11 WWE Stars Quickly Elevated From Secondary To World Championships

9. Diesel (1994)

Diesel was the third WWE performer to hold the company's 'triple crown', but the first to pull off the feat within a single calendar year. McMahon was enamored with Kevin Nash's size, as well as his marked improvement from working with the likes of Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Razor Ramon. As a heel, fans appreciated him for his natural cool factor, turning back opponents with a convincing swagger. Diesel dropped the Intercontinental title at SummerSlam 1994 to Ramon in a pretty good match. Less than three months later, a now-babyface Diesel was powerbombing Bob Backlund out of his boots at Madison Square Garden in eight seconds for the top prize. While Diesel wasn't exactly the next Hulk Hogan, it's understandable why his push was as sustained as it was.