'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A.J. Styles recently became the 6th fastest WWE Champion in history, after he defeated Dean Ambrose with a low blow at WWE Backlash, this weekend. Styles has taken the WWE Universe by storm ever since he debuted at the Royal Rumble earlier this year.
Sure, there have been WWE Champions who’ve gone on to hold the TNA Championship, but it’s really rare to find a TNA Champion coming and making such a major mark in WWE.
Considering the traffic on our own site shortly after his win, we can only say that we think WWE made the right choice. As we get set for his phenomenal run, let’s look at 5 other champions in history who won the belt quicker than The Phenomenal One AJ Styles did.
#5 Yokozuna
Recently, we mourned the passing of the legendary Mr. Fuji. Now let’s look at the most famous superstar whom Mr. Fuji managed. Yokozuna was an unbeatable and unstoppable monster who destroyed everything in his path ever since he joined WWF/WWE.
A Samoan, who played the part of a Japanese sumo wrestler, he would win the 1993 Royal Rumble and go on to face Bret Hart at Wrestlemania IX. And dominant as he was, Yokozuna would go over Bret Hart that night.
Sadly, the legendary burial machine of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan, would defeat Yokozuna for the championship, only a few minutes later. But Yokozuna would get his revenge at King of The Ring 1993, when he would defeat Hulk Hogan and win the title from him.
Today we remember Yokozuna for his mammoth size, but being as agile as a cat despite his physique.
#4 Sheamus
No no, Sheamus wasn’t always in a ‘Best of 7’ feud with Cesaro. The year is 2009. WWE needs a new superstar. And so less than 6 months after he makes his debut, WWE put the belt on Sheamus, thinking he will carry the company into the future.
Sheamus achieved the impossible. He defeated John Cena by putting him through a table to win his first WWE Championship at TLC. Considering this fact, it’s tragic how far down the ladder he has fallen since then.
Sure, he was the WWE Champion as recently as last year, but he was never the star he once was.
#3 Brock Lesnar
Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock were on their way out. WWE needed the ‘next big thing’. And so NCAA Champion Brock Lesnar was recruited and quickly made his way through the ranks. Lesnar vanquished everyone in his path from Flair to Hogan, and ultimately defeated The Rock at Summerslam 2002 to become Undisputed Champion.
Of course, since then Lesnar has gone on to do remarkable things both in WWE and outside. He’s a former UFC Champion and still wrestles the occasional match for WWE. But Lesnar has been very vocal about the fact that he does not particularly care for sports entertainment and does it merely for the money.
We wonder now as we did then, was it the right move to put the belt on The Beast Incarnate considering he quit the company shortly after.
#2 Ric Flair
When John Cena and A.J. Styles faced off in the ring for the first time on Raw earlier this year, it was a historic moment. The Face of the WWE vs the Face of TNA! But this is not the first time that an outsider came to WWE and squared off against the champion.
Ric Flair was a legend before he even stepped into WWE and called himself the ‘Real World Champion’. The championship was vacated in 1992, and the title was up for grabs at Royal Rumble 1992.
Ric Flair would enter at Number 3, and go on to win the Rumble, as Hulk Hogan and Sid would eliminate one another. Flair was a WCW guy at heart and would leave the company in 2 years, but until Triple H earlier this year; he remains the only wrestler to win the Royal Rumble and go on to become WWE Champion.
#1 Finn Balor
Now this is a controversial pick, we suppose, as we're not counting Balor’s NXT run. But from the night that Finn Balor made his main roster debut, he won the championship in merely 27 days at WWE Summerslam 2016.
And because of the injury he sustained at Seth Rollins’ hands, he was forced to relinquish it the very next night. We’re sure Balor’s return is going to be truly epic. Simply cannot wait!
