  42. Batista (World Heavyweight Championship, 03/04/2005 – 13/01/2006) 7
  43. John Cena (WWE Championship, 03/04/2005 – 08/01/2006) 7
  44. The Undertaker (World Heavyweight Championship, 01/04/2007 – 11/05/2007) 7
  45. AJ Styles (WWE Championship, 07/11/2017 – 13/11/2018) 7
  46. CM Punk (World Heavyweight Championship, 07/06/2009 – 26/07/2009) 6
  47. Batista (World Heavyweight Championship, 16/09/2007 – 16/12/2007) 6
  48. Brock Lesnar (WWE Championship, 30/03/2003 – 27/07/2003) 6
  49. Eddie Guerrero (WWE Championship, 15/02/2004 – 27/06/2004) 6
  50. John Cena (WWE Championship, 29/01/2006 – 11/06/2006) 6
  51. Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 28/06/1999 – 22/08/1999) 6
  52. Mick Foley (WWF Championship, 04/01/1999 – 24/01/1999) 6
  53. Triple H (World Heavyweight Championship, 09/01/2005 – 03/04/2005) 6
  54. John Cena (WWE Championship, 28/03/2010 – 20/06/2010) 6
  55. John Cena (WWE Championship, 01/05/2011 – 17/07/2011) 6
  56. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 18/08/2013 – 15/09/2013) 6
  57. Kevin Owens (WWE Universal Championship, 29/08/2016- 05/03/2017) 6
  58. Chris Jericho (World Heavyweight Championship, 21/02/2010 – 02/04/2010) 6
  59. Alberto Del Rio (World Heavyweight Championship, 16/06/2013 – 27/10/2013) 6
  60. Seth Rollins (WWE Championship, 29/03/2015 – 04/11/2015) 6
  61. Roman Reigns (WWE Championship, 03/04/2016 – 19/06/2016) 6
  62. King Booker (World Heavyweight Championshp, 23/07/2006 – 26/11/2006) 6
  63. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship, 26/04/2009 – 07/06/2009) 5
  64. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship, 19/12/2010 – 18/02/2011) 5
  65. Chris Jericho (WCW Championship, 21/10/2001 – 05/11/2001) 5
  66. Jeff Hardy (World Heavyweight Championship, 26/07/2009 – 23/08/2009) 5
  67. The Rock (WWE Championship, 27/01/2013 – 07/04/2013) 5
  68. CM Punk (WWE Championship, 17/07/2011 – 14/08/2011) 5
  69. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship, 18/02/2011 – 15/04/2011) 5
  70. Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 08/10/2001 – 09/12/2001) 5
  71. Brock Lesnar (Universal Championship, 02/11/2018 – 07/04/2019) 5
  72. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 27/10/2013 – 06/04/2014) 5
  73. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship, 06/04/2014 – 09/06/2014) 5
  74. Christian (World Heavyweight Championship, 17/07/2011 – 14/08/2011) 5
  75. Randy Orton (World Heavyweight Championship, 14/08/2011 – 18/09/2011) 5
  76. CM Punk (World Heavyweight Championship, 23/08/2009 – 04/10/2009) 5
  77. The Undertaker (World Heavyweight Championship, 04/10/2009 – 21/02/2010) 5
  78. JBL (WWE Championship, 27/06/2004 – 03/04/2005) 5
  79. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship, 11/05/2007 – 20/07/2007) 5
  80. Seth Rollins (Universal Championship, 11/08/2019 – 31/10/2019) 5
  81. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 15/06/2009 – 13/09/2009) 5
  82. Triple H (WWE Championship, 27/04/2008 – 23/11/2008) 5
  83. John Cena (WWE Championship, 29/01/2017 – 12/02/2017) 5
  84. Yokozuna (WWF Championship, 13/06/1993 – 20/03/1994) 4
  85. Ric Flair (WWF Championship, 01/09/1992 – 12/10/1992) 4
  86. Shawn Michaels (WWF Championship, 09/11/1997 – 29/03/1998) 4
  87. The Rock (WWF Championship, 30/04/2000 – 21/05/2000) 4
  88. Booker T (WCW Championship, 30/07/2001 – 19/08/2001) 4
  89. Sheamus (World Heavyweight Championship, 01/04/2012 – 28/10/2012) 4
  90. Mark Henry (World Heavyweight Championship, 18/09/2011 – 18/12/2011) 4
  91. John Cena (WWE Championship, 29/06/2014 – 17/08/2014) 4
  92. The Rock (WCW/World Championship, 05/11/2001 – 09/12/2001) 4
  93. The Undertaker (WWE Undisputed Championship, 19/05/2002 – 21/07/2002) 4
  94. Sycho Sid (WWF Championship, 17/11/1996 – 19/01/1997) 4
  95. Dean Ambrose (WWE Championship, 19/06/2016 – 11/09/2016) 4
  96. Chris Jericho (WWF Undisputed Championship, 09/12/2001 – 17/03/2002) 4
  97. Alberto Del Rio (WWE Championship, 02/10/2011 – 20/11/2011) 4
  98. Kofi Kingston (WWE Championship, 07/04/2019 – 04/10/2019) 4
  99. Alberto Del Rio (World Heavyweight Championship, 11/01/2013 – 08/04/2013) 4
  100. Seth Rollins (Universal Championship, 07/04/2019 – 14/07/2019) 4
  101. Mick Foley (WWF Championship, 31/01/1999 – 15/02/1999) 3
  102. John Cena (World Heavyweight Championship, 05/04/2009 – 26/04/2009) 3
  103. Jeff Hardy (WWE Championship, 14/12/2008 – 25/01/2009) 3
  104. Kurt Angle (WWF Championship, 23/09/2001 – 08/10/2001) 3
  105. John Cena (WWE Championship, 25/10/2009 – 13/12/2009) 3
  106. Brock Lesnar (Universal Championship, 14/07/2019 – 11/08/2019) 3
  107. Big Show (WWE Championship, 17/11/2002 – 15/12/2002) 3
  108. Brock Lesnar (Universal Championship, 02/04/2017 – 19/08/2018) 3
  109. Triple H (WWE Championship, 24/01/2016 – 03/04/2016) 3
  110. Christian (World Heavyweight Championship, 01/05/2011 – 06/05/2011) 3
  111. Alberto Del Rio (WWE Championship, 14/08/2011 – 18/09/2011) 3
  112. Kane (World Heavyweight Championship, 18/07/2010 – 19/12/2010) 3
  113. Chris Jericho (World Heavyweight Championship, 03/11/2008 – 23/11/2008) 3
  114. Rob Van Dam (WWE Championship, 11/06/2006 – 03/07/2006) 3
  115. The Undertaker (WWF Championship, 23/05/1999 – 28/06/1999) 3
  116. Rey Mysterio (World Heavyweight Championship, 20/06/2010 – 18/07/2010) 3
  117. John Cena (World Heavyweight Championship, 27/10/2013 – 15/12/2013) 3
  118. Triple H (WWE Championship, 15/02/2009 – 26/04/2009) 3
  119. Big Show (World Heavyweight Championship, 28/10/2012 – 11/01/2013) 3
  120. Edge (WWE Championship, 25/01/2009 – 15/02/2009) 3
  121. Booker T (WCW Championship, 26/03/2001 – 26/07/2001) 3
  122. John Cena (WWE Championship, 25/07/2011 – 14/08/2011) 3
  123. Goldberg (World Heavyweight Championship, 21/09/2003 – 14/12/2003) 3
  124. John Cena (World Heavyweight Championship, 23/11/2008 – 15/02/2009) 3
  125. The Miz (WWE Championship, 22/11/2010 – 01/05/2011) 3
  126. Sycho Sid (WWF Championship, 17/02/1997 – 23/03/1997) 3
  127. Randy Orton (World Heavyweight Championship, 15/08/2004 – 12/09/2004) 3
  128. Triple H (WWF Championship, 26/09/1999 – 14/11/1999) 3
  129. Roman Reigns (Universal Championship, 19/08/2018 – 22/10/2018) 3
  130. Jinder Mahal (WWE Championship, 21/05/2017 – 07/11/2017) 3
  131. Bray Wyatt (WWE Championship, 12/02/2017 – 02/04/2017) 3
  132. Edge (WWE Championship, 23/11/2008 – 14/12/2008) 2
  133. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship, 15/02/2009 – 05/04/2009) 2
  134. Triple H (WWF Championship, 21/05/2000 – 25/06/2000) 2
  135. Diesel (WWF Championship, 26/11/1994 – 19/11/1995) 2
  136. John Cena (WWE Championship, 18/09/2011 – 02/10/2011) 2
  137. Triple H (World Heavyweight Championship, 12/09/2004 – 06/12/2004) 2
  138. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship, 01/06/2008 – 30/06/2008) 2
  139. John Cena (WWE Championship, 13/09/2009 – 04/10/2009) 2
  140. Roman Reigns (WWE Championship, 14/12/2015 – 24/01/2016) 2
  141. Goldberg (Universal Championship, 05/03/2017 – 02/04/2017) 2
  142. The Undertaker (World Heavyweight Championship, 30/03/2008 – 02/05/2008) 2
  143. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 04/10/2009 – 25/10/2009) 2
  144. Triple H (WWF Championship, 23/08/1999 – 16/09/1999) 2
  145. Dolph Ziggler (World Heavyweight Championship, 08/04/2013 – 16/06/2013) 2
  146. Rey Mysterio (World Heavyweight Championship, 02/04/2006 – 23/07/2006) 2
  147. Shawn Michaels (World Heavyweight Championship, 17/11/2002 – 15/12/2002) 2
  148. Triple H (World Heavyweight Championship, 02/09/2002 – 17/11/2002) 2
  149. Triple H (WWF Undisputed Championship, 17/03/2002 – 21/04/2002) 2
  150. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 26/04/2009 – 07/06/2009) 2
  151. Triple H (World Heavyweight Championship, 15/12/2002 – 21/09/2003) 2
  152. Daniel Bryan (World Heavyweight Championship, 18/12/2011 – 01/04/2012) 2
  153. CM Punk (World Heavyweight Championship, 30/06/2008 – 07/09/2008) 2
  154. Sheamus (WWE Championship, 22/11/2015 – 14/12/2015) 2
  155. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 19/09/2010 – 22/11/2010) 2
  156. Sheamus (WWE Championship, 20/06/2010 – 19/09/2010) 2
  157. Hulk Hogan (WWF/E Undisputed Championship, 21/04/2002 – 19/05/2002) 1
  158. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 02/04/2017 – 21/05/2017) 1
  159. Batista (World Heavyweight Championship, 26/10/2008 – 03/11/2008) 1
  160. Sheamus (WWE Championship, 13/12/2009 – 21/02/2010) 1
  161. Big Show (WWF Championship, 14/11/1999 – 03/01/2000) 1
  162. Hulk Hogan (WWF Championship, 04/04/1993 – 13/06/1993) 1
  163. Jack Swagger (World Heavyweight Championship, 02/04/2010 – 20/06/2010) 1
  164. The Great Khali (World Heavyweight Championship, 20/07/2007 – 16/09/2007) 1
  165. The Rock (WWF Championship, 24/01/1999 – 31/01/1999) –
  166. Chris Jericho (World Championship, 09/12/2001) –
  167. Jeff Hardy (World Heavyweight Championship, 07/06/2009) –
  168. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship, 18/08/2013) –
  169. Seth Rollins (WWE Championship, 19/06/2016) –
  170. Bret Hart (WWF Championship, 16/02/1997 – 17/02/1997) –
  171. John Cena (WWE Championship, 21/02/2010) –
  172. Kane (WWF Championship, 28/06/1998 – 29/06/1998) –
  173. Rey Mysterio (WWE Championship, 25/07/2011) –
  174. Bob Backlund (WWF Championship, 23/11/1994 – 26/11/1994) –
  175. Roman Reigns (WWE Championship, 22/11/2015) –
  176. Randy Orton (World Heavyweight Championship, 15/12/2013) –
  177. Finn Bálor (WWE Universal Championship, 21/08/2016 – 22/08/2016) –
  178. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship, 15/09/2013 – 16/09/2013) –
  179. Triple H (WWE Championship, 07/10/2007) –
  180. Mick Foley (WWF Championship, 22/08/1999 – 23/08/1999) –
  181. Dolph Ziggler (World Heavyweight Championship, 18/02/2011) –
  182. Big Show (World Heavyweight Championship, 18/12/2011) –
  183. Kurt Angle (WCW Championship, 26/07/2001 – 30/07/2001) –
  184. Batista (WWE Championship, 07/06/2009 – 09/06/2009) –
  185. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, 07/10/2007) –
  186. Shawn Michaels (WWF Championship, 19/01/1997 – 13/02/1997) –
  187. Vince McMahon (WWF Championship, 16/09/1999 – 20/09/1999) –
  188. Yokozuna (WWF Championship, 04/04/1993) –