10 Best World Titles Changes On Raw

3. Dolph Ziggler - April 8, 2013

Sycho Sid Bret Hart
WWE.com

By 2013, WWE's first brand split had ended and the World Heavyweight Title had fallen to a distinct #2 position on the company's pecking order of belts. At WrestleMania 29, Alberto Del Rio defended the title against Jack Swagger in a midcard match that did little to excite the fans at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.

The very next evening, though, fans took a 180 on the belt. Del Rio wrestled Swagger and Zeb Colter in a handicap match (and managed to pull out the win, making Swagger submit), but the bout took a toll on the World Heavyweight Champion. As Del Rio laid in the ring, selling his leg, Dolph Ziggler's music hit and the Izod Center erupted. The reigning Mr. Money in the Bank was finally ready to cash in his briefcase after nine months of waiting.

Dolph attacked Del Rio's leg as the bell rang, but Del Rio hung in there. The champion hit an enzuigiri and locked on the Cross Arm Breaker, but Ziggler managed to break the hold, then hit the Zig Zag for the emotional win. Despite the fact that "The Showoff" was a heel, fans were elated to see him victorious - and while his reign would be truncated due to injury, the win was the greatest moment of his career.

Contributor
Contributor

Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried. *Best Crowd of the Year, 2013