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It’s time to shake things up” is a phrase that Vince McMahon has repeatedly delivered on WWE television over the years. But it's not just a quote that "The Boss" says on screen. This mindset seemingly affects the company's booking on a fairly regular basis.
WWE routinely crowns new champions. The company often demonstrates a tendency to pull the trigger on unexpected championship switches at the end of the year, as outlined here. Additionally, as a means of kicking off the new year with a renewed sense of intrigue, the company has crowned a number of WWE Champions in the month of January.
As the following list will illustrate, some of the title changes were parts of long-term storytelling, and some were more sporadic. These changes reminded fans that new champions can be coronated at any given moment.
1) New WWE Champion: Edge, January 2006
Since the inception of Money In The Bank, Edge’s cash-in in 2006 stands as the most shocking and memorable title changes in WWE history. It was the first-ever Money in the Bank cash-in. Plus, it was carried out on John Cena, who had been reigning as the WWE Champion since WWE WrestleMania 21. Despite the fans' polarizing response, Cena was firmly atop the WWE hierarchy.
After Cena survived a grueling Elimination Chamber Match, Vince McMahon’s music hit. His arrival set off a surprising twist for the end of the WWE New Year’s Revolution pay-per-view. In January 2006, there was no precedent for a contract cash-in, so Vince McMahon proceeded to inform Cena that the night wasn’t over.
“This man is cashing in his Money in the Bank privilege," said McMahon. Edge then entered the arena to execute his first of two Money in the Bank cash-ins.
"The Rated R Superstar" stormed to the ring and hit Cena with two spears to clinch the victory. Cena regained the title later that month, but Edge's cash-in changed the course of WWE history.
2) New WWE Champion: Mankind, January 1999
On the January 4, 1999 episode of WWE Monday Night RAW, Mankind challenged The Rock for the WWF Championship. Since he started incorporating more comedy into his character, Mankind had greatly endeared himself to the fans. Likewise, he had contributed immeasurably to the renewed success of Monday Night RAW in 1999.
The match between these two stars was a microcosm of the Attitude Era. It featured a high-octane crowd and a chaotic finish. D-Generation X made their presence known throughout the match, as they evened the odds after The Corporation interfered on The Rock's behalf.
To tip the scales in Mankind's favor, Stone Cold Steve Austin came in like a wrecking ball. He hit "The Corporate Champ" with a vicious chair shot before he dragged Mankind onto The Rock for the three count. The subsequent crowd eruption marked one of the most historic endings in the history of WWE Monday Night RAW.
In the weeks that followed, WWE took the edge in the Monday Night Wars, and the company never looked back.
3) New WWE Champion: The Rock, January 2013
When The Rock returned to WWE in 2011, there was no guarantee that he would step back into the ring for a match. Sure, many fans wanted to see the "once in a lifetime" battle with John Cena. Though it initially wasn't guaranteed to happen, the two iconic stars eventually clashed in an unforgettable match at WWE WrestleMania 28.
With The Rock coming out on top in that bout, WWE kept the door open for a sequel. In January 2013, the pieces began to fall into place for this rematch. At the time, CM Punk was enjoying one of the most memorable and lengthy WWE Championship reigns in the title's prestigious history.
But WWE opted to curtail Punk’s run and give the title to "The Great One." The Rock defeated Punk at Royal Rumble 2013. From there, it was only a matter of time until "The Brahma Bull" defended the gold against Cena at WWE WrestleMania 29. There, Cena defeated The Rock to win the title and even the score.
4) New WWE Champion: Triple H, January 2016
Since 2014, WWE has displayed an unwavering commitment to establishing Roman Reigns as the company's new top babyface. This mission was quite stubborn for the first few years. No stone was left unturned in the protracted effort to make Reigns into the next John Cena.
In January 2016, in the latest attempt to drum up some sympathy for Reigns, WWE decided to stack the cards against him. His WWE Championship was on the line in the 2016 Royal Rumble Match.
WWE might have learned some key lessons from its numerous attempts to engineer positive sentiment towards Reigns. At this event, WWE set Reigns up to fail in order to delay his eventual triumph.
In the eyes of The Authority, there was no way "The Big Dog" could leave the Amway Center with the gold. To tap into the fans' perception of Triple H’s corporate sway, "The Game" entered the Royal Rumble at the prized number 30 spot. He then eliminated Dean Ambrose to win the match and the championship. Reigns ultimately defeated Triple H at WWE WrestleMania 32.
5) New WWE Champion: John Cena, January 2017
John Cena’s feud with AJ Styles delivered some stirring encounters. It also boosted Styles' status on the roster. Four months into his first WWE Championship reign, Styles was in a groove. He was exuding the confidence of a long-time WWE veteran.
Since his WrestleMania loss to Chris Jericho, "The Phenomenal One" had dramatically bounced back. He had clearly earned the respect and appreciation of Vince McMahon himself with his consistently remarkable performances. His adaptability and his good attitude also helped him win over "The Boss."
As the WWE Champion, Styles had renamed WWE SmackDown as "The House that AJ Styles Built." This boast drew the ire of Cena. He challenged Styles for the title to determine the true face of WWE SmackDown.
At the end of a competitive contest, Cena countered a Phenomenal Forearm and hit two consecutive Attitude Adjustments for the win. He earned his sixteenth WWE world championship and tied Ric Flair’s legendary record.
When Cena defeated Styles at WWE Royal Rumble, it seemed like WWE was setting the table for a marquee title match at WrestleMania. But this victory only led to a two-week reign for Cena. He dropped the title to Bray Wyatt at WWE Elimination Chamber.
