5. Kurt Angle Beats Steve Austin At Unforgiven (September 23, 2001)
That fact changed at Unforgiven in September. The world was still reeling following terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001, and Angle had proposed the title change in order to give people a feel good moment which might help them heal. As an onscreen 'American Hero', the former Olympian became the WWF's top babyface act by virtue of winning the gold. He dropped the belt back to Austin just weeks later on the October 8 edition of Raw.
