10 Times WWE Totally Trolled You
3. Batista Winning The 2014 Royal Rumble
The 2014 Royal Rumble was a perfect storm of nonsense, but aside from Daniel Bryan’s complete exclusion, Batista’s victory remains the greatest controversy. Big Dave had just returned to the company after taking flight in Hollywood, and while he received a polite reception upon coming back, it was hard to shake the feeling that he was only there to feed off his Guardians of the Galaxy popularity.
Regardless, WWE positioned Batista front and center of their programming. Batista entered the Royal Rumble at number 28, won it, and suddenly found himself subjected to a huge fan backlash. They wanted Bryan in this spot, not an ageing marquee name, and the negativity was so strong that WWE had no choice but to turn Batista heel in the aftermath.
Bringing Batista back as a babyface was a huge mistake, and it really felt like WWE were screwing with the audience by having him take the win. The company fortunately saw the error of their ways and added Bryan to the WrestleMania title match after defeating Triple H at the event itself. Still, Batista’s comeback was a hugely misguided affair, and he eventually walked away from the company that June.