10 Classic Wrestling Matches You Didn't Know Bombed
6. Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs. Triple H - Survivor Series 2000
Christ, the f*ck did Survivor Series do?
Close scrutiny of the data yields why Vince McMahon has long had a hard-on for a show he originally created out of spite, not passion; it has traditionally failed to draw a number that one would expect the headline attractions to warrant, even beyond the traditional concept that has felt very quaint for forever.
The number Steve Austin and Triple H pulled in at the 2000 edition may have helped convince Vince McMahon that Austin's day was done. He was the biggest babyface star in company history - or his star shined the brightest, at least - and this match was the blow-off to a long-running mystery saga that had dominated television. Neither the blood feud stakes nor the novelty factor - this was only Austin's second PPV match following a nine-month injury layoff - helped the buy rate of just 400,000. That number was the weakest for any WWF pay-per-view since King of the Ring 1998.
Meanwhile, the Rock had set a record, that remains to this day, of the most five figure-plus houses drawn in a single calendar year.
Turning Austin at WrestleMania X-Seven was a terrible decision with catastrophic ramifications - but it was supported, somewhat, by the data.