10 Ridiculous Ways WWE Champions Lost Their Titles

10. Mankind Quits On Tape

Months before The Rock nearly separated Mick Foley's head from his shoulders at the 1999 Royal Rumble, Mankind was referring to The People's Elbow as a move so ridiculous that he wouldn't actually sell it. This, indirectly, eventually informed the heft of their I Quit WWE Championship match.

The build centred around the idea that 'The Great One' simply could not win. No corporate team member could help him, no hidden hand of Vince McMahon could steer the rules in his favour and - most crucial of all - nothing he was physically capable of would be enough.

Foley was thrown off and through cells and didn't quit. He bumped on C4 explosives and didn't quit. He lost an ear and didn't quit. What could a guy with an eyebrow and an elbow as his chief weapons do to put an asterisk on that CV?

Cheat. He could f*cking cheat, as well as nearly separating Foley's head from his shoulders.

Rock had the words from a promo on Heat loaded into the sound system at just the right time to steal the gold from 'Mrs Foley's Baby Boy' and leave everybody in the venue thinking he'd actually make a quitter out of 'The Micker'. The ruse being revealed the next night triggered their empty arena rematch just days later.