10 Hometown Heroes That Were Embarrassed By WWE
8. Beth Phoenix In Buffalo
Beth Phoenix was a tremendous wrestler at a time when WWE’s Divas Title scene wasn’t exactly known for high-level wrestling. Things had improved from the Attitude Era’s crassness, but the belt was still regularly passed between unconvincing workers like Kelly Kelly and Brie Bella, and the division was a far cry from its current excellence.
Beth always stood out, and when she faced Kelly for the belt in her hometown (Buffalo, NY) back in September 2011, it felt like the perfect moment to crown her champion. She was the division’s best wrestler, and she received one of the night’s loudest crowd reactions when she walked-out. Unfortunately, just when it looked like she was about to seal the deal, Beth was rolled-up by Kelly, and the moment was tarnished.
Kelly escaped with her belt, but the fans were furious. Chants of “bull****” filled the building, and the negativity lingered for several minutes as the two wrestlers headed backstage. Things improved for Phoenix when she won the championship at Hell In A Cell two weeks later, but WWE could’ve made the moment feel much more significant had they pulled the trigger in Buffalo. A huge missed opportunity for the Divas Championship in general.