9 Superstars who won a WWE title in their first year - Where are they now?
Most WWE Superstars have had to work for a few years in developmental territories or on NXT before they make it to the main roster. However, several major names broke through and made it big right away.
With their eyes on the prize, Superstars such as Kofi Kingston have had to wait for several years to even gain a WWE Championship opportunity. On the other hand, there are several former and current WWE Superstars who managed to become no.1 contenders to the top titles very early in their careers. This allowed them to become world champions within a year of their debut.
The instant success paved the way for some of the most iconic careers in WWE history. We will look at the nine Superstars who won a WWE title within their first year of debuting on the main roster.
#9 Kurt Angle won the WWE Championship in 343 days
Not many men could match Kurt Angle’s skills in the ring. That is exactly what made the Olympic Gold Medalist a treat for the WWE Universe. After deliberating about a professional wrestling career for a few years, Angle finally made his television debut for WWE at Survivor Series in 1999.
It didn’t take long for Angle to become a big star with the company. He ended up winning both the WWE European Championship and the Intercontinental Championship in February 2000.
He later pursued the world title and defeated The Rock at No Mercy 2000 to become the WWE Champion in just under a year. The victory also made him the first person to have ever won the Olympic Gold medal and the world championship.
Angle had a successful career with WWE. Afterward, he worked with other promotions before he returned.
The WWE Hall of Famer competed in his final match at WrestleMania 35 and has made sporadic appearances for the company ever since. He has appeared in a few movies and television shows, and lent his voice to a few episodes of OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes in recent years.