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Winning a championship in a major promotion like WWE is a matter of great pride for a Superstar. Being a champion sends the message to the world that the company trusts the Superstar to lead an entire division.
The number of championships won by a Superstar in their career are usually considered as a measure of success in the sport. But winning a championship in a company like WWE is not an easy task.
Some Superstars have to wait for their entire careers to win a championship. While some, unfortunately, never even get the opportunity to hold a championship. But some Superstars, shockingly, win their first championship right out of the gate.
Let's take a look at 3 WWE Superstars who won championships in their debut match. (Only main roster debuts have been taken into consideration in this article.)
#3. Former WWE Superstar Christian won the Light Heavyweight Championship
Christian made his TV debut as a heel on September 27, 1998. He distracted Edge during his match against Owen Hart at WWF's pay-per-view event Breakdown: In Your House.
Following that, Christian had his debut match at Judgment Day: In Your House. Christian fought Taka Michinoku for the Light Heavyweight Championship. And surprisingly, he defeated him to win the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship.
Christian's character would change dramatically over the next few years. But winning the Light Heavyweight Championship in his debut match was undoubtedly a stepping stone on his way to a successful career.
#2. Former WWE Superstar Santino Marella won the Intercontinental Championship
Santino Marella is the only Superstar on this list who technically didn't make his debut as a 'wrestler'. On April 16, 2007, in Milan, Italy, Vince McMahon issued a challenge to anyone in the audience to compete in a title bout against the defending Intercontinental Champion, Umaga.
Santino was chosen from the audience by Vince McMahon for a shot at the Intercontinental championship. Bobby Lashley intervened in the match after McMahon announced that this was a no-holds-barred match.
With Lashley's help, Santino defeated Umaga and became the Intercontinental Champion on his debut. Over the years, Santino developed a comedic character and went on to become a fan favorite.
#1. Retired WWE Superstar Paige won the Divas Championship
Paige debuted on the main roster on WWE Raw following WrestleMania 30. Paige came out to congratulate AJ Lee on her victorious title defense at WrestleMania. Lee wasn't pleased with Paige interrupting her so, she slapped the NXT Champion and challenged her to a Divas Championship match.
Paige accepted Lee's challenge and went on to end what was the longest-reigning Divas Championship reign at the time. Because she was also the NXT Women's Champion, her victory over AJ was even more shocking.
Her win helped her become a household name, and she enjoyed a long and successful career before her untimely retirement following an injury.
