7 WWE Superstars who beat top champions in their debut
People get only one chance to make a solid first impression. For a WWE Superstars, there's no better way to splash onto the scene than by defeating a reigning champion.
Throughout WWE's history, there have been numerous instances of a debuting wrestler squaring off against a titleholder. The 'sink or swim' mindset has been a staple of professional wrestling since its inception, and what could be a better gauge of a new star's potential than by assessing their performance against a champion?
While several of these newcomers couldn't triumph over their decorated foes, some of them did pass the test. Whether it was a fluke victory or an obvious one, the rookies who reigned supreme against top champions instantly caught the fans' attention.
That being said, it's time to take a look at 7 WWE Superstars who managed to defeat top champions in their debut outings.
#7. New WWE Superstar, Stephanie Vaquer
It's a rarity for WWE to treat a new signee like a major deal right off the bat, but a star of Stephanie Vaquer's level warrants such immaculate treatment.
After she had a tremendous showing at AEW's Forbidden Door pay-per-view, all signs were pointing to the Chilean star signing with the Tony Khan-led promotion. However, the following week-and-a-half proved to be a whirlwind of unpredictability, ending with the announcement that Vaquer had inked a deal with the Stamford-based promotion.
In an even more surprising turn of events, WWE booked the CMLL alum in a match on July 13, 2024, three days after Shawn Michaels announced her arrival. She joined the company's recent Mexico tour and defeated one-half of the current Women's Tag Team Champions, Isla Dawn.
The fact that WWE didn't have Vaquer squash an enhancement talent and rather had her face a star whom the company has been investing in lately, speaks volumes about the plans the promotion has for their newest acquisition.
#6. Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens' outstanding first few months in NXT gave fans all the assurance they needed to believe that he'd be booked as one of the main players upon hitting the main roster.
Yet, the way he made his RAW debut blew everyone's expectations out of the water. The Prizefighter arrived on the scene by attacking then-US Champion, John Cena. This led to a match between the two at Elimination Chamber 2015, which Owens won in a dominant fashion.
Given the names John Cena had emerged victorious against during his iconic US Title run, having him fall short to Kevin Owens in the latter's main-roster debut meant that the Canadian wrestler was about to be a big problem.
Over nine years later, KO has been a part of several key storylines. He has main-evented WrestleMania twice, become a Grand Slam Champion and whatnot. Still, his jaw-dropping win against The Cenation Leader remains one of his career's top highlights.
#5, #4 & #3 The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose)
It would be an understatement to call The Shield trio a blessing upon not only WWE but the wrestling world in general.
Since late 2012, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Jon Moxley (FKA Dean Ambrose) have been setting one trend after the next. The Tribal Chief reigned as a World Champion for a whopping 1,316 days. Moxley became the first wrestler to become a World Champion across WWE, AEW, and NJPW. Rollins fulfilled every wrestler's dream by cashing in the Money in the Bank contract in the main-event of WrestleMania.
In short, it's not advisable to list down The Shield's accolades in a single sitting. The interesting thing is this top faction didn't have to go through hard times to make a name for themselves. They were a force from the get-go.
Their main-roster debut, which took place at TLC 2012, featured them reigning supreme in a chaotic six-man tag-team Tables, Ladders & Chairs match. Among the losing team members were Ryback and then-Tag Team Champions, Kane and Daniel Bryan.
#2. Santino Marella
It goes without saying that comedy has a place in WWE. From R-Truth to Hurricane and more, wrestlers who can make the live crowd laugh their hearts out are essential to the sport.
However, what's rare is for the Stamford-based wrestling titan to strap a rocket to a comedy act's back. Surprisingly, that happened on the April 16, 2007, edition of RAW, and that too in a program involving then-Chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon.
The comedic star in question was the debuting Santino Marella, who was portraying a regular fan. Santino was forced into a wrestling match against then-Intercontinental Champion, Umaga. What was speculated to be an unsettling squash match turned out to be a star-making moment.
Marella ended up beating Umaga and dethroning him as the Intercontinental Champion. Granted, he needed Bobby Lashley's help to score the historic win, but beating a monster who was unleashing his wrath on John Cena a couple of months prior, made Marella an overnight sensation across the wrestling realm.
#1. Carlito
Only the epitome of 'coolness' has the right to resent people who don't want to be cool, and Carlito fits the bill, courtesy of his incredible WWE main roster debut back in 2004.
On his first night as a member of SmackDown, he won the US Championship by defeating John Cena. Given that the Doctor of Thuganomics was one of the fastest-rising stars on the blue brand at the time, a victory over him was no laughing matter.
The Caribbean Bad Apple had one opportunity to make a lasting first impact, and he utilized it to absolute perfection. With the momentum he racked up with his huge debut victory, Carlito carved out a memorable WWE career for himself.
Up until his departure in 2010, he remained an integral part of the mid-card division, winning the Intercontinental Title and unifying the WWE and World Tag Team Championship. That might not have been possible had he gotten a forgettable debut match.