10 Best WWE World Title Changes On Free TV

8. Kurt Angle (2006)

At the start of 2006, Batista was riding high as the World Heavyweight Champion and face of the SmackDown brand. 

Unfortunately, The Animal suffered a bad injury in a house show match with Mark Henry and, knowing he needed to have surgery, was forced to give up the big gold belt. 

SmackDown General Manager Teddy Long announced that a new champion would be crowned in a 20-man battle royal in the main event of the January 13 episode. 

The favourites going in were JBL, Mark Henry and Rey Mysterio. That is until the twentieth participant made his way to the ring. 

Kurt Angle - who had been on Raw for the previous six or so months - was back on the blue show, immediately eliminating JBL and then Vito in the opening seconds of the match. 

Halfway through he was put through the announce table by Henry, but regrouped and eventually got the World's Strongest Man over the top rope to win the World Heavyweight Title for the first time. 

The Olympic gold medallist's inclusion was a great surprise and, with Batista on the shelf for the foreseeable, there was really nobody better to carry the show. 

The confetti celebration and jubilant crowd reaction also helped signify what a big deal it was.