10 Most Divisive WWE Match Outcomes Ever

4. Triple H Vs. Scott Steiner - Royal Rumble 2003

Goldberg Lesnar
WWE.com

Scott Steiner is a wrestling treasure.

He's one of the industry's most hilarious figures, both intentionally and unintentionally. He was as innovative (he devised both the 450 Splash and the Frankensteiner) as he was absolutely terrifying. His match opposite Diamond Dallas Page at WCW Greed in 2001 was a violent tour de force of believability. His retrospective perception as a comedy figure is utterly heartbreaking when older fans remember his incredible tag team work in the early nineties.

Unfortunately, by the time he shored up in WWE at Survivor Series 2002, he was physically shot. Afflicted by drop foot syndrome and unable to smoothly hurtle his ridiculous muscle mass around the ring, the timing was all wrong. It is for that reason why some quarters of the wrestling fandom felt his clean defeat at the hands of top heel Triple H at Royal Rumble 2003 was warranted. If he couldn't perform to the required main event standard, he had no business occupying the slot.

Triple H on the subsequent episode of RAW, however, took a sideways shot at Steiner, one which many felt highlighted Triple H's true motivation on the night: sabotage.

"I made him look so bad," he crowed. Steiner evidently needed help to perform. That Triple H wasn't forthcoming with it sparked intense debate over whether he was right to undermine Steiner - or whether he should, like mentor Shawn Michaels would have done, all he could to carry him.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential 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 former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current 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!