WWE has featured many championships throughout its history. Winning a title is a significant milestone in any wrestler’s career, as it signifies that WWE has confidence in the performer’s ability to hold the prize. Typically, when a wrestler wins a championship for the first time, they enjoy an extended reign filled with successful title defenses that help establish their credibility as a champion.
However, not every title reign follows this ideal trajectory, as some wrestlers lose their championship in their very first defense. While some quick title changes make sense due to the story, they often completely derail the momentum of the wrestler. Let’s take a look at 5 such instances where a champion lost their belt without a successful title defense.
5. John Cena (Intercontinental Championship)
Throughout his legendary WWE career, the Intercontinental Championship remained the one major title that eluded John Cena. That changed during his 2025 retirement tour recently, when Cena captured the IC Title from Dominik Mysterio in an impromptu match on Monday Night Raw, finally becoming a Grand Slam Champion. With only two premium live events remaining on his farewell tour, it was clear Cena’s reign would be brief.
LIV MORGAN IS BACK!!! 😱 pic.twitter.com/IoRQ9bQjz0
— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2025
Fans believed Cena would hold the belt until his final match, but WWE had other plans. At Survivor Series, Cena defended the Intercontinental Title in a rematch against Dominik, which was his first and only title defense. With the help of a returning Liv Morgan, Dominik managed to defeat Cena, ending his title reign just 18 days later.
