10 Incredible Wrestling Title Wins That Led To AWFUL Title Reigns
1. Jinder Mahal (WWE Title)
Anyone who said they could see Jinder’s victory over Randy Orton at Backlash 2017 coming is a liar. It came completely out of left field, but such shocks have worked before. Whilst this did stir some interest amongst fans, Mahal's title win definitely didn't do so for the right reasons.
Jinder’s rematches with Randy, including a ‘Punjabi Prison’ bout at Battleground in July, sagged. The least said about his dire SummerSlam-into-Hell In A Cell feud with Shinsuke Nakamura the better too. That was so bad, and veered awkwardly into racism territory when that was literally the worst route creative could've gone.
WWE ended this nightmare by putting AJ Styles over Mahal on the 7 November SmackDown in England. That big time title switch instantly restored some pride to the top belt in the industry, and it closed the book on Jinder's time as a headliner for good.
His 170-day reign felt like it lasted forever.
Which other incredible title wins led to awful reigns? For more wrestling, check out AEW Revolution 2023: 10 Things That Must Happen and AEW Revolution 2023: 10 Nightmares That Could Come True!