The United States Title was originally created outside WWE, its lineage dating back to 1975 in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling with Hall of Famer Harley Race as its inaugural champion — a belt later closely associated with WWE’s most famous rival, WCW.
In its current incarnation, WWE resurrected the US Title in 2003, first won by Eddie Guerrero after the company’s purchase of WCW, and in the 22 years since there have been 88 different reigns.
Many former champions remain active competitors to this day.
Here are six former US Champions who could make a return to WWE, perhaps even for another run with the belt.
6. Jeff Hardy
As well as being one half of one of WWE’s most iconic tag teams, The Hardy Boyz, Jeff Hardy was also a highly decorated singles star.
Hardy captured every major singles title in the company, including the US Title, which he secured in April 2018 after defeating Jinder Mahal.
Now 47, he is currently TNA Tag Team Champion alongside brother Matt, with both recently appearing on screen at SummerSlam Night Two as part of WWE’s growing relationship with TNA.
It seems certain the Hardys will return to WWE for one final run as a team, but could Jeff also have one more singles run, perhaps even chasing the US Title?
Click the next page button below for more
5. Chris Jericho
Significant speculation surfaced this week about the possibility of Chris Jericho returning to WWE when his AEW contract expires at the end of the year.
That speculation only intensified when Jericho himself liked an Instagram post discussing the idea.
The return of the former United States Champion would be a major coup for WWE, given Jericho’s status as one of AEW’s biggest stars.
At 54, a World Title run may be unlikely, but perhaps we could see Jericho chase the US Title one more time.
Click the next page button below for more
4. Matt Cardona
Matt Cardona, the former Zack Ryder, was released by WWE five years ago.
While popular at times during his WWE run, he spent much of it as a lower mid-card comedy act, with short reigns as both Intercontinental and US Champion — neither lasting long enough for a single title defence.
Since leaving, however, Cardona has shed the Ryder gimmick and reinvented himself on the independents as both “The Indy God” and “The Deathmatch King.”
We could soon see the 40-year-old return to his old stomping grounds as the fully developed, more serious character he forged on the indies — and perhaps finally enjoy a lasting title reign.
Click the next page button below for more
3. Jack Swagger
During his WWE run, Jake Hager — as Jack Swagger — captured the World Heavyweight Title, the ECW Championship, and the United States Title.
However, Hager recently revealed on Saraya’s Rulebreakers podcast that he has “pretty much retired.”
Since his AEW departure, he noted stepping away from wrestling to run his own trucking company.
But pro wrestling retirements rarely last, and if WWE came calling, the former US Champion could yet make a return, reassuming his old gimmick in the process.
Click the next page button below for more
2. The Hurt Syndicate
At different points in their WWE tenures, The Hurt Syndicate’s Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP each held the United States Championship.
As a group, their AEW run has proved controversial, with Fightful reporting on rumors of “frustration from the locker room” regarding their run so far.
Over the years, AEW has seen several former WWE stars who were involved in issues backstage ultimately return to WWE, raising the question of whether history could repeat itself.
Reverting back to The Hurt Business, we could see the group reappear in WWE sooner rather than later.
Click the next page button below for more
1. JBL
In his long WWE run, JBL not only held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship but also enjoyed a near two-month stint with the United States Title in 2006.
Over the past year, the 58-year-old has been more active in pro wrestling, appearing in on-screen roles for TNA, AAA, and MLW, and most recently returning to WWE-related programming as part of the commentary team at AAA’s TripleManía on August 16.
Long retired from the ring — his last singles match coming in 2009 — the Hall of Famer’s full-time return to his old stomping grounds could be on the cards.
While his role remains unknown, we could perhaps see him follow in the footsteps of inaugural US Champion Harley Race, managing rising heel talent.
To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on Threads by clicking this link!
Comments.
Loading comments…