The official retirement of the Universal Championship, which has existed for almost nine years, is a major development in the WWE. Following WrestleMania 41, where John Cena defeated Cody Rhodes to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, this decision was made.

WWE then changed the title’s history, eliminating Rhodes from the Universal championship history and appointing Roman Reigns as the ultimate Universal Champion.  

The Universal Championship’s Legacy

The Universal Championship was first presented on July 25, 2016, as the main title for WWE’s Raw brand when the brand split was restored. The first-ever champion at SummerSlam 2016 was Finn Bálor.

Notable superstars including Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, and Goldberg have held the title over the years. With a remarkable duration of 1,316 days, Roman Reigns’ second reign is notable as the longest. 

Unification and Retirement

Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022 to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, combining the Universal Championship with the WWE Championship.

Both titles retained distinct lineages in spite of the union. Both titles were still recognized by WWE after Reigns lost to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40.

However, WWE formally abolished the Universal Championship following John Cena’s triumph over Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, recognizing Reigns as its last holder in retrospect. 

Implications for WWE’s Championship Landscape

By concentrating emphasis on the Undisputed WWE Championship, the retirement of the Universal Championship streamlines the WWE title situation.

This action supports WWE’s initiatives to simplify its championship hierarchy and clear up fan misconceptions about title lineages.

The legacy of the Universal Championship will be recalled as WWE develops further because it helped to shape the company’s current age, emphasizing the accomplishments of its champions and the iconic events that shaped its history.