In WWE, the climb to the top is often slow and hard-fought, with many superstars spending years before tasting world championship gold. However, some exceptional wrestlers defy the norm by capturing a world title within their first year in the company. Here are eleven of the most prominent WWE superstars who earned their first world titles in record time.
1. Alberto Del Rio’s Fast Track to WWE World Heavyweight Championship Gold – 359 Days
Alberto Del Rio won the WWE Championship just 359 days after his debut. Photo Credit: WWE.
When Alberto Del Rio made his WWE debut on August 20th, 2010, the Mexican aristocrat wasted no time in making his mark. He showcased a unique blend of technical prowess and charisma that quickly caught the attention of both fans and WWE management.
Merely five months after his debut, Del Rio achieved a significant milestone by winning the 2011 Royal Rumble. This victory catapulted him into the spotlight and earned him a coveted World Heavyweight Championship match against Edge at WrestleMania XXVII. Although Del Rio fell short in this encounter, it was clear that his star was on the rise.
Undeterred by this setback, Del Rio’s momentum continued to build. He secured another opportunity for championship gold by emerging victorious in the 2011 Raw Money in the Bank ladder match. This win granted him a contract for a future WWE Championship match, to be cashed in at a time of his choosing.
The defining moment of Del Rio’s early WWE career came at SummerSlam 2011. After an intense battle between CM Punk and John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship, Del Rio seized his opportunity.
With Punk exhausted from his victory over Cena, Del Rio strategically cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. In an unexpected turn of events, he defeated Punk to claim his first WWE Championship a mere 359 days after his debut.
2. Kurt Angle’s Rapid Rise to WWF World Heavyweight Champion – 343 Days
Kurt Angle defeated The Rock to win his first WWE Championship after 343 days. Photo Credit: WWE.
Kurt Angle is widely regarded as one of the most influential wrestlers of the Attitude Era and is often hailed as one of the best natural talents to ever grace the squared circle.
Angle made his WWE debut at Survivor Series in 1999, immediately impressing fans and officials alike with his Olympic pedigree and innate wrestling prowess. His potential was quickly recognized, leading to a significant push in 2000.
During this period, Angle captured both the Intercontinental and European Championships, demonstrating his versatility by holding both titles simultaneously at one point.
The pinnacle of Angle’s meteoric rise came at No Mercy 2000. In a match that solidified his status as a main event player, Kurt Angle defeated The Rock to claim the WWF Championship for the first time.
This monumental victory occurred just 343 days after his debut, cementing Angle’s place in WWE history as one of the fastest-rising stars to capture the company’s top prize.
3. Big Show’s WWF Title Triumph in 273 Days
Big Show claimed the WWF Championship at Survivor Series 1999 after 273 days with the company. Photo Credit: WWE.
Before joining WWE, The Big Show (then known as The Giant) had already established himself as a formidable force in WCW. His impact was immediate and significant, as he defeated the legendary Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in his very first match, showcasing his potential as a main event player from day one.
On February 14th, 1999, The Big Show made his highly anticipated debut in WWE (then known as the World Wrestling Federation). He quickly became a dominant presence on the company’s roster during the height of the Attitude Era. His imposing size and surprising agility made him a unique threat to all competitors.
At Survivor Series 1999, The Big Show demonstrated his overwhelming power by defeating The Big Boss Man, Mideon, Prince Albert, and Viscera in a handicap match. However, his night was far from over.
In a surprising turn of events later that evening, The Big Show capitalized on the opportunity to face The Rock and Triple H in a Triple Threat match for the WWF Championship.
The Big Show emerged victorious, capturing the WWF Championship just 273 days after his WWE debut.
4. Kane’s First-Year WWF World Heavyweight Championship Victory – 266 Days
Kane becomes WWF Champion in a match against Steve Austin just 266 days after his debut. Photo Credit: WWE.
Kane is regarded as one of the best big men in WWE history. Although often considered less iconic than his kayfabe half-brother, The Undertaker, Kane achieved a milestone that The Undertaker did not: he won the WWF Championship in his first year with the company.
Kane made his WWF debut at Badd Blood: In Your House on October 5, 1997. Just 266 days later, he captured the WWF title in a First Blood match against “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at WWF King of the Ring 1998. This victory marked a significant moment in his career.
Ironically, during the match, Kane wore his mask, preventing anyone from seeing if he was bleeding, which was a crucial factor in a First Blood stipulation. This unique scenario highlighted Kane’s character and added to the intrigue of his championship win.
5. AJ Styles Wins WWE Championship in 231 Days
AJ Styles captured his first WWE title after defeating Dean Ambrose at Backlash 2016. Photo Credit: WWE.
AJ Styles is widely considered one of the world’s best and most respected professional wrestlers, a reputation he built during his time in TNA and other promotions. When he signed with WWE, expectations were high for his performance.
“The Phenomenal One” made his surprise WWE debut at the Royal Rumble 2016, immediately capturing the attention of fans and critics alike.
Following his debut, Styles quickly set his sights on the WWE Championship, becoming one of the top wrestlers on the SmackDown brand.
After a victory at SummerSlam 2016, Styles earned a championship opportunity at Backlash against Dean Ambrose.
In a significant milestone for his WWE career, Styles defeated Ambrose to capture the WWE title just 231 days after his Royal Rumble debut. This rapid ascent to the top of WWE solidified Styles’ status as a main event player in the company.
6. Goldberg Wins WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 175 Days
Goldberg overpowered Triple H to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion just 175 days into his time with the company. Photo Credit: WWE.
At the peak of his career, Goldberg was widely regarded as one of the most dominating wrestlers in the world.
His legendary run in WCW had established him as a formidable force in professional wrestling. When Goldberg signed with WWE, he brought his reputation as a powerhouse with him.
He made his WWE debut on March 31st, 2003, and quickly found himself in a high-profile rivalry with Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Following Triple H’s successful title defense at SummerSlam 2003, Goldberg continued his pursuit of the championship.
At Unforgiven, just 175 days after his WWE debut, Goldberg defeated Triple H to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.
This swift rise to the top of WWE demonstrated that Goldberg’s dominance transcended promotions.
7. Yokozuna Captures the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 173 Days
Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart at WrestleMania 9, winning the WWF World Heavyweight Championship 173 days into his career with the company. Photo Credit: WWE.
Following his WWF debut on October 31st, 1992, Rodney Anoa’i, wrestling under the name Yokozuna, was quickly established as a dominant heel character. His imposing size and strength made him a formidable opponent in the ring.
Yokozuna’s rise to the top was swift. He won the 1993 Royal Rumble, eliminating seven wrestlers and earning a WWF Championship match at WrestleMania IX.
At the event, he defeated Bret Hart to capture the WWF Championship, achieving this feat just 173 days after his debut in the company.
Yokozuna was 26 years old when he won his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship, making him the youngest champion in the company’s history at the time. However, his first reign was short-lived.
Immediately following his victory over Hart, Yokozuna lost the championship to Hulk Hogan in a controversial impromptu match.
Despite this setback, Yokozuna’s momentum continued. He regained the WWF title at King of the Ring in 1993, cementing his status as a top player in the company.
8. Sheamus Wins the WWE Championship in 166 Days
Sheamus defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship just 166 days into his time with the company. Photo Credit: WWE.
Sheamus made his WWE debut on June 30th, 2009, following an impressive run in Florida Championship Wrestling, WWE’s developmental territory at the time.
He initially appeared on the ECW brand, engaging in well-received feuds with veterans like Goldust and Shelton Benjamin.
After being drafted to Raw, Sheamus quickly made an impact by winning a battle royal to become the number one contender for John Cena’s WWE Championship. This victory led to the signing of a championship match contract, setting up a Tables match between Sheamus and Cena at TLC 2009.
In a surprising turn of events, Sheamus defeated John Cena at the pay-per-view, capturing the WWE Championship.
This remarkable achievement came just 166 days after his main roster debut, marking one of the fastest rises to the top title in WWE history.
9. Brock Lesnar Becomes WWE Champ in 126 Days
Brock Lesnar won his first WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2002, becoming the then-youngest WWE Champion at age 25. Photo Credit: WWE.
Brock Lesnar made his impressive WWF debut on March 18th, 2002. He quickly established himself as one of the most dominant heel characters of the era, earning the nickname “The Next Big Thing” from his manager, Paul Heyman.
Lesnar’s ascent was rapid. He won the 2002 King of the Ring tournament, which set him on a path towards the WWE Undisputed Championship. Following this victory, Lesnar was drafted to the SmackDown brand.
Flair made his WWF debut on Superstars on September 21st, 1991. Shortly after his arrival, the WWF Championship was vacated, leading to the announcement that the winner of the 1992 Royal Rumble would claim the vacant title.
In a testament to his skill and star power, Flair went on to win the 1992 Royal Rumble match, simultaneously capturing the vacant WWF Championship.
This remarkable achievement came just 113 days after his WWF debut, showcasing Flair’s ability to make an immediate impact in a new wrestling promotion.
11. Finn Balor – WWE Universal Championship – 27 days
Finn Bálor captured the WWE Universal Championship after only 27 days in WWE. Photo Credit: WWE.
Finn Bálor established himself as one of the most talented performers in NXT history before making his main roster debut on Raw on July 25th, 2016. From the moment he arrived, Bálor was on a fast track to the main event scene.
In his first night on Raw, Bálor showcased his skills by winning a fatal four-way match against Cesaro, Rusev, and Kevin Owens. He followed this impressive feat by defeating Roman Reigns in a singles match on the same night.
These victories earned Bálor the right to compete against Seth Rollins for the newly created WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2016.
At SummerSlam, Bálor reached the pinnacle of his rapid ascent by defeating Rollins to become the inaugural WWE Universal Champion.
This remarkable achievement came just 27 days after his Raw debut, making it one of the fastest rises to a world championship in WWE history.
WWE’s Fastest World Champions and Their Impact
Yokozuna, Ric Flair, and Brock Lesnar are among the WWE superstars who made history by winning the World Heavyweight Championship within their first year in the company. Photo Credit: WWE.
WWE is renowned for its larger-than-life characters, and one of the most thrilling aspects of the company is when a new wrestler emerges and quickly establishes themselves by winning a world championship.
The excitement of seeing new stars rise and speculating about who will capture gold next is a significant part of WWE’s appeal.
Capturing a world championship within the first year of joining WWE is a remarkable achievement. It demonstrates that a wrestler possesses the talent, charisma, and drive necessary to succeed at the highest level of professional wrestling.
The eleven wrestlers featured in this list have all made memorable impacts on WWE history, showcasing the company’s ability to create new stars and keep the product fresh and exciting for fans.
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