Moments that meant nothing
 

to anyone but you.

Any obscure moments that meant a shitload to you at the time but ultimately weren't that much of big deal in the big picture?

I thought of Summerslam 2004 the other day, specifically how the main event of Randy Orton vs Chris Benoit ended. After losing the world title Benoit came back in the ring, offered his hand whilst shouting "be a man" to Orton. At the time, being a huge Benoit mark it seemed such a great way to end his title reign, I'd always been a big mark for handshakes, I should have been a bigger ROH fan really. To me, it seemed like a momentous passing of the torch.

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but really, it wasn't a big deal. Benoit's title reign has been perceived as a bit of failed experiment. Orton's first face run was abandoned swiftly (describing it as a footnote seems generous).

and all this before Benoit made national headlines.

So, has anyone had a similar experience? Something that felt like a big deal at the time but ultimately failed or became irrelevant? Or is this the best example of WWE not only dropping the ball, but losing it under the fridge?

Mick Foley getting the Hardcore title fits it for me. Him having it and defending it as a real title gave it credibility, as did the Al Snow/Holly feud. Somewhere it got turned into a joke belt and became a punch line, though an entertaining one. I think the division could have been something better but the moment of Foley carrying around the belt has become simply the genesis of a joke.

Not sure if it counts since it was technically a big moment, but other people don't seem to look back on it with the same feelings I do. Anyway, Rey winning the WHC at WM for the first time has always been one of my favorite moments in wrestling history. I remember watching it and actually getting misty eyed.

When Tatanka turned heel attacking Luger and joining the Million Dollar Corporation. I was a kid back then and it would be the equivalent of Cena turning his back on his fans and stuff like that.

Nexus attacking the Undertaker at Bragging Rights 2010 (I think) and the talks of their being a "higher power" approving of their attacks.

At the time, it appeared Kane might have been that person but the WWE abruptly dropped that in favor of Cena just destroying the group instead. The attack was never explained nor the higher power ever being revealed.

I really thought I was witnessing the start of a star-making moment when Cody beat Rey at Mania. Cody had that crowd in the palm of his hand, and they(/we) popped huge when he won. And then... nothing.

When HHH married a passed out Stephanie at a drive thru in Las Vegas while Stephanie was supposed to marry Test. I now it was a stupid marriage storyline but I found Stephanie kinda cute and got emotionally invested in it, even ten years later when I You Tubed the Armageddon match with HHH and a pissed off Vince faced off, no holds barred. Even after that long time, I was shouting at the computer VINCE, KICK HIS ASS!!!

Disco Inferno winning the TV title against Alex Wright and then against Saturn.

Benoit and Orton were the first two entrants in the Royal Rumble that year, Orton was the IC champion at the time.

It also had A-Train in it, as well as Brodus Clay's music. Weird seeing all these guys who aren't around wrestling in WWE anymore though.

I'm just taking over this thread btw.

Chris Benoit
Spike Dudley
Rene Dupré
Ernest Miller
Matt Hardy
Matt Morgan
The Hurricane
Rikishi
Shelton Benjamin
Kurt Angle
JBL
Booker T
Rico
<s>Test</s> Mick Foley
Scott Steiner
Nunzio
Charlie Haas
Billy Gunn
RVD
Goldberg
Rhyno
Tajiri

Only the following still active:
Mark Henry
Randy Orton
Christian
Albert
Kane
Y2J
John Cena
Big Show
And a cameo from Brock Lesnar

Bushwhackers and tatanka

TNA going to Monday nights.

I marked out like crazy when The Demon debuted in WCW. Was a 12-year-old mark who thought wrestling was real, and liked Kiss. A Kiss wrestler was the greatest thing ever! :o

ROH folds

Whenever someone posts links to OCW, Parsons or ERAG matches here.

Big Bossman beating the Mountie in a Loser Goes to Jail match at Summerslam 91. First PPV I ever watched live, I was a Bossman mark and was thrilled when this feud culminated with a win for the Bossman after all the hell the Mountie put him through! USA! USA!

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Always feels good to hear Gorilla on commentary. He probably pulled a lot of trim with his voice alone.

The Un-Americans (Test, Lance Storm, Christian, William Regal) had a ton of potential and got a good amount of attention hanging down an upside down American flag and spitting out Michael Moore talking points. They were one of the few things keeping WWE interesting, especially in Sept. 2002 on RAW when there were no other storylines going on. But instead of giving these guys a cool storyline when it was needed, Vince had the genius idea of disbanding them when there was nothing else going on.

I didn't see it as anything but a joke/prop until Road Dogg won it, and then continued to defend it on a regular basis. All it took was him making it look legit to become legit.

You mean "bigger picture". They also "knew" who the Anonymous GM was long before that angle was Hornswoggle'd.

As for the question (and this is admittedly something REALLY stupid) was Stevie Ray on WCW commentary. He singlehandedly added "SUCKAS GOTS TA KNOW!" to my lexicon.

When John Cena and Randy Orton locked eyes in a Royal Rumble match a couple of years ago and the crowd was dead silent.

When Mr Kennedy beat Shawn Michaels clean on Raw, felt like they were really going somewhere with him.

When Miz and AJ Lee had that 'look' interchange just a week before AJ's 'marriage' to Daniel Bryan.

Owen, did those posts really need to be deleted?

yes they had nothing to do with the topic

Lol

I think Team Gorm needs a timeout

Rasslin Fan banned! His brother Mike Adamle will not be pleased.

In all honesty, the first main event Cena/Orton feud. It ended up being horrible and not well received. Very sad considering that some felt it could have been the Rock/Austin of that period.

Mick Foley's retirement after losing at No Way Out 2000.

WrestleMania 2000 ended up being completely pointless. The only lasting memory/event from that WrestleMania was the 3-way tag team ladder match.

WrestleMania XXVII seemed like a big Mania, had huge hype, had great matches -- but it all ended up not meaning anything other than Rock/Cena which ended up not meaning anything other than a Rock beating Cena (which didn't change anything), a 3 month reign, and a predictable main event this year.

William Regal's King of the Ring win. (I really wish Regal hadn't fucked up. It seemed like that'd been a huge deal going forward.)

Triple H's first WWF Championship reign.

Austin turning on WWF and joining The Alliance. The night after Survivor Series, Austin was a babyface, Vince/Angle were heels, and Flair was a wrestling god.

Triple H beating Jericho to become Undisputed Champion at WrestleMania X8. He dropped the belt to Hulk Hogan at Backlash and didn't really do anything until he turned heel. The Jericho/HHH HIAC match is forgettable and he jobbed to The Undertaker at KOTR.

I love the HHH/HBK feud. I believe it is truly the greatest feud both in storyline content, match quality, and long-term booking that the WWE has had. It really annoyed me when they reformed DX in 06, but it worked and made a shitload of cash.

The Flair/HHH feud from 05 was brilliant too, but it didn't mean anything other than an easy way to turn HHH heel upon his return at WWE Homecoming.

That series of matches Shelton Benjamin had with HHH. I thought a major star was being created and perhaps if Shelton had been better on the mic, one would have been.

I just have this strange theory that if a storyline can't be remembered 5 years after or even 10 years after it occurred, than it wasn't a great storyline.

Neither did my posts.