Becoming WWE Champion is usually a result of years in the business, during which time you’ve accumulated numerous mid-card titles on your way to being thrust into the main event picture. For these five gentlemen, however, they broke the mould in a big way by winning professional wrestling’s most prestigious title before any other.
The amount of time it took them to accomplish this goal varies between each entry, but that’s not what this is about. It’s about applauding these performers for being able to reach the top of the mountain and whilst they were indeed put there by Vince McMahon, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t have to work equally as hard throughout their careers.
Not all of these Superstars were tipped to become main eventers, and that’s not always a bad thing. Proving the doubters wrong has been a highly sought after trait for a long time now in this business, and being stuck with that underdog tag can only serve to benefit you in the long run.
Sure they all experienced setbacks along the way and a few never reached these heights again, but let’s focus on the positives.
With that being said, here are five wrestlers whose first title win was the WWE Championship.
#1 Jinder Mahal
All hail the Maharaja – Jinder Mahal is officially the WWE Champion and it still doesn’t feel right to say that out loud just yet. The former jobber to the stars has been rocketed to the top of the card over the last few months, with his rise being something that quite literally nobody would’ve anticipated in the build up to Backlash.
Despite being in the company for many years across two stints, Mahal had never won a Championship prior to lifting the belt up high in Chicago. Now, in 2017, he’s the world champion after pinning the legendary Randy Orton in the middle of the ring in the main event of a pay per view. Never say never, right?
The Next Big Thing has arrived.
#2 Brock Lesnar
Back in 2002, the only thing that wrestling fans could bring themselves to talk about was the rise of Brock Lesnar. The Beast Incarnate was a genetic freak and whilst he’s slowed down over the years, back in those days he truly was an absolute monster. So unsurprisingly, within a few months of debuting he was lifting the WWE Championship up high.
Brock captured the gold from The Rock at SummerSlam 2002, with the former NCAA Champion cementing himself as a legitimate bad ass and a bonafide main eventer. Prior to this, he mostly spent his time squashing anyone who stepped in his way, and in the present era he’s pretty much picked up right where he left off.
They don't want none.
#3 AJ Styles
When AJ Styles debuted at the 2016 Royal Rumble, fans experienced a mixture of jubilation and fear upon seeing his debut. They were ecstatic to finally see The Phenomenal One step foot in a WWE ring, but at the same time, there were concerns that he wouldn’t be booked in a way that would do justice to his many years of great work in the industry.
Thankfully, those fears were put to rest when just a few months later, a heel Styles defeated Dean Ambrose to become WWE Champion. It was a sight that we all never thought we’d see, but once it finally happened, the belt looked like it was right where it belonged – around the waist of a legend. Bravo, AJ.
Did someone say fire and brimstone?
#4 Kane
The Big Red Machine Kane didn’t really care all too much about championships upon debuting nearly two decades ago and was instead focused on dismantling his long lost brother The Undertaker. Following this feud, however, it quickly became clear that Kane would lift the illustrious WWE Championship one day.
It took a while, but that day finally came when Kane defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin in a First Blood match to win the strap. Unfortunately, he would only hold onto the belt for a day before dropping it back to Austin the next night on Monday Night Raw, but at least he can always say that he is an official former holder of the title.
It’s a shameful thing, lobster head.
#5 Sheamus
In late 2009, Sheamus was making quite the name for himself as the next breakout star on the main roster, and before we knew it The Celtic Warrior had earned himself a WWE Title shot against John Cena at TLC. Many fans thought that Cena would win by the skin of his teeth, putting Sheamus over as a future champ in the process – but oh how wrong they were.
The Irishman actually won the tables match, capturing the WWE Championship a mere few months after arriving on Monday Night Raw. Nobody could quite believe that he’d managed to defeat the almighty Cena, although it wasn’t clean, with many members of the WWE Universe believing that he’d first hold the IC or US Title. Madness.
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