15 WWE Title Changes That IMMEDIATELY Backfired
8. Rocky Maivia Gets Rejected (WWF Intercontinental Title)
Title Change: The 13 February 1997 episode of Raw was a unique and quirky one. It wasn't a Monday night affair. No, this was "Thursday Raw Thursday". Why did the day of the week get mentioned twice? Who knows, but it might've had something to do with Vince McMahons bid to remind fans that his flagship show wasn't happening on Monday that week. It was happening on Thursday.
Thursday.
There, on a Thursday (Raw Thursday), a young Rocky Maivia beat Hunter Hearst Helmsley to become the brand new Intercontinental Champion. All hopes that Rocky would become a babyface sensation who was embraced by fans were dashed almost overnight though.
Why It Backfired: Federation fans weren’t into the smiling babyface antics of Maivia, and they'd promptly reject his IC Title reign. Unflattering (to say the least) chants of, “DIE, ROCKY, DIE!” and “ROCKY SUCKS” boomed out in arenas before Maivia dropped the title to Owen Hart on 28 April. The seemingly routine babyface push McMahon wanted for his newcomer had backfired, and it’d take a injury absence then heel turn to rescue Rocky’s run from nightmare territory.
At least being literally told to perish gave Maivia some promo fuel once he linked up with the Nation Of Domination lads and started brave-facing the hate. That was the upside. The downside was that Vince learned firsthand how frosty his fanbase would be to any happy go lucky, smiling good guys types. If the boss had anymore of those in mind, then he'd better think twice.
Rocky Maivia was flat out denied by the core audience. He had to come back from the brink after that.