8 of the most unlikely champions in the history of the WWE

The Miz and Daniel Bryan during their title reignsIn the WWE, winning a championship symbolizes getting to the top of your division and getting due credit for the effort put in over a long time.Traditionally, champions in the WWE are synonymous with stars who are physically robust or who have a ready-made look of a champion. But there have been instances in the history of the WWE, when stars who don’t fit the so-called criteria of a champion, have gone on to capture various different titles.They have defied the odds and the title was handed to them for some reason or the other. In this slideshow, we take a look at the least likely stars who went on to capture different titles in their career that weren’t expected of them.

#9 Honorable mention - Santino Marella winning the Intercontinental title on debut

An enviable debut

Santino Marella couldn't have asked for a better debut as he won the Intercontinental Championship against Umaga on his first night with the company with a little help from Bobby Lashley.

Many would have thought of it to be the start of a solid career, but it didn't pan out that way and Marella was relegated to being a comic relief in WWE’s programming as time passed on. Never the less, nobody expected a debutant Santino to capture his first major Championship in his debut match, which is why the Italian features in the list.

#8 Trish Stratus winning the Hardcore title

One of the greatest women’s champions also had a short hardcore title reign.

Trish Stratus is one of the greatest women’s champions ever and was a polarizing figure, with her matches against Lita ranking as one of the best of all time.

But she has also had an unlikely reign with the Hardcore title when the title had a 24x7 rule that the championship would be defended at all times with a referee required, which led to some amazing moments.

In one such moment, she pinned the champion Crash Holly backstage in 2002 during RAW and became the Hardcore champion. Although her reign was shortlived it was a fun moment in the hardcore title’s history.

The Hardcore title saw other unlikely champions such Joey Abs, Pete Gras, Terri and Godfather's Ho due to its 24/7 rule.

#7 The Miz and his World title reign

The Miz and his championship reign was forgettable to say the least

The WWE shocked the world when the put the WWE World title around The Miz’s waist. He won the title when he cashed in his MITB contract on Randy Orton in 2010.

The universe wasn’t sure what to expect in Miz’s case as he was good on the mic and an average wrestler in the ring. His reign lasted for 160 days, during which he defended against Jerry Lawler, Orton and eventually dropped the title to Cena at Extreme Rules in a triple-threat steel cage match involving John Morrison as well.

Although that WrestleMania was one of highest grossing, it proved to be the end of Miz’s dreams of ever prolonging his streak as champion as he was made a scapegoat to the Rock and Cena feud.

His reign could’ve been better, but mediocre booking and a drop in PPV buys proved to be the final nail in the coffin.

#6 Daniel Bryan winning the World Heavyweight championship

Wrestlemania 30 will be always remembered for this feel-good moment

In Vince’s McMahon’s WWE, there is a particular mold that a potential champion should fit. Back in the days champions were big and appealing like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Ultimate Warrior and so on.

A Batista or a John Cena are archetypal. But once in a while, there comes a star who by his dedication and unparalleled skill in wrestling can beat the odds.

Daniel Bryan did that in one the most epic feel-good moments in WrestleMania history when he defeated all 3 members of Evolution in one night to become the WWE World Heavyweight title. Daniel Bryan doesn't look like your usual heavyweight champion and suits the mid-carder status of being a regular intercontinental champion.

But his skills in the squared circle and his down to earth persona clicked with the fans and it began in the ‘Yes Movement’ running wild that forced Vince and the management to give Bryan the title, which he richly deserved.

#5 Mankind winning the WWF championship

The historic moment when Mankind won his first WWF title.

Vince is known to like champions who are physically endowed and have the charisma and personality of a champion. If you wanted to be WWE champion, you have to be a buffed-up, good-looking guy with a magnetic persona.

This perception changed when Mankind a.k.a Mick Foley won his first WWF championship in 1998, which will always be remembered as a historic moment. WCW was eating into the WWE’s ratings back then and Vince had to do something to get the ratings up as reigns from Sid Vicious and other stars failed miserably.

Then came the moment came on December 29, 1998, when Mankind faced The Rock for the WWF title. Prior to the match Mankind and Vince were involved in a feud and it was about time some major event happened.

The match that took place in Worcester, Massachusetts during ‘Monday Night Wars’ ended when Austin smashed a chair through Vince’s predetermined champion Rock’s head and put Mankind over him for the pin. The fans went crazy and the moment was electric as Mankind had won his first Championship.

The ratings shot up and WCW suddenly was on the back foot and never recovered after that.

#4 Vince McMahon winning the WWE and ECW championships

Vince flaunting the WWF title

WWE is Vince’s company and he can sure as heck do whatever he feels like doing, including putting the WWE championship around his waist, which he actually did.

Vince won the title in a match against Triple H on SmackDown on September 16, 1999, with Shane McMahon officiating the match on the behest of Triple H. The backstory was that after Austin was written off television, The Game demanded his title match with Austin to be cancelled but Vince refused and asked him to choose his opponent after Triple H disrespected Vince’s wife.

The Game chose Vince himself and dissed him by questioning his manhood after Vince refused. He accepted the match and the was a bloody affair indeed. It saw Austin returning to stun The Game and eventually putting a corpse-like Vince over Triple H for the pin.

Vince went on to win the ECW championship too, by defeating Bobby Lashley at Backlash in 2007, with the help of Umaga and Shane McMahon.

#3 Chyna wins the Intercontinental championship

The masculine Chyna with the intercontinental title

The Intercontinental championship is always traditionally known to be a male-centric title but in 1999, but the WWE built up Chyna in an intercontinental title feud with the then champion Jeff Jarret.

After two months of build up, Chyna won the title by defeating Jeff Jarret in a ‘Good Housekeeping match,’ on October 17th in 1999 at No Mercy and created history by becoming the first ever woman to be the WWF intercontinental champion.

The WWE, at that time, was always trying to push ‘The Batlle of the Sexes’ angle and promoted the heck out of this match. The fans too were into it and the gritty ten-minute match, that included a false finish and an interference, ended with the masculine Chyna walking out as the new intercontinental champion.

The match was also Jeff Jarret’s last match in the WWE.

#2 Hornswoggle winning the cruiserweight title

The beginning of the end of the cruiserweight championship

WWE’s resident comic relief, Hornswoggle really destroyed the legacy and legitimacy of the Cruiserweight championship and eventually was the reason for the title being retired forever, when he won the title.

The cruiserweight title has seen great champions such as Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guererro, Dean Malenko among others and when Hornswoggle won the title at American Bash in 2007 by pinning Jamie Noble, it was the start of the end.

The legacy that the cruiserweight championship holds is that it was an opportunity for mid-carders and high flyers to have their championship moment, but that was completely trashed when Hornswoggle, who at most is appealing to the kids.

He got into a meaningless feud with Noble and after six days the title was retired as it had become irrelevant as a bottom-rung jobber won it, who was said to be Vince McMahon’s son in a storyline, which was as, if not more stupid.

#1 Ivan Koloff winning the WWWF Championship from Bruno Sammartino

Ivan Koloff dropping the knee from the top rope on Sammartino

Bruno Sammartino will always be remembered for the longest WWWF(World Wide Wrestling Federation) /WWF heavyweight championship reign that lasted for 2803 days.

He had an aura of invincibility and it seemed that his conqueror was nowhere on planet earth.

Then one day came, ‘The Russian Bear’ Ivan Koloff, who shocked the world on that fateful day of Jan.18, 1971 when he defeated Bruno to claim the WWF title and break the longest reign ever at Madison Square Garden in a live event. He won by a knee drop from the top rope.

It was shocking because Ivan was the most unlikeliest of competitors to beat Sammartino among greats such as Gorilla Monsoon, Hans Mortier and Pedro Morales who too had great wrestling matches with Sammartino.

He was a villainous heel from Ukraine but unfortunately, ended up being just a transitional champion as he lost the title to Pedro Morales eight days later.