John Cena ties Ric Flair for most World Title reigns in sports-entertainment history

The Nature Boy finally has some company in the elite 16-Timers Club.

With his WWE Championship win over AJ Styles at WWE Royal Rumble, John Cena racked up the 16th World Title of his career, tying Ric Flair for the most World Championship reigns in sports-entertainment history.

The incredible achievement snapped a two-year-plus championship drought for Cena. The Cenation Leader’s last World Title reign ended Aug. 17, 2014, when Brock Lesnar defeated him at SummerSlam to claim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Flair, who held the WWE Championship twice and the WCW and NWA Championships a combined 14 times over the course of his WWE Hall of Fame career, stood alone atop the record books for nearly 17 years. The Nature Boy tweeted his congratulations to Cena following his monumental feat and later posed for a photo with the new WWE Champion:

 

 

Congrats on #16 @johncena!

A photo posted by Ric Flair® Nature Boy® (@ricflairnatureboy) on

Cena's victory is not the first time The Champ earned a World Title on Jan. 29, either. Eleven years ago to the day, Cena defeated WWE Hall of Famer Edge to win his second WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 2006.

WWE.com