10 Times WWE Survivor Series Decisions Backfired

6. Lesnar's Streak Ends (2002)

Sheamus WWE Title
WWE.com

With ratings freefalling in 2002, and no Stone Cold or The Rock to keep the casual fan tuned in, WWE desperately needed to build a new mega-star. Unrepentant killing machine Brock Lesnar held limitless potential as an evolutionary Goldberg-type. As such, he was not booked to be pinned or made to submit for a lengthy period of time, and for good reason.

It seemed like a stale, unmotivated Big Show would be just another colossal victim for Lesnar come Survivor Series, but it wasn't to be. In an ironic twist, Lesnar needed time off because of a rib injury caused by Show during a live event match, so they had Lesnar put Show over after Paul Heyman turned on his client. Instead of saving that first loss for some truly-heroic conqueror, it was wasted on a giant with no mystique. And Lesnar didn't even miss that much time!

Contributor
Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.