Wrestling has produced some of the greatest matches as well as some of the most controversial matches, promos, and segments. It's a scripted world based on how good a wrestler can be on the mic and in the ring.
There have also been some shocking losses in wrestling that fans and viewers didn't see coming.
Here are top 5 of the most shocking wrestling losses that wrestling fans and viewers didn't see coming.
1. Brock Lesnar def. The Undertaker at WM30 - The Undertaker is one of the most iconic and legendary figures in the history of wrestling. When he came to WM 30, nobody thought that he would actually be defeated at "The Super Bowl Of Wrestling" until part-timer in "The Beast Incarnate" Brock Lesnar ended "The Streak" by delivering 3 F-5s and pinned him in a match that lasted 25 minutes which not only shocked and angered many wrestling fans and viewers, but it elevated Brock Lesnar to greater heights and made him one of the most hated wrestlers in history. The ending of "The Streak" still leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of many wrestling fans to this day including myself. This is one of the worst booking decisions in wrestling history to allow "The Streak" to end in the way that it did at WM30.
2. Kevin Nash def. Goldberg at WCW Starrcade 1998 - In 1998, Goldberg had a legendary streak where he ran through pretty much everyone on the main roster in mostly glorified squash matches, but at Starrcade 1998 when he faced the leader of The Wolfpac in Kevin Nash (who was also WCW head booker at that time). The two intensely duked it out until Bam Bam Bigelow first interfered, than Wolfpac wannabe Disco Inferno, and then Scott Hall came out of nowhere and stunned Goldberg with the taser which allowed Nash to jacknife powerbomb Goldberg and get the victory in a move that many wrestling fans and viewers didn't see coming. This would also go down as one of the absolute worst booking decisions in wrestling history because it would later lead to the downfall of WCW.
3. Goldberg def. Brock Lesnar at The 2016 Survivor Series - When Goldberg made his return to The WWE for the first time in 12 years, fans were excited to see him once again. But when The 2016 Survivor Series came around, most expected Lesnar to absolutely destroy Goldberg, but then Goldberg out of nowhere dominated Lesnar by spearing him not once, but twice and then finishing him off with The Jackhammer in a glorified 86 second (1 minute and 26 second) squash that no one saw coming.
4. Daniel Bryan def. John Cena at Summerslam 2013 - Daniel Bryan came into the WWE Title main event match a heavy underdog that no one expected to win against John Cena. Most expected another Cena win. This match was at the height of the so-called "Super Cena" era where he was booked as the Superman that overcame the odds which is similar to how Roman Reigns is booked nowadays. Bryan fought Cena so intensely until Bryan finished off Cena with "The Yes Knee" and pinned Cena clean in a shocking finish that nobody saw coming.
Note: But Bryan's moment as new WWE was buried when corporate puppet Triple H Pedigreed him which allowed their then-puppet Randy Orton to cash in his Money In The Bank to take the title from Daniel Bryan which angered so many wrestling fans and viewers that night which would be one of the biggest burials of Daniel Bryan by The WWE.
5. Charlotte def. Asuka at WM34 - Coming into WM34, Charlotte was the then-Smackdown Women's Champion and the challenger was the first ever Women's Royal Rumble winner and the longest reigning champion in NXT history in Asuka. Most had expected Asuka to win The Smackdown Women's Title. This was a very decent match until Charlotte put Asuka in a submission move that ended Asuka's 914 day undefeated streak in a shocking fashion that absolutely no one saw coming. This loss would lead to Asuka getting slowly buried on Smackdown with the most recent example being her first pinfall loss in The WWE to current Smackdown Women's Champion Carmella.
The Conclusion - Shocking losses are like a two-way street in wrestling that can either boost a wrestler's status or lead them to being buried on the main roster.
By Kwame Shakir
