10 Recent WWE Rivalries That Underwhelmed In The Ring
4. Brock Lesnar Vs. Randy Orton
After having a hot 2015, Brock Lesnar's 2016 was the exact opposite. It started with a disappointing No Holds Barred match with Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 32 and continued with what should have been a blockbuster bout against Randy Orton at SummerSlam.
The hype was real. After all, these two both had roots in Ohio Valley Wrestling yet never crossed path on WWE's main roster (aside from a one-off SmackDown squash in September 2002). This was their chance to go all out and fight for the right to call themselves the biggest breakout star of their generation.
After such a strong build, the match was a major letdown. It was bad enough that they traded finishers back and forth for 10 minutes, but Lesnar busting Orton open before the referee called for the bell was a lousy finish.
An argument can be made that it "legitimized" Lesnar (more than before), but having that be the way SummerSlam went off the air was inexcusable. On the bright side, this was a one-and-done deal and a rematch was never held. Lesnar later lost to Goldberg in under two minutes, rendering this victory completely irrelevant.