10 Best WWE Raw Title Changes
Best title changes in WWE Raw history
9. Santino Marella wins the Intercontinental Championship - April 16, 2007
14 years after Party Marty emerged from a Raw crowd to win the IC belt, a similar thing happened on the April 16, 2007 episode of the show, which emanated from Milan, Italy.
Mr. McMahon, who was wearing a hat because he’d just had his head shaved at WrestleMania 23, invited anyone in the audience to challenge his personal monster Umaga for the Intercontinental Championship. Up stepped Santino Marella, who was definitely a normal Italian man and not a jacked-up wrestler from Canada doing an accent.
The “fan” accepted the match and proceeded to get his ass whooped by the Samoan Bulldozer. Cue Bobby Lashley, who had beaten Umaga at the aforementioned ‘Mania. The big man ran out, laid out the champion, and draped the newcomer over his prone body. One three count later, and Santino had the gold.
Though it’s a bit silly to look back on now, nobody expected WWE to do anything like this at the time and it really did come as quite the shock. This upset win would stay a part of Santino’s character for the rest of his run, even after he devolved into a complete goofball.