5 Biggest WWE Title Changes at Live Events
WWE, not the true marketing giant of a corporation that it is now, used to use live events at key venues to create title changes.
Before there were PPVs, buyrates and television ratings, the WWE relied on key northeast venues to be the home of the championship switches. Then known as the WWF, the company saved tag team title changes for television. Meanwhile, the Intercontinental and World titles would change hands in places like Boston Garden or, more notably, Madison Square Garden.
WWE is now a global company and has even changed titles overseas over the past several years. But in the 1980s and even into the 1990s, the most significant title changes occurred in the northeast, at the heart of WWE’s fanbase.
There were notable occasions, such as Pat Patterson’s alleged winning of the inaugural IC title in a tournament in Rio de Janeiro. Generally speaking, however, title changes were made before live audiences and, hopefully, taped for television viewing at a later date.
In the current era of having a PPV almost monthly, it is almost hard to believe title changes were done so intimitely. Imagine being lucky enough to purchase a ticket to the WWE live event at Madison Square Garden on a night in January and laying witness to a monumental WWE title change, perhaps even the dawning of a new era.
On this list are the 5 biggest WWE title changes at live events.
#5 Diesel wins the WWE title.
April 13th 1994, Superstars.Diesel beat Razor Ramon to win the Intercontinental Title @RealKevinNash #WWENetwork #WWE http://t.co/kkIj7QbcAm
On November 24th, 1994 at a Madison Square Garden event, Bob Backlund defended his newly won WWE title against Diesel. Backlund defeated Bret Hart just 3 days earlier in the Survivor Series to become champion.
A jacknife powerbomb and 12 seconds later, and suddenly Diesel was the new WWE champion. The New Generation now had a man Vince McMahon hoped would be its face as champion.
11/26/94: FULL MATCH!
Diesel defeats Mr. Bob Backlund to win the WWF title at MSG. https://t.co/VW7Z4kzgBD
The reaction of the WWE audience at Madison Square Garden was one of surprise and genuine excitement. It's doubtful that anyone thought they were going to see history.
Backlund had just won the title three days earlier at a major PPV. Most people probably assumed that he would have a decent run as champion while McMahon considered his next babyface successor. Instead, just three nights later and in record time, Diesel would change the course of WWE history.
Diesel’s reign as champion lasted nearly a full year at 358 days. He was handpicked to be the face of the WWE’s New Generation. His title reign began feuding with his former running mate Shawn Michaels and ended with a memorable match with Bret Hart at Survivor Series.
In between, WWE saw mixed results in both its television ratings and PPV buyrates. Diesel would go on to greater heights in WCW as 'Big Sexy' Kevin Nash, but it would not have been possible without the notoriety of this title reign.
The WWF,running on "Diesel Power" circa-1996 https://t.co/ANg0xJ75Dn
WWE needed to shake things up back in 1994. McMahon took a shot on Diesel, but it fell short.
Who knows? Without that fateful night in Madison Square Garden, perhaps there would never have been an NWO or Attitude Era.