10 Real Life Events That Forced WWE Title Changes

10. Randy Orton Winning The WWE Title At No Mercy 2007 After John Cena's Injury

Injuries are a part of the wrestling business. Sometimes when somebody is injured and needs to take time off you might see them lose a title before their surgery (like John Cena at SummerSlam 2013), but other times a person can't compete, so some other storyline has to be created to get the belt off them without having them wrestle.

In October 2007, WWE Champion John Cena suffered a torn pectoral muscle during a match on Raw while doing a simple hip toss. Surgery was required and Cena had to forfeit the WWE Title.

Who knows when Cena would have lost the WWE Title if he was healthy? They could have given him a reign that lasted two years if they wanted, and it wouldn't have surprised anyone.

At No Mercy six days later, Vince McMahon awarded Cena's scheduled opponent Randy Orton with the WWE Title, which was actually his first time holding that title (his previous reigns were with the World Title). Orton lost the title to Triple H in the first match on that show. Hunter wrestled Umaga later and then in the main event faced Orton in a Last Man Standing match. Orton ended up winning the WWE Title back that night thanks to a RKO on the announce table.

As for Cena, he was supposed to be out for about six months but actually came back a lot earlier than expected. In one of the most famous Royal Rumble moments ever, he returned in the Rumble match as a surprise and won the match less than four months after his injury.