10 Most Surprising PPV Headliners In WWE History

6. Tatanka - King Of The Ring 1995

Tatanka headdress
WWE.com

By King of the Ring 1995, Tatanka had been a member of the WWF roster for over three years, had never held a championship and never headlined a PPV event.

Joining Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation in late '94, the heel Tatanka was a breath of fresh air for the character and saw the stale act receive a subtle yet notable revamp. With Bam Bam Bigelow fresh off a face turn for similar reasons, the two made a natural fit as rivals.

With Diesel and Sycho Sid already amid a feud post-WrestleMania XI, the stars aligned for a big time tag match at King of the Ring 1995 and allowed Tatanka to get a rare taste of the PPV main event scene. Meanwhile, an elbow injury to Diesel also necessitated a cover measure to help mask the ailing champ. The tag match scenario ticked all the boxes.

Sadly, the show itself featured one of the worst King of the Ring tournaments of all time, won by Mabel of Men on a Mission fame (later known as Viscera/Big Daddy V). Nevertheless, the tag presented a fresh bit of booking and saw a rare headline spot for Bigelow, as well as Tatanka's one and only PPV main event.

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Occasional wrestler, full-time gym rat and lifelong lover of the grapple game. Would probably buy you a shot of Jack at the bar in exchange for witty banter...and preferably more Jack. @MartynGrant88 for more wrestling-related musings and weight room wisecracks!