10 Epic Wrestling Staredowns (That Never Went Anywhere)
First WWE create the buzz, then they take it away again...
Few things get a wrestling audience buzzing with anticipation like a well-executed stare-down. When two foes go face-to-face before a live audience, with nothing but pure tension keeping them apart, it can be all that's needed to create an intense atmosphere, and add an instant jolt of adrenaline to any situation.
While these scenarios usually serve as a precursor to something grander, some stand as iconic moments in their own right. The Rock and Hulk Hogan's epic WrestleMania 18 stare down was instrumental in creating the aura that made their match so special, while Steve Austin's confrontation with Mike Tyson is an important piece of Attitude Era folklore. These moments mean little without a clear payoff, however, and as with all other facets of WWE's storytelling, they often pass without a follow-up.
A tense stare-down should guarantee escalation, but not in WWE. The company have used them to tease many a feud or match over the years, only to forget all about it the following week.
Unfortunately, WWE's inability to capitalise on a hot situation has become one of their defining characteristics, and while some of these showdowns could still happen sometime in the future, many have been lost to time...
10. Triple H & Bray Wyatt (2016)
Bray Wyatt fans spent close to five years waiting for ‘The New Face Of Fear’ to be crowned WWE Champion, but his eventual coronation was a huge letdown. After half a decade of perceived misuse, Wyatt finally won the big one at Elimination Chamber 2017, but the ensuing feud with Randy Orton destroyed both his and the belt’s credibility, and he has since returned to his old listless state.
WWE were hinting at a potential title push long before Bray’s eventual triumph, with one of their more obvious teases coming on a March 2016 episode of Raw. Having lost to Dean Ambrose via DQ, Bray was joined in the ring by WWE Champion Triple H, who was set to face-off with the ‘Lunatic Fringe’ at Roadblock that weekend.
The two got in each other’s face, with Wyatt insinuating that he wanted the belt, and Hunter holding firm. Bray eventually left, however, and the duo haven’t looked like colliding since.
‘The Game’ would go on to lose his title to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 32, which was always on the cards, but this interaction left fans wondering if Wyatt vs. Triple H was in WWE’s post-’Mania plans.