The WWE 24/7 Championship is a ridiculous title belt. It was introduced by WWE in May this year and continues to be one of the highlights of WWE’s recent programming because of its one rule.
The belt can be won 24 hours a day, anywhere and anytime. While challengers must still pin the title holder or force them to submit, there’s no need for a wrestling ring or formal wrestling set-up. The champion can be pinned anywhere as long as a ref is present. For former champion Jinder Mahal, this included being pinned while asleep, in the middle of a flight. But the madness doesn’t stop there.
If the rules of the WWE 24/7 Championship sound familiar to you, it’s because the gimmick was also employed in the late 90s and early 2000s with the WWE Hardcore Championship, which could also be won under “24/7 rules”. As you might expect, this led to all kinds of shenanigans including multiple title changes and betrayals backstage at WrestleMania X8.
Unfortunately, the Hardcore Championship became defunct in 2002, when it was “unified” with the WWE Intercontinental Championship, a process where two belts are supplanted by one “ultimate” belt. The Intercontinental Championship is still active today, but it never adopted the fantastic 24/7 rule introduced by the Hardcore belt.
In the spirit of the Hardcore Championship, and to bring some of the fun and ridiculousness of WWE’s early 2000s offerings into today’s show, the 24/7 Championship returned this year. Since May, it’s been hot-potatoed around the WWE roster, most notably being held by the ever-entertaining R-Truth.
According to WWE.com, since being introduced, the title has had 61 championship holders. That’s nearly 9 per month. Here are our favourite moments so far.
Chaos at the gyno
When wrestler/valet and WWE 24/7 “First Pregnant” Champion Maria Kanellis attended her OB/GYN appointment to determine the health of her unborn baby, she hardly expected her husband, fellow wrestler, Mike Kanellis, to turn a well-meaning hug into a pin attempt. What follows is totally ridiculous, but definitely comedy gold.
Keep one eye open
Not only can the WWE championship be won anywhere on land, it can even be won in the air, as WWE 24/7 Champion Jinder Mahal discovered, mid-flight to Jeddah. R-Truth’s facial expressions here are legendary.
“Still yet to consummate my marriage.”
Minute Brit Drake Maverick and his rivalry with R-Truth over the WWE 24/7 Championship has been long, storied and incredible. Maverick’s first victory came when he disguised himself as R-Truth’s valet, Carmella, and ended when R-Truth ambushed Maverick and his new wife in during their wedding.
Thus began a wonderful, recurring series of tweets where Maverick lamented that he’d yet to consummate his marriage because of R-Truth’s interference. He even popped up in their hotel later that night.
UPDATE: Due to my constant pursuit of the 24/7 Championship & failed attempt yesterday at @FOXSports
I forgot it was my wife’s birthday today.…And you all thought I was in the doghouse before ????
STILL yet to consummate my marriage#WWE @WWE #Maverick247
— Drake Maverick (@WWEMaverick) August 25, 2019
You can’t see me?
Maverick’s quest to regain the WWE 24/7 Champ continued with this very well conceived, but poorly executed attempt to once again end R-Truth’s reign. Some say Maverick is still yet to consummate his July marriage to this day.
I love lamp
There’s a good reason why Maverick’s attempts at the WWE 24/7 Championship fail so often and so spectacularly ” because R-Truth is a master of disguise. This segment is stupid, it’s fun, and we love it.
Captain America-style
What happens when a 24/7 champion enters a packed lift full of challengers? A few tense moments, a la Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame, and then total chaos. Fantastic stuff.
All of these segments are ridiculous and incredible, and there’s plenty more to be found via WWE’s YouTube highlights. Truly, the WWE 24/7 Championship is the gift that keeps on giving.