11 WWE Stars Quickly Elevated From Secondary To World Championships

2. Rob Van Dam (2006)

This instance can be more chalked up to the importance of establishing the ECW brand than anything else. Van Dam was already a stud performer with audience stock that couldn't be dented. At age 35 and in peak health and popularity, he was the clear choice to lead the ECW holy war against sports entertainment. Nonetheless, Van Dam reigned for two weeks in March-April 2006 as Intercontinental Champion, winning it from Shelton Benjamin, and losing it back to him in a handicap match, where Cena was RVD's partner. That left room for another belt to come into his possession. Van Dam would cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase at One Night Stand five weeks after against Cena, winning the WWE Championship, and bringing some intrigue to the new brand before his unfortunate police incident the first week of July undid everything.