Wrestling News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Courtesy of WWE

John Cena And The 4 Best Holders Of The WWE Championship Spinner Belt

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Tevon King | Last updated Dec 13, 2025 2:44 PM ET

John Cena defeating John “Bradshaw” Layfield for his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21 was a memorable moment. However, Cena becoming the new WWE Champion wasn’t the only drastic change during his maiden WWE Championship run. On SmackDown’s April 14, 2005 edition, Cena unveiled the iconic Spinner belt version of the WWE Championship. This wasn’t the first time that Cena altered a Championship, as in 2004, he introduced a Spinner version of the WWE United States Championship.

For sure, the spinner belt wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Traditionalists prefer the Winged Eagle version of the WWE Championship and the Big Eagle in the Attitude Era. Nevertheless, the spinner belt version of the WWE Championship may have looked like a toy, but it was still the WWE Championship. Many major names won the spinner belt, and it was here to stay for eight years. There were many iconic titleholders, and some did exceptional jobs as WWE Champion holding the spinner belt compared to others. The champions, storylines, and matches during this time, when the spinner belt was in operation, were from the Ruthless Aggression Era to the PG Era.

5. Edge

“The Rated-R Superstar,” Edge rose as a main eventer in the Ruthless Aggression era. Edge won the WWE Championship four times, and all four of his reigns were with the spinner belt version of the WWE Championship. Despite being a four-time WWE Champion, Edge only held the WWE Championship collectively for 139 days. However, the Rated-R Superstar feuding with John Cena over the WWE Championship in 2006 was legendary.

Edge’s first WWE Championship win was unforgettable. He cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on a wounded Cena at New Year’s Revolution 2006. Edge only held the title for three weeks, dropping the gold back to Cena at the 2006 Royal Rumble. Furthermore, Edge’s second WWE Championship reign lasted two months. During that time, he introduced his Rated-R customization of the WWE Title. Edge’s third and fourth WWE Championship reigns both lasted three weeks, with the WWE Title changing hands from four successive PPVs, Survivor Series 2008 to No Way Out 2009.

4. Randy Orton

Randy Orton became the youngest world champion in WWE history at 24 when he won the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam 2004. However, the Viper waited three years for a second world championship run. This time, Orton was awarded the WWE Championship at No Mercy 2007. Orton at 27 was mature and ready for a WWE Championship reign. However, Orton dropped the title to Triple H at No Mercy 2007 in an impromptu match, but regained it in a Last Man Standing match in the main event.

Orton’s second WWE Championship reign lasted 203 days and was phenomenal. The Legend Killer saw off the likes of Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, and Jeff Hardy, and he beat Triple H and John Cena in a triple threat match at WrestleMania 24 to retain the gold. Furthermore, Orton was at the top of his game in 2009, winning the WWE Championship from the Game and Cena. The feud between Orton and Cena over the WWE Championship was outstanding. Nevertheless, Orton held the spinner belt version of the WWE Championship six times, with his 64-day run in 2010 being the last time he had it.

3. Triple H

14-time WWE world champion Triple H had a stranglehold on the World Heavyweight Championship during his time in Evolution. The Game held the prestigious Big Gold Belt five times. However, after Triple H lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Batista at WrestleMania 21, Triple H had a two-year world title drought. That was unheard of for someone of Triple H’s caliber. However, he tore a quadriceps in 2007, ruling him out of action for seven months. Nevertheless, Triple H shifted his focus back to the WWE Championship, and he held the iconic spinner belt three times.

Triple H was drafted to SmackDown in 2008, and he took the WWE Championship with him. This was refreshing as Triple H feuded with the likes of Edge and Jeff Hardy in high-quality title bouts. Furthermore, Triple H returned to Raw in 2009, resuming his rivalry with old foe Randy Orton. The Game walked into WrestleMania with the spinner belt once, and that was at WrestleMania 25 when he defended the WWE Championship against Orton in an underwhelming main event.

2. CM Punk

You cannot overlook what CM Punk did with the WWE Championship. The Second City Saint finished his stint as the leader of the New Nexus and eyed up the WWE Championship. At Money in the Bank 2011, Punk defeated John Cena in front of his hometown crowd in Chicago, Illinois, in a jam-packed Allstate Arena. Unfortunately, for Punk’s supporters, his first WWE Championship reign lasted just one month as Alberto Del Rio cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase at SummerSlam 2011.

Punk fared much better with his second WWE Championship reign. Punk held the WWE Championship for 434 days, which was an excellent feat. The Voice of the Voiceless became the first WWE Champion in 25 years to retain the WWE Championship for an entire calendar year, achieving it in 2012. Punk collided with the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, John Cena, Kane, Daniel Bryan, and Ryback in some fascinating championship matches. Punk’s a seven-time WWE world champion, but his second WWE Championship reign was unquestionably his best run as a world champion in WWE.

1. John Cena

Unsurprisingly, 10 of John Cena’s 17 world title reigns featured him holding the spinner belt version of the WWE Championship. Cena introduced the design not long after he beat JBL for his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21. When anyone thinks of Cena as a WWE Champion, they immediately visualize Cena holding the spinner belt. Cena’s 380-day WWE Championship reign with the spinner belt was legendary. Cena cemented his spot as the face of the company after he beat Shawn Michaels to retain the title in the main event of WrestleMania 23.

No man in WWE history held the spinner belt version of the WWE Championship longer than Cena. Cena’s rivalry with the likes of Edge over the WWE Championship in 2006, Orton in 2009, and Punk in 2011 elevated and guided all three men to cement their main event status in WWE. Even Rob Van Dam won his first WWE Championship at Cena’s expense at ECW One Night Stand 2006. Cena’s legendary status holding the WWE Championship made it a big deal whenever he was beaten for the title.