10 WWE Star Making Moments That Changed Nothing
2. Mankind Wins The WWF Championship For The First Time (1999)
This isn't to suggest that Mankind's WWF Championship victory in January 1999 wasn't one of the greatest moments in WWF/E history, but did it actually do much to change the landscape of the company?
At this time, Mankind found himself embroiled in an epic feud with The Corporation. After spending weeks trying to get one over on The Rock, Mankind was finally (with the help of one 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin) able to steal the title away from McMahon and co. Yes, this move won WWF a huge ratings battle with WCW, but McMahon clearly had no intention of following through with Mankind as one of the company's new faces.
Mankind quickly dropped the belt back to The Rock in a brutal 'I Quit' match at the Royal Rumble, before later reclaiming it. Eventually, he would lose the title in a ladder match on Raw to The Rock (again) - due to some more Corporation shenanigans - and after winning it back upon his return from a three-month injury layoff, he lost it for the last time against Triple H.
That would be that and Mick Foley would never be given the honour of being world champion again, even though he was never truly allowed to feel like the real 'man' in the company during his numerous sporadic runs as champ.
Mankind's first win could have signalled the beginning of a whole new Foley era in the company and fans obviously would have backed him, yet WWE always held their reservations over his marketability and instead opted for the safer heroes they'd grown used to seeing as champion.