5 times a WWE title has changed hands at the last-minute

AJ Styles isn't the only superstar who left it to the last-minute to win a Championship
AJ Styles isn't the only superstar who left it to the last-minute to win a Championship

Championships are the centre of everything in WWE, which means that title changes are always a big deal. When there are already matches set to take place at planned pay-per-view events and a title changes hands, it also has to then change the scheduled matches at the pay-per-view, which is what happened this past week on both Raw and SmackDown Live.

AJ Styles became WWE Champion on SmackDown Live when he defeated Jinder Mahal and will now go on to face Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar in their bragging rights match at Survivor Series next weekend.

Styles isn't the only Superstar to be able to change a pay-per-view with a last-minute title win. It seems that there have been a number of these eleventh-hour title changes over the past few years.


#5 Akira Tozawa - Cruiserweight Championship

Akira Tozawa was able to dethrone Neville just six days before SummerSlam
Akira Tozawa was able to dethrone Neville just six days before SummerSlam

Akira Towaza shocked the WWE Universe earlier this year when he was able to defeat Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship on the go home episode of Monday Night Raw ahead of SummerSlam.

Neville had been the reigning champion since Royal Rumble and it was a huge shock for Tozawa to be able to dethrone him outside of a pay-per-view. This also meant that Tozawa walked into "The Biggest Party of the Summer" with a Championship for the first time.

Incredibly, merely six days later at the pay-per-view event, Neville was able to defeat the only Cruiserweight member of The Titus Brand, to win back his Championship. This meant that Tozawa's first and only Championship reign in WWE lasted less than a week.

#4 Nikki Bella - Divas Championship

Nikki Bella won that Divas Championship just days before Extreme Rules in 2012
Nikki Bella won that Divas Championship just days before Extreme Rules in 2012

Nikki Bella made history back in 2015 when she became the longest reigning Divas Champion of all time, a reign that ended at 301 days and will now never be matched or beaten since the title has been retired.

Before Nikki was seen as one of the biggest female stars in WWE, she also held one of the shortest title reigns with the Divas Championship, a reign that lasted just six days.

Nikki entered a feud with Divas Champion, Beth Phoenix, ahead of Extreme Rules back in 2012. After defeating "The Glamazon" in a non-title match, she was given her chance at the Championship the following week on Raw in a Lumberjill match.

Nikki won the Championship and was able to head into Extreme Rules six days later as the Champion to face Layla. But after twin magic failed, Layla lifted the Championship and Nikki and Brie decided to quit WWE a few days later.

#3 The Hardy Boyz - Tag Team Championships

The Hardyz defeated Booker T and Test in the build up to Survivor Series in 2001
The Hardyz defeated Booker T and Test in the build-up to Survivor Series in 2001

Matt and Jeff Hardy are now household names in the wrestling business and made their return to WWE earlier this year, to claim the Raw Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 33.

Back in 2001, The Hardyz were still making a name for themselves in a time where it seemed that the Tag Team Championships were being passed around like hot potatoes.

After winning the WCW Tag Team Championships from Booker T and Test in October 2001, the duo lost them two weeks later to The Dudley Boyz and were then granted another match against Booker T and Test. This time, their match was for the WWF Tag Team Championships, and the popular duo were able to lift just days before Survivor Series.

At the pay-per-view event, The Hardyz took on old rivals The Dudley Boyz in a steel cage title unification match, which they ended up losing. It would have been Booker T and Test in that match if The Hardyz didn't pick up the Championships at the last minute, but it seems that Matt and Jeff put on a much better show against D-Von and Bubba Ray that night.

#2 The Miz - Intercontinental Championship

Miz managed to defeat Dolph Ziggler despite his match at Survivor Series already being set
Miz managed to defeat Dolph Ziggler despite his match at Survivor Series already being set

The Miz is the current holder of the Intercontinental Championship and it seems that "The A-Lister" has quite a history with that title belt.

Back in 2016, ahead of Survivor Series, Dolph Ziggler laid down a challenge to any member of the Raw roster to face him at the event for his title.

Sami Zayn won the right to challenge him for the title, however, Ziggler was goaded into a match against The Miz on the 900th episode of SmackDown Live, just days before the event. The Miz managed to pick up the victory with the help of his wife Maryse.

He went on to face Sami Zayn at the event and defeated him in a match that could have seen the Intercontinental Championship switch brands. Ziggler was unable to reclaim his Championship in a ladder match against The Miz the following month at TLC Tables, Ladders and Chairs.

From getting bullied by JBL to becoming one of the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, The Miz truly has seen it all.

#1 Cesaro and Sheamus - Raw Tag Team Championships

Cesaro and Sheamus defeated Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose ahead of Survivor Series
Cesaro and Sheamus defeated Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose ahead of Survivor Series

This past week on Monday Night Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus forced Raw General Manager Kurt Angle to give them a match for the Raw Tag Team Championships because they thought they were the team that deserved to represent their brand at Survivor Series against The Usos.

Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose put their titles on the line in a match against The Bar, in the main event of Raw. But a distraction from The New Day helped Sheamus to hit Rollins with a Brogue Kick which saw Cesaro and Sheamus reclaim their titles.

This was a huge shock since the match at Survivor Series had already been set. AJ Styles' WWE Championship win the following night on SmackDown Live rounded off a fantastic week for Championship challengers in WWE.

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