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For every wrestler who ever laces up a pair of boots, there are few things greater than being called champion. For some, the road to championship glory is long and arduous, with current WWE Champion Kofi Kingston toiling away in the mid-card for over a decade before getting his shot at WrestleMania. For some though, their path is much shorter.
Though some stars may take a long time, others get there quick, and have even won titles in their very first night in WWE. Shocking many members of the WWE Universe, this group proved that it's best to strike and strike fast.
Here are eight Superstars who didn't take long to establish themselves, winning titles in their very first match across various promotions.
#8 Ted DiBiase Jr.
As the son of the Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase Jr. had a lot to live up to. After all, his father Ted Sr. had become one of wrestling's most iconic villains, awarding himself the Million Dollar title and being a three-time Tag Team Champion. It was those same tag titles that DiBiase Jr. hoped to take away from Cody Rhodes and Hardcore Holly at Night of Champions 2008, though the rookie refused to reveal who his partner would be.
Even as the match began, fans had no idea who DiBiase would team with, until a shocking betrayal revealed all. Proving that everyone has a price, Cody would attack Hardcore Holly, revealing himself as DiBiase's partner, and the pair won the titles. Named Priceless, the pair would later become The Legacy with Randy Orton and would be a dominant force until the group's disbanding in early 2010.
#7 Santino Marella
When an open challenge was laid out for Umaga's Intercontinental Title on the April 16th, 2007 edition of RAW, not one Superstar was prepared to answer the call. Irate that none of his rosters were brave or dumb enough to take on the Samoan, Vince McMahon picked a random fan out of the Italian crowd, and that fan was Santino Marella.
Quickly making the match no-DQ, McMahon was ready to see Marella get squashed, though this backfired when Santino won the title, thanks to a big assist by the boss' foe Bobby Lashley. Of course, the story of Santino being a fan was a hoax, as he'd been with the company for 2 years and had traded OVW TV title wins with Tye Dillinger. Winning the title, Santino would instantly become a star and would hold various titles over his WWE tenure.
#6 MNM
When Eddie Guerrero came up short against his friend and tag partner Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 21, it didn't quite sit right with Latino Heat. In a rematch, Mysterio would once again defeat his friend, and though the pair were the WWE Tag Team Champions, it was clear to the fans that there was tension between the two.
That tension boiled over on the April 21st, 2005 edition of SmackDown when the pair took on the duo of Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro, and with Melina by their side, the group was christened MNM. Despite being rookies, Mercury and Nitro showed great tag strategy, cutting the ring in half and isolating the smaller Mysterio.
When Rey finally got the chance to make the tag, Eddie turned his back on his partner, and it was only a matter of time before new champs were crowned. Though this was the end of Mysterio and Guerrero's friendship, it was a perfect debut for MNM, and the team would become three-time champs before splitting the following year.
#5 Paige
Though this may not have been Paige's first match in her entire WWE career, the anti-Diva's first bout on the main roster is easily her most historic win. After dominating in NXT, Paige was called up on the RAW after WrestleMania 30, interrupting AJ Lee. Lee, full of confidence after defeating every woman on the main roster the night before, challenged the Brit to a match, even offering to put her title on the line.
This proved to be AJ's undoing, as Paige would get the upset win, capturing Lee's Divas title in the process, ending her reign at 295 days. In a matter of minutes, Paige had become the biggest woman in wrestling, and her win marked the end of a certain era in wrestling, as it was clear that women's Superstars were expected to have skills and looks. Though real-life issues would prevent her career from progressing much further, nothing could ever take away this incredible win.
#4 Jerry Lynn
Though his WWE career couldn't match his time in ECW or ROH, Jerry Lynn did plenty in Vince McMahon's promotion. Following the demise of ECW, Lynn joined in 2001, making his in-ring debut on the April 29th edition of Heat. During the show, Lynn would beat Crash Holly to win the Light Heavyweight title in his debut and would have a short but impressive reign, retaining against the likes of Dean Malenko, Taka Michinoku, Essa Rios and Christopher Daniels.
Eventually losing the title to Jeff Hardy, Lynn's career in WWE would never reach the same heights, and after suffering a knee injury, was released in February 2002, less than a year after his historic debut win. Post WWE, Lynn would become a veteran of the independent scene, where he sometimes still takes bookings.
#3 Carlito
Born into a wrestling dynasty, it didn't come as a surprise to anyone that Carly Colon had great success when he joined WWE under the moniker Carlito. After John Cena had toppled Booker T to become the United States Champion at No Mercy 2004, the Doctor of Thuganomics was ready to celebrate in Boston, though things didn't go to plan.
During the October 7th edition of SmackDown, Carlito interrupted the new champ, vowing to take the title from the Chaingang leader and claiming Cena simply wasn't cool. Spitting an apple in Cena's face was all it took to make John accept the challenge, and the pair met that same night, in what many thought would be an easy win for Cena. Thanks to a distracted referee and steel chain though, Carlito would pick up the huge win, winning the US title in the process, immediately establishing himself as a credible heel.
#2 Gail Kim
Gail Kim may be best known as a pioneer of Impact Wrestling more than her woeful WWE career, but the McMahon-led company did give the Canadian a huge push during her initial few weeks. After being recommended to WWE by Molly Holly, the company were quick to sign Kim in 2003, and aired weeks of Matrix-esque vignettes, highlighting her upcoming debut.
Appearing on the June 30th, 2003 edition of RAW, Kim took part in a seven-woman battle royal, shocking everyone by winning the match and the WWE Women's title in the process. Her reign would be short lived though, as after just one title defense and four weeks as champion, Kim would lose the title in July to her friend Molly. Quickly forgotten by the bookers, Kim would leave WWE the next year, and though she returned in 2008 for a similarly forgettable run, it's her time in Impact which made her a legend.
#1 Christian
Whilst Christian's early years in WWE may be defined by his tag team success with Edge, more knowledgeable fans will know that the Canadian had plenty of success early on, on his own. After debuting at Breakdown in September 1998, much to the bemusement of his then-brother, the gothic Christian would wait an entire month before making his in-ring debut, competing at In Your House: Judgement Day in October.
Taking on Taka Michinoku for the Light Heavyweight Championship, fans didn't know what to expect from the young star, though it was Christian who won the match and the title, reversing Taka's Michinoku Driver to get the roll-up win. The title, which Captain Charisma would lose to Gillberg a month later, would be the first of many accolades Christian had in his career before quietly retiring in 2014.
