5 Biggest WWE Title Changes at Live Events

#4 The Hitman wins the gold.

Bret Hart is a WWE Hall of Famer and a certified legend. What a surprise then that his first World Title win would come at a live, untelevised event in Saskatoon, Canada.

For the proudly Canadian Hart and his understated personality, perhaps this was the perfect venue for his first WWE title win. Hart defeated Ric Flair that night and would go on to carry the company through a transition period.

Hart was coming off an amazing IC title match against the British Bulldog at SummerSlam that cemented his place as a singles star. The longtime member of the Hart Foundation was now among WWE’s elite singles wrestlers.

After that match, it was just a matter of time before WWE would give Hart the and see how far he could go with it. Hart would carry the company through a dark period as McMahon dealt with the federal government in regards to steroid claims.

Bret Hart earned his moniker: the best there was, the best there is and the best there ever will be. It may have been forged that night in Saskatoon in front of a small gathering of his countrymen.

#3 The Iron Sheik defeats Bob Backlund for the WWE World Championship.

Nearly 40 years ago this week, on December 26th, 1983, The Iron Sheik defeated Bob Backlund to win the WWE title at Madison Square Garden. Backlund was in the midst of a championship reign that spanned over five years. The very idea of Backlund being knocked off the top spot seemed insane. Of course, The Sheik’s win would shape the course of wrestling history.

What WWE fans didn’t know that sat inside Madison Square Garden that night after Christmas was that Vince McMahon had a plan. McMahon needed a heel champion before he could put the belt on Hulk Hogan. The Iron Sheik, probably the most hated superstar in the company at the time, was the perfect transition champion for McMahon. When Backlund’s manager, Arnold Skaaland, threw in the towel, it was the end of an era.

The shocked reaction of the crowd as ‘Classy’ Freddy Blassie and the Iron Sheik paraded around the ring with the title belt was not surprising. Backlund held the title for 2,135 days. No one expected to attend the live event and see that streak end. On the night after Christmas, it did.

Vince McMahon had his own vision of the WWE and Bob Backlund was not a part of it. So, on a December night at Madison Square Garden, at a live event, Backlund was dethroned. And the rest is history.