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

WWE Network
Shows
Superstars
Tickets
Shop

WWE Network
Shows
Superstars
Tickets
Shop
Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device.
Go to WWE Network
Sign up for Peacock to watch. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more.
Go to Peacock
Visit Sony LIV to sign in or sign up and enjoy WWE's premium content.
Go to Sony LIV
Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid.
Go to Shahid
Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar.
Go to Disney + Hotstar
Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow.
Go to Flow
Sign up for BINGE to watch. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the world’s best TV and movies
GET BINGE NNOW

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

January 29, 2017

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! Never Forget...

To be the man, you gotta beat the man - WOOOOO!
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) January 30, 2017

Congrats on #16 @johncena!

A photo posted by Ric Flair® Nature Boy® (@ricflairnatureboy) on Jan 29, 2017 at 6:51pm PST

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.