10 DUMB WWE Title Changes (We Didn't Want To Admit Were GENIUS!)
4. Kane (1998)
Fans there live for the historic King Of The Ring 1998 show likely thought they'd see shenanigans aplenty in the 'First Blood' main event between 'Stone Cold' and Kane. Austin was keeping the belt somehow, everyone watching reasoned. Everyone would be wrong. The WWF put the thing on The Undertaker's brother instead, and Paul Bearer ended the night squealing his shrill catchphrases like a delighted puppy.
No-one saw that coming.
Granted, Kane's title reign only lasted 24 hours before Austin regained the strap on Raw, but it did legitimise the 'Big Red Machine' as a headliner regardless. He'd only been created as a one-off feud for 'Taker, but Kane was so convincing in the role that McMahon rewarded him with an unlikely title win.
This interrupted Austin's post-WrestleMania XIV flow, no doubt, but the PPV result was shocking and the Raw rematch on free TV was resplendent 'Attitude Era' goodness. Whilst short, Kane's fleeting run with the top prize was hardly as dumb as it seemed back in '98.