10 Best World Titles Changes On Raw
8. Steve Austin, October 8, 2001
After WWE World Champion Steve Austin turned heel and joined the WCW/ECW Alliance, Kurt Angle emerged as an unlikely hero for the good guys. Despite his history of cheap tactics and self-serving nature, his loyalty to WWE and Olympic pedigree made him a powerful rival to "The Rattlesnake." They fought for the title at SummerSlam 2001, but Austin got disqualified and retained the belt.
The following month at Unforgiven, Angle managed to win the title when he made Austin submit, but that set up a rubber match between the two men on Raw. That bout would come a mere 15 days later, on October 8.
The match was given a lot of time, which allowed it to turn into a classic. Also, there were special circumstances - after 9/11, Angle's pro-USA gimmick took on a powerful meaning for many fans, and by going against it, Austin became even more of a hated heel. Unfortunately, some interference from William Regal - who was the WWE Commissioner but defected during the course of the bout - allowed Austin to defeat Angle for the title.