The WWE Vacant Lot: A History of Forfeited Championships

As of last night's Raw, Kevin Owens is celebrating being the new WWE Universal Champion. This wasn't meant to be. While Owens is certainly deserving, WWE wrote this development out of panic, as their new star Finn Balor was forced off the table thanks to a horrible shoulder injury. Balor, like many others, had to give up the championship and allow others to fight in his place.

Making the championship vacant is something that pops up every now and then in all promotions for a variety of reasons. Like with the Balor example, real life disaster can get in the way of pre-planned storytelling and it can’t be helped. Other times it comes from politics. Then there’s many instances where vacating a title is nothing more than a planned plot device. Maybe you want to dethrone a wrestler without them truly losing. Maybe you want to build up a rematch without having the title actually change hands. Or maybe you just want to add more interest by making a scenario where multiple wrestlers have an opportunity to be crowned the undisputed champion.

Here’s a list of a bunch of those incidents, whether they were part of the story, forged by real life incidents, or a little of both. I had to give myself some limitations or this would be a bit too overwhelming, so I’m going to stick with the WWE’s main three promotions (WWE, WCW, ECW). Sorry, TNA fans.

Anyway, I’m going to stay away from the Intercontinental Championship and tag belts and such. I’m only going by world titles.

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ANTONIO INOKI – DECEMBER 6, 1979

WWF Championship

Real or Kayfabe: Real?

As WWWF became WWF, champion Bob Backlund visited Japan to do a series of major inter-promotional matches with New Japan’s Antonio Inoki. To make it a bit more interesting, they came up with a plan to have Inoki pin Backlund and become WWF Champion, then drop it in a rematch a few days later. The first part went off without a hitch. Inoki beat Backlund.

Then when there was a rematch, although Backlund got the pin, the win was thrown out. Tiger Jeet Singh had done some minor, inconsequential interference and it was decided that the match would be deemed a no-contest. Inoki then vacated the title on the spot. WWF was a bit annoyed at this situation and dealt with it by completely sweeping it under the rug. As far as they were concerned, Bob Backlund never lost the title in Japan and his multi-year run went on uninterrupted. Even to this day, with Inoki being in the Hall of Fame, he isn't recognized as a former WWF Champion.

ANDRE THE GIANT – FEBRUARY 5, 1988

WWF Championship

Real or Kayfabe: Kayfabe

After defeating Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, Hulk Hogan found himself pestered by the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase, who wanted the WWF Championship. He didn’t want to simply challenge Hogan and pin him, but he wanted to actually buy it. Despite Dibiase’s claims that, “Everybody’s got a price,” Hogan wouldn’t sell out. And so, when Hogan had his big rematch against Andre on Saturday Night’s Main Event, Dibiase helped Andre cheat to win by hiring the referee’s corrupt twin brother.

Yes, that was a thing.

Andre had finally won the gold, but after a completely incomprehensible and nonsensical promo, Andre proceeded to hand the belt off to Dibiase. Jack Tunney refused to accept this and stripped Dibiase of the title. The WWE record books don’t recognize Dibiase as a former champion.

The belt was held up and they used WrestleMania IV to crown a new champ. With a one-night tournament, 14 men were entered for the opportunity. Hogan and Andre met in the second round, both with byes, but their battle ended with a double disqualification. That freed up Randy Savage vs. Dibiase in the finals, where Dibiase was fresher due to getting a bye. With Hogan’s help, Savage was able to defeat Dibiase, begin his first title reign, and allow the Mega Powers their time in the sun.

Now, let's head to the '90s...