(Wrestler X) has invoked his rematch clause. You hear this all the time after a title changes hands. The former champ gets an automatic rematch, which these days will either take place at the next PPV or the next night on Raw (if the person lost the title at a Sunday PPV). The rematch clause is a great storytelling device that lends continuity to the product. It typically sets up another PPV match with a big question: Will the new champ solidify his reign, or can the former champ turn him into a one-hit wonder? We just saw this this week with Big E getting a rematch for the Intercontinental Championship he lost to Bad News Barrett at Extreme Rules, and Barretts reign looks to be moving forward, probably with a new challenger stepping forward in the coming weeks. But there have been numerous high-profile examples throughout the years where a champion has not gotten their rematch for one reason or another. In some cases, the loser left the WWE. In others, the new champ quickly lost his title before a rematch could take place. Right now, there are two former champs who have not gotten their rematches: Randy Orton hasnt faced Daniel Bryan since losing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, and AJ Lee hasnt been seen since she lost the Divas Championship to Paige. Since the PPV era began, there have been several notable title changes that havent been followed up with a rematch. For some of these, the real losers were the fans who were robbed of a great second contest.
Honourable Mention: Bob Backlund (Iron Sheik)
On the day after Christmas in 1983, the Iron Sheik shocked the wrestling world and defeated WWF Champion Bob Backlund, ending his near six-year run on top. The next day, Sheik defended his newly won championship against Chief Jay Strongbow in Lancaster, Pa., while Bob Backlund was 300 miles away in Buffalo, N.Y. fighting the Masked Superstar. For the next three weeks, Iron Sheik continued to wrestle the likes of Strongbow, Pat Patterson and Salvatore Bellomo. Sheik and Backlund would hook it up at three house shows before Hulk Hogan subbed for Backlund on January 23, 1984 and kicked off Hulkamania by defeating the Iron Sheik for the title. While Backlund had a handful of title matches at house shows, he never really got his big rematch that went to Hogan instead, and Backlund faded out of the picture.
Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.
