15 WWE Title Changes That IMMEDIATELY Backfired
5. Shawn Michaels Goes On European Ego Trip (WWF European Title)
Title Change: Wrestling fans were treated to a true clinic between Owen Hart and The British Bulldog on an international episode of Raw pre-taped in Germany in late-February 1997. That match aired on 3 March, and it showed Davey Boy Smith beating family to become the first ever WWF European Champion. Fans were thrilled, 'cause it seemed a workhorse belt to rival the classic IC Title had arrived.
By September '97, Shawn Michaels was beating Davey to become the second champ on a UK-exclusive One Night Only pay-per-view.
Why It Backfired: In theory, putting any trinket on Michaels wouldn't be considered a poor plan. He's one of the biggest stars in history, after all. Consider the circumstances and what came next though. Shawn toppled Bulldog to become new WWF European Champ at One Night Only, and it was a heartbreaking loss for Davey. He’d dedicated the match to his sister, who was battling cancer, but he'd lost in front of her.
HBK didn’t need the European belt anyway. In truth, the D-Generation X leader didn’t actually even enhance it whatsoever before dropping the thing to Triple H in a mock match on Raw months later. Worse, Bulldog looked like a total loser in his own country (something the company had always tried to protect) and his WWF career never recovered.
This title change was a lose-lose move for everybody. Smith's reputation took a dent, the European Title was something Michaels barely acknowledged, and then HBK vs. Hunter made a laughing stock of the spirited competition Davey and Owen had conjured up earlier in the year.