[Mr. Kennedy]

For this week's podcast, we're talking about the most shocking title changes in history, and are looking for your suggestìons.

As a fan, which ONE title change did you personally find the most jarring when it happened, and why? Of course it can be any title in any promotion at any time, and the best nominations/explanations will be read on the show and you'll be credited accordingly. So which one was it for you and why?

EDIT - The show discussing the Most Shocking Title Changes in History, featuring many of your contributions, is now available at the following link: https://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/download/tuknpb/SCG_Radio_120_-_Most_Shocking_Title_Changes_In_History.mp3

 

[BeastIncarnate]

Chris Jericho winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven 2008 after losing the Unsanctioned match to Shawn Michaels earlier in the night.

 

[BruiserKC]

Two that stand out to me...

"Hands of Stone" Ronnie Garvin beating Ric Flair for the NWA World title in September, 1987. The "Nature Boy" was at the top of his game back then and while Garvin had provided tough competition for Flair no one expected the Big Gold Belt to change hands. When Flair lost in the cage in Detroit to Garvin, it sent shock waves through wrestling.

Then, Mikey Whipwreck defeating the Sandman to become the ECW World champion. Whipwreck got his start as a member of the ring crew but was signed to a wrestling contract after Heyman was particularly impressed by some in-ring antics by Whipwreck prior to a card. While he had become the TV champ, it was considered by many a long shot he could defeat the Hardcore Icon in a ladder match. After all, Whipwreck was about 190 pounds soaking wet.

Here is that match

 

[InexorableJourney]

Eddie Guerrero to JBL.

In the space of a couple of weeks Bradshaw, a career midcarder, left the APA, became JBL, and beat Eddie Guerrero to become the WWE Champion.

Bradshaw was awful on every level, and his reward was becoming World Champion.

 

[THE MAN.THE MYTH.THE SHIV.THE END.]

When Iron Sheik beat Backlund. It had been so long since Backlund lost that i. felt unreal. Also when.Backlund beat Bret. for the title.

 

[Vic Capri]

Chris Jericho becoming Undisputed Championship. Everybody wanted to see Stone Cold Vs. The Rock in the unification finals.

Honorable mention: Jinder Mahal. Haters wrote him off completely and supporters like me certainly didn't think he was going to win on his first PPV try.

- Vic

 

[Brock]

Probably when Backlund beat Bret. Then to watch Raw the week after and see Diesel was suddenly the new champion.

 

[Flair Flop]

Ultimate Warrior to Sgt Slaughter. I was still young and was far from the point of being in the know that Warriors run was not doing well. I just knew he was my fav WWF guy and that I was loving him being champion. I started in 89 and went back and caught up through some of the mid 80's on my cousin's VHS tapes. I didn't go back far enough to know that Slaughter was once a big deal in WWF. I just knew enough to know that he was a wrestler that had a GI Joe action figure. So to my young little eyes what I pretty much saw was this guy that came out of nowhere that I barely saw above the jobbers I laughed at beat the Ultimate freaking Warrior. My parent didn't let me get every PPV so I was picky about the ones I got. I went in with so little worry that Warrior would lose that I wasn't even upset about not getting it. The next day at school my friends told me Slaughter had won. They knew I was a Warrior fanatic. I was one of the few in my class that was betting on Warrior beating Hogan at WM6. I may or may not have rubbed it in a lot that I was right so when Warrior lost they were itching to get payback. I didn't believe them. I thought they were joking. The entire day I was telling them they are wrong and there no way Warrior lost to this guy.

 

[Erik.]

First thing that came to my mind was Chris Jericho unifying the belts.

He was against Rock and Austin!!

 

[TheLapsedFan]

Probably Bret over Flair. I remember tuning into WWE programming that weekend where they announced it and my reaction was "this fucking jabroni over Ric Flair?".

Having not seen WM IX live, the night after was quite odd. "How the fuck did Hogan come out as champion!?!?!"

 

[Reid2013]

Jericho winning the Undisputed title or Mankind winning his first World title. Both great moments.

 

[BigCy]

Surprised no one mentioned David Arquette winning the Big Gold Belt in WCW. Or when Vince Russo or Vince McMahon won World Championships. That was a time when shock factor was a big deal and each promotion tried to out do the other. Utterly shocking to say the least.

 

[Brock]

I guess I have to mention Hogan in the bank at WM9. Urgh.

Plus as I said in my other post; Bret dropping it to Backlund and then Backlund dropping it to Diesel just a few days later. Turning into Raw and going 'Eh, Diesel is now somehow champion?"

 

[Rick Sanchez]

In WWE, it was Backlund beating Bret at Survivor Series '94 or the Montreal Screwjob.

Outside of this company, probably David Arquette.

 

[mrdiamond77]

I would probably say Bob Backlund beating Bret Hart. Dishonourable mention to JBL beating Eddie Guerrero.

 

[Jupiter Jack Daniels]

Santino beating Umaga for the Intercontinental Title.

He was presented as a random fan, selected for an open challenge. At the time, I didn't expect a title change and when it happened, I was like WTF? Granted, he had a lot of help but still...very shocking.

 

[tducey]

JBL. To go from the heartwarming story of Eddie Guerrero as champ to a career mid carder like JBL really didn't sit well with me.

 

[Nightrow]

Chris Jericho winning the Undisputed Championship at Vengeance 2001. I went into school the next day to check the results for Vengeance on WWF.com and it shocked me to see that Chris Jericho had won as I didn't for a second even expect him to win one of the belts, nevermind both, even though he had held the WCW Title the month before. I thought he was just there to fill the mini-tournament and end his feud with The Rock with Rock beating him and moving onto the Finals against Angle or Austin. I thought the Finals would be Austin vs. Rock but unlike Jericho, I also thought Angle had a chance at beating Austin and then winning the Undisputed Championship, so I didn't count out the possibility of Angle vs. Rock in the Finals as Angle had beaten both Austin and Rock before whereas I counted out Jericho altogether despite defeating Rock two months earlier.

Randy Orton winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Summerslam 2004. Randy had just lost the IC Title a month before to Edge and the storyline going into this was that Randy was just meant to soften up Benoit so Triple H could beat Benoit for the title, which I expected to happen but I didn't expect him to beat Benoit for the belt, so what a shock it was for me to see that happen. I guess I should've suspected it especially as it went on last after Taker vs. JBL for the WWE Championship and if you're gonna have a new hungry lion win the belt for the first time ever, you put it on last, but I still didn't expect Orton to beat Benoit. I loved Orton's counter of Benoit's attempted Crossface and how 'outta nowhere' the RKO was that lead to the shocking 3 count.

 

[The Wood]

Chris Jericho winning the Undisputed Championship at Vengeance 2001. I went into school the next day to check the results for Vengeance on WWF.com and it shocked me to see that Chris Jericho had won as I didn't for a second even expect him to win one of the belts, nevermind both, even though he had held the WCW Title the month before. I thought he was just there to fill the mini-tournament and end his feud with The Rock with Rock beating him and moving onto the Finals against Angle or Austin. I thought the Finals would be Austin vs. Rock but unlike Jericho, I also thought Angle had a chance at beating Austin and then winning the Undisputed Championship, so I didn't count out the possibility of Angle vs. Rock in the Finals as Angle had beaten both Austin and Rock before whereas I counted out Jericho altogether despite defeating Rock two months earlier.

Randy Orton winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Summerslam 2004. Randy had just lost the IC Title a month before to Edge and the storyline going into this was that Randy was just meant to soften up Benoit so Triple H could beat Benoit for the title, which I expected to happen but I didn't expect him to beat Benoit for the belt, so what a shock it was for me to see that happen. I guess I should've suspected it especially as it went on last after Taker vs. JBL for the WWE Championship and if you're gonna have a new hungry lion win the belt for the first time ever, you put it on last, but I still didn't expect Orton to beat Benoit. I loved Orton's counter of Benoit's attempted Crossface and how 'outta nowhere' the RKO was that lead to the shocking 3 count.

Actually, this makes me think of the following:

Triple H beating Randy Orton for the World Heavyweight Title at Unforgiven 2004, just one month after Orton had initially won the big gold belt. I'd only say it qualifies as "shocking" because it was the first time Triple H had played that joke on Randy. The subsequent occasions wouldn't have the same comic precision.

(For clarification's sake, it's Noid from TPWW here. I say that because I think I may have contributed enough.)

 

[Ghost Lantern]

Well I grew up in a territory that switched titles often. To me growing up I thought it was absolute craziness for any title reign to go for more than a month or two.


I guess maybe Ric Flair losing to he pathetic Ronnie Garvin?