10 Times WWE Capitalised On Low Expectations

The times WWE had their backs to the wall, yet were still able to send the fans home happy.

Rob Gronkowski
WWE

It seems futile to expect anything from WWE these days.

Over the past few years, WWE have outright failed to match the expectations of their fans in high-profile matches such as Shinsuke Nakamura vs AJ Styles, and Seth Rollins vs The Fiend. Sometimes, WWE actively weaponise fan desires, such as at the Royal Rumble 2017, which inexplicably saw Roman Reigns be revealed as the 'big surprise' number 30 entrant, in one of the most obvious examples of the company trolling the fans in history.

There are other times, where fan expectations begin low, and WWE seem give up on exceeding them, providing fans with disasters such as Roman Reigns vs Triple H at WrestleMania 32, Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 34, and Kurt Angle vs Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35.

However, sometimes, our expectations of WWE are so low, that Vince McMahon and co. are able to use them to their advantage. Often, the right amount of fan ire, external circumstances or even general wisdom, can result in us fans making presumptions which WWE are able to exploit to create magic.

These such times are examples of that.

10. TLC 2017

Rob Gronkowski
WWE

Most entries on this list are a result of WWE exceeding expectations they had set upon themselves. Here however, that is not the case.

A viral infection in the WWE locker room had afflicted a number of Superstars, most notably Bray Wyatt, who was set to face Finn Bálor, and Roman Reigns, who was part of the reuniting Shield, who were set to face The Miz, Kane, Braun Strowman, Sheamus and Cesaro.

Rather than outright cancel two of the biggest matches on the card, WWE arguably improved them. AJ Styles stepped in to face The Demon King, and the two proceeded to tear the house down, with Bálor actually going over, giving hope to fans that WWE were finally ready to reignite Bálor's 2016 push.

WWE however were not done, and chose to replace Roman Reigns with Kurt Angle. As in, THE Kurt Angle, who had not wrestled for WWE in over eleven years, and who had been general manager of Raw for the past eight months. Kurt's return added a whole new dynamic to a somewhat underwhelming Shield reunion, and the eight men proceeded to have one of most ridiculous matches of the last decade, featuring about 47 broken tables, a garbage truck and the heel team imploding on itself.

Did WWE potentially use up one of their dream matches that deserved a bigger stage? Yes.

Did they waste the incredible story of Angle finally returning to a WWE ring? Without a doubt.

Did it result in an utterly brilliant pay-per-view? Absolutely.

 
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Alfie Seymour hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.