10 Dumbest WWE Match Finishes This Decade

2. The Authority Distracts Big Show With Astonishing Ease (Survivor Series 2013)

Big Show Authority Survivor Series 2013
WWE.com

WWE had crowned their man.

Impervious to the audible and resounding will of their audience, they knew better, and elected to run, yet again, with Randy Orton in the top slot.

The Big Show had curried favour among fans - largely by assimilating Bryan's 'Yes!' chant - and was considered sufficiently over enough to challenge Orton at Survivor Series. Show was always going to be a placeholder challenger.

Having never been considered good enough for a singles World title match at WrestleMania, his role here was - or should have been - to put Orton over the edge as champion, readying him for his date with Batista in New Orleans in the process. Instead, he handily thrashed Orton, throwing him around the ring with ease.

JBL, as commentators so often do, telegraphed the finish, too. 'We have ourselves a new champion!' he crowed, disingenuously. On cue, The Authority strolled out on the entrance ramp. Show, despite being a part of WWE for nearly 15 years at this point, fell for the distraction. Literally shaking his fist at them like a trespassed-upon old man, he turned around to predictably eat an RKO and a punt.

Orton is a heel. Against a larger opponent in Big Show, it's understandable that he'd need assistance, but the lack of imagination used here was astonishingly trite.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!