10 greatest title changes in WWE from the 2010s

Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes!

We're under two years away from the 2010s coming to an end, and for the most part, it's been an interesting decade of wrestling for WWE.

We've seen legends retire and return, we've seen a crop of new Superstars break into the main event scene, and we've seen the women's revolution sweep throughout the company in a way that nobody could've imagined.

In addition to all of that, we've also seen some of the best and most dramatic title changes in the history of the company.

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Now, as we get ready to run down this list, bare in mind that there are several other potential moments that could've easily been included. However, we personally felt an attachment to the guys and girls who managed to lift their respective championship on these occasions.

With that being said, here are our 10 greatest title changes in WWE from the 2010s.


#10 The Usos

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While The Usos are currently enjoying their best run ever as the bad-ass tweeners on SmackDown Live, they have indeed been successful as babyfaces in the past.

That sounds odd to hear out loud given that most fans are only choosing to remember their recent work, but back in early 2014, Jimmy & Jey managed to capture their first ever Tag Team Championships after many, many years of waiting.

It legitimately felt like a big moment which is rare with the tag team division and was even rarer back then.

It's no coincidence that The New Age Outlaws were the ones to put them over because let's be honest, very few people were heavily invested in their run as Champions.

Still, the crowd reaction they received was something that proved just how good they are.

#9 The Hardy Boyz

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Tag team wrestling, when done correctly, can be truly magnificent. We've seen that down in NXT for the last few years now, which we'll get to in another piece, but we're here to talk about The Hardy Boyz.

For years it seemed like Matt and Jeff would never return to WWE after the many controversies surrounding their exits, but at WrestleMania 33, the unthinkable happened.

The duo returned to arguably one of the biggest pops in Mania history, before going on to win the fatal-four-way ladder match for the Raw Tag Team Championships.

It was a really special moment that captured everything we know and love about them, not only as brothers but as a team. Whatever happens from this point on in their careers, they'll always have Orlando.

#8 Brock Lesnar

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At WrestleMania 30, Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker to end his undefeated streak at the 'Showcase of the Immortals'.

It was a moment which shook professional wrestling and pop culture to its very core, and as such, WWE needed to do something big with 'The Beast Incarnate' moving forward.

He had to become an unstoppable monster - and he took another big step towards cementing his legacy at SummerSlam.

Not only did Lesnar defeat John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but he did so with ease. We've never seen Cena beaten like that before, in what was essentially a squash match.

Lesnar spent 95% of the bout completely dominating him, before finally putting the 16-time World Champion out of his misery with a monstrous F5.

#7 Zack Ryder

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We could've easily put Zack's United States Championship victory in 2011 on here, but instead, we're going with the title win which got the world talking.

At WrestleMania 32, it legitimately felt like Ryder had done nothing to earn his way into the Intercontinental Championship ladder match which opened the show. It was an exceptionally random addition that nobody really understood, and then, it happened.

Ryder pushed Miz off the top of the ladder before hoisting down the title, to the elation of 100,000+ fans at AT&T Stadium.

The shock factor of the win alone was enough to warrant it being considered a success, even if Zack's career hasn't exactly gone perfectly since that point.

Plus, and this shouldn't be understated, it kickstarted the sensational heel run of The Miz which is still going to this day.

#6 Roman Reigns

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Roman Reigns has never been able to completely get over as a babyface. Even in his many moments of triumph, the WWE Universe refuses to fully accept him as the 'face of the company'.

However, on one night back in late 2015, 'The Big Dog' was able to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in front of a pro-Roman crowd.

It was a fitting moment in the same arena that rejected him during the 2015 Royal Rumble, as Reigns overcame the challenge of Sheamus to win the belt.

Plus, Vince McMahon was able to further cement his legacy as one of the best bad guys in the business, proving that getting Reigns over wasn't an impossible task - especially if The Boss is involved.

#5 Paige

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SmackDown Live general manager Paige was born to wrestle, and it's a damn shame that she isn't able to do what she loves anymore.

Still, we'll always have the memories from her short but sweet run on the main roster, which all began on the night after WrestleMania 30 when she dethroned AJ Lee and won the Divas Championship.

It all happened so quickly that it was kind of hard to process, but when that three-count happened, New Orleans erupted.

Paige was someone who had been waiting to be called up to the main roster for quite some time, but nobody really knew when to expect her presence. As one of the first major 'NXT era' call-ups, she really was a trailblazer in more ways than one.

#4 Dolph Ziggler

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Much like Zack Ryder, there's a second entry of Dolph's we could've featured: his Intercontinental Championship triumph over The Miz.

Alas, we decided to go with the win that will probably be talked about throughout the remainder of time, which went down the night after WrestleMania 29 when The Show-Off defeated Alberto Del Rio to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

It was something that many fans had been expecting to happen, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable.

Ziggler had been 'kept down' in the eyes of the fans for too long, and after waiting for his moment for so long, he finally won the big one. It's no secret that the win was the pinnacle of his career, and you have to question whether or not he'll ever reach those heights again.

#3 Seth Rollins

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'SETH ROLLINS WITH THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY!' is arguably the best call of Michael Cole's career or at least one of the top three alongside Eddie's WWE title win and Mick Foley's.

'The Architect' stunned the WWE Universe by becoming the first man to cash in the Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania, winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the process.

Everyone expected Roman Reigns to finally become 'the guy' by defeating Brock Lesnar, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

WM31 was an event that had very little momentum behind it in the weeks prior to the show, and yet when it was over, everyone was praising WWE for pulling the trigger on finally giving Rollins the title reign that he deserved.

#2 Daniel Bryan

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It was the Miracle on Bourbon Street, and while many 'knew' it was going to happen, that didn't make it any less incredible.

Daniel Bryan's run towards the top of the card began, in truth, two years prior to WM30 at WrestleMania 28 in Miami. The fans were starting to get behind the 'Yes' chant in a big way, and eventually, he became the new people's champion.

The story progressed at SummerSlam 2013 when Randy Orton and Triple H turned heel on him, and then it finally culminated in New Orleans as Bryan defeated both men as well as Batista to send the Superdome into a frenzy.

It's probably one of the greatest moments in WWE history, and yet, it's only going to be the runner-up on this incredible list.

#1 CM Punk

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You can put Bryan above this in your own mind if you want, but for us, nothing will ever quite beat Money in the Bank 2011 when CM Punk defeated John Cena to win the WWE Championship.

It was one of the most anticipated storylines in a long, long time as nobody really knew what was going to happen in Chicago, and when it was over, nobody could quite believe it.

Cena and Punk put on an absolute clinic, before Punk eventually left through the crowd and blew a kiss to Vince McMahon as he did so.

There were so many questions in the air as the show came to a close, and while everything following it wasn't exactly perfect, nobody can ever take that night away from Phil Brooks.

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Edited by Akhilesh Tirumala
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