10 Cruelest WWE Superstar Exits Ever

9. Goldberg And Brock Lesnar

bret hart survivor series 97
WWE.com

Just because an exit is cruel, it doesn't mean it's WWE's fault. Sometimes, the fans can embarrass stars all by themselves.

In the months leading up to WrestleMania XX, WWE was building a interbrand "dream match" between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, two monsters who rarely tasted defeat in their careers. The company hoped the bout would be viewed as a clash of titans, and given that Goldberg was on his way out of the company, the 26-year-old Lesnar would get a huge win that would give his already-impressive career a boost.

Just before WrestleMania, though, Lesnar requested his release from the company. Citing burnout from the traveling schedule and a desire to try out for the NFL, the former WWE Champion asked to leave after the show of shows. His request was granted. Given that WrestleMania XX would be the last show for both men, the company decided to put the babyface Goldberg over to make the fans happy.

Someone in charge underestimated what it would take to make said fans happy. Everyone in Madison Square Garden knew both men were on the way out, and so they mercilessly booed the entire contest. What would have been an acceptable bout with the desired crowd reaction turned into one of the worst high-level matches in WWE history.

Following the bout, both men received Stunners, and the contest has been rarely mentioned since.

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Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried. *Best Crowd of the Year, 2013