10 Times WWE Heroes Failed

The long and illustrious history of World Wrestling Entertainment is packed with heroes overcoming odds and winning illustrious championships. They have added to their legacies with signature victories and monumental matches that have spanned 50-plus years.

From Hulk Hogan encouraging fans to take their vitamins and say their prayers while vanquishing the likes of Andre the Giant, the Iron Sheik and Sgt. Slaughter, to Bret Hart inspiring millions worldwide to be their absolute best, to Steve Austin bucking authority and becoming the biggest rebel the company had ever produced, there are countless heroes that have wowed audiences and served as live action comic book characters for Vince McMahon's wrestling empire.

Like comics, though, there are times when heroes fail. Either due to their own hubris, some unstoppable force of evil or nefarious means, they lose. It happens. They are overwhelmed one way or another and evil prevails.

Recently, fans have watched as Roman Reigns, John Cena and even popular NXT star Sami Zayn have seen their quests end unsuccessfully.

For Reigns, his championship aspirations were thwarted by a conglomerate of corporate types and opportunists. Cena and Zayn ran into the same apathetic, egotistical and cerebral competitor hellbent on achieving pro wrestling royalty and, at the same time, provide a better life for his family.

With villains such as Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt and The Authority dominating headlines in today's WWE, relive these instances in which WWE's greatest heels failed.

December 11, 2014 should have been the storybook ending to Sami Zayn's story. Not only did he defeat Adrian Neville to capture the NXT Championship at Takeover: R Evolution, his best friend Kevin Owens made his debut. The two Superstars who had traveled the roads together all in hopes of living their dreams were now poised to dominate the industry on one of the biggest stages imaginable.

That is, until Owens shockingly betrayed his friend, leaving him lying following a heinous beatdown that eclipsed his shining moment.

By the time Takeover: Rival hit the WWE Network airwaves on February 11, their rivalry had grown intensely personal. Rather than avenging his assault at the hands of his former friend, Zayn found himself on the receiving end of a brutal and relentless beating. A head injury did not help matters and, just two months after the biggest win of his career, his championship reign came to an end.

Not with a bang, but with a whimper.

NXT's resident underdog, the hero fans supported because he was a reflection of them, failed. And he would fail again the next time they squared off. As of press time, Zayn was recovering from shoulder surgery, ensuring that his retribution and triumph would not be his in 2015.