5 most shocking title victories in WWE history

This past week featured a shocking conclusion during the WWE Championship match between AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan after the latter hit AJ Styles with a low blow to take the title home and turn heel in the process.

While Bryan winning may have been shocking, the fact that he showed his true colours by attacking AJ Styles post-match was stunning to many fans across the world.

WWE's history is dotted with title changes like that, which for one reason or another, shocked and stunned fans across the globe.

What are the 5 most shocking title changes in WWE history? Let's take a look at this list.

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#5: Andre 'The Giant' beats Hulk Hogan, Saturday night main event:

Andre The Giant posing with the title!

Just a couple years earlier from this title change, in front of 93,173 fans inside the Pontiac Silverdome, Hulk Hogan body-slammed Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III. Andre was the biggest pro wrestling attraction of the 1970’s and had previously been undefeated for 15 years. This would cement Hogan’s legacy forever, and seemed to signal a passing of the torch.

This made what happened one night in 1988 that much more shocking. It was the rematch of arguably the biggest match in wrestling history -- Hogan vs Andre for the WWE Championship. After planting Hogan with a suplex Andre threw his huge body on top of Hogan for the pinfall.

Here’s where it got weird, the referee counted to 3 despite Hogan’s shoulder being up. Andre was deemed as the new WWE Champion to the shock of everyone in attendance. It was later revealed that Andre’s associate Ted Dibiase had paid off a look-alike to pose as referee Earl Hebner. Andre then sold the title to Dibiase, making the Million Dollar Man, the WWE Champion. It would be the only time either Hall of Famer held the World Title.

#4: Bob Backlund beats Bret Hart, Survivor Series 1994:

Cross face chicken-wing!

Bob Backlund was WWE Champion in the late 70’s and early 80’s for over 8 years. Fast forward a decade later and Backlund was long past his prime and depicted largely as a quirky crazy old man on WWE television.

Then at Survivor Series 1994 Backlund promised to bring legitimacy back to the WWE Championship as the veteran challenged the biggest star of the mid-90’s, Bret “The Hitman” Hart.

A decade ago, Backlund had lost the title when his manager threw the towel in as the Iron Sheik was punishing Backlund with the camel clutch. Years later, as Backlund held the champion Bret Hart in his Crossface Chicken Wing submission, Bret’s jealous brother Owen Hart would manipulate his parents to throw the towel in. After losing the belt, Bob Backlund won the WWE Championship in the same way he lost it.

#3: The Montreal Screwjob:

Bret Hart dejected over the controversial finish!

An event that has been talked about more than any other event in pro-wrestling history. Anybody who knows anything about wrestling can tell you about "The Montreal Screwjob". It was a moment that was not shocking because the title changed hands, but how it did. In the Fall of 1997, it was widely publicized that Bret Hart was going to leave WWE for WCW with Vince McMahon’s blessing.

However, there had long been a major backstage rivalry between the Hitman and his Survivor Series opponent Shawn Michaels. Two men who hated each other were going to have to do business, and Hart wasn’t having it. Michaels had repeatedly told Bret that he would never “job” to the Hitman. So, Bret saw it only fair that he refused to lose the Michaels, especially in his home country of Canada.

After weeks of trying to find a finish that would suit both sides, McMahon gave Bret the impression that they would go with the finish Bret suggested. Hart was told the match would end in a No Contest with outside interference, and he would be allowed to drop the belt the next night on Raw.

However, in the midst of the Monday Night Wars, Vince couldn’t take any chance of Bret leaving for WCW with the belt. So, the finish that the fans saw in Montreal and watching at home that night was very anti-climatic. Bret was totally unaware of the plan agreed upon by Vince, Michaels, and a few others. About halfway through the match with Bret Locked in on own Sharpshooter submission hold, referee Earl Hebner immediately signalled for the bell awarding the bout and the title to Shawn Michaels.

A livid crowd erupted with boos as a disgusted Hitman spat in the face of McMahon at ringside. Following a massive tirade that included Bret punching Vince McMahon in the face backstage, Bret left for WCW and was never the same. All has been forgiven by the parties involved, but the Montreal Screwjob remains as the most infamous incident in WWE history.

#2: CM Punk, Money In the Bank, 2011:

The Summer of Punk begins!

Similar to the Montreal Screwjob, but without the under-seeded hatred that Bret and Shawn had, one magical night in Chicago would mark the dawn of a new era. Chicago born renegade CM Punk had been with WWE for almost 7 years, and in that time Punk clawed in his way from an upper mid-carder to the main eventer.

Nevertheless, Punk had grown tired of playing the game and felt that he was being overlooked in favour of guys like John Cena and part-timers like The Rock. On top of that, his contract was set to expire the day after the upcoming Money In The Bank PPV.

Punk would unleash his fury in one of the most famous promos ever, “The Pipebomb”. Punk lambasted Cena as a suck-up who is only there because of his relationship with McMahon.

Punk would call McMahon tone deaf due to his circle of yes men, like John Laurinaitis. After a few shots at Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, Punk’s mic was shut down. This would spawn the best angle of the past decade as Punk would be given a title shot where he swore to leave WWE with the championship.

In real life, Punk had still not resigned with WWE the day of the show itself, so no one knew what to expect. In front of possibly the most raucous crowd in WWE history, CM Punk shocked the world and became the WWE Champion. The roar in the iconic Allstate Arena that night shook the building's foundation, and Punk’s win shook the WWE’s foundation to its core.

#1: Mick Foley, RAW is War, 1999:

Mankind celebrates a historic title win!

The Monday Night Wars were deep in the heat of the battle when Mick Foley would shock the pro wrestling world to its core. Foley had gone through many personas including Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind. Always seen as a main eventer, but never as champion, Foley achieved legendary status after his brutal Hell In A Cell match with the Undertaker, a year earlier.

It was January 4, 1999, and The Rock was WWE Champion. Over on WCW they often thought it was funny to spoil the WWE's programming. That day was no different as announcer Tony Schiavone revealed that Mankind was going to win the World Title muttering “that’ll put butts in the seats”.

It proved to be a fatal mistake as over 600,000 viewers immediately changed the channel to RAW. Nitro would never win in the ratings again. On RAW, Mankind was battling The Rock in a No Disqualification match for the WWE Title. With the help of Stone Cold Steve Austin, who received arguably the loudest crowd reaction in WWE history that night, Foley would become the most unlikely WWE Champion in history. Unlikely, but most deserved.