10 Wrestling Moments Nobody Wanted (But EVERYONE Liked)
No WWE or AEW fans called for any of this, but EVERYBODY loved the results!
There are loads of wrestling moments everyone wanted at first, got, then regretted calling for. Shawn Michaels' awful WWE Crown Jewel 2018 return would rank near the top of that list, and so would Bret Hart finally getting his revenge on Vince McMahon for that screwjob thingy nobody ever talks about (ahem).
How about the moments nobody clamoured for, but everyone ended up liking? That's just as interesting a topic, because there are so many examples to pore over. This list might be WWE-dominated, but there's a tasty AEW sample in there too. Admit it, you rolled your eyes when that one happened.
Now, those same eyes are set to get teary come early-2024.
Booking wrestling must be tough. We're spoiled as a fanbase (this writer included), and most are prone to a right good whinge when creative tries something and it doesn't work. Then, when TV stays in a comfort zone, people cry out for companies to take some chances.
That's the benefit of being a customer. You're never wrong, or so they say. The truth? A lot of folks were wrong about some of this surprising goodness...
10. Bob Barker As Raw Guest Host
Let’s be honest about something: WWE's guest host idea on Raw was logical from a PR standpoint, but sucked in execution. Too many of the celebrity guests clearly knew nothing about the product, so the running bit became a negative for the flagship more than a positive. Some hosts soared though, and ol’ Bob was the best of the bunch.
His chemistry with Chris Jericho was immediate.
Everyone got a kick out of seeing Barker embrace the role rather than act like some incoming fish out of water. His performance on the 7 September 2009 edition is treasured for a reason. Bob channelled the same spirit he'd shown opposite Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore here, and people loved it.
Jericho was having a merry time too. His stoic heel character was ideal foil for Barker's well-meaning-but-grumpy old man routine, and the pair lit up the episode as a double act. This was something no wrestling fan knew they wanted going in.