10 WWE Wrestlers Who Won Matches They Weren't Booked In
Arrive late, do as little as possible, pick up the win!
It's been said that if you work hard for your living, you will be rewarded. Keep your head down, do what your boss says, plug away despite all the negativity of life and eventually, good things will come your way.
Take the wrestlers in WWE. They put their bodies through constant pain throughout the year, push themselves past what we believe to be the normal level of endurance, risking putting themselves on the injury list, and they earn themselves the big wins, big accolades and of course, championship gold. It's the nature of the business: work hard, earn the respect of your peers, and you'll make it to the top.
But WWE do like to toy with your emotions a lot of the time. The hard work that a wrestler might put in may be squandered by unforeseen circumstances like injury, release and the return of a much more popular star. This is an occupational hazard for both the stars and fans. What you don't expect, however, is a star who wasn't even involved in a match, that the other wrestlers have worked hard to earn, waltz in fresh as a daisy, take out everyone else and steal the win - even a title! - without breaking a sweat.
The following 10 WWE Superstars have been put into matches that they weren't booked in as an active participant, and yet somehow walked away with the victory.
10. James Ellsworth - Money In The Bank 2017
During the mid-2010s, the Women's Revolution in WWE was in full swing. The hard work of stars from NXT like the Four Horsewomen, Asuka, Paige, Emma, etc. was slowly trickling into the main roster. One of the first major steps towards women's wrestling becoming a must-see was the introduction of the first ever Women's Money in the Bank ladder match in 2017.
The field included Horsewomen Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair, long-time stars Natalya & Tamina, and relative newcomer Carmella alongside her manager James Ellsworth. One sad fact is that Ellsworth was probably the most over superstar in the match itself. The chinless wonder had made a name for himself in a Braun Strowman squash match thanks to his "any man with two hands" promo beforehand, and became a regular feature on SmackDown.
He eventually went on to manage Carmella in the typical role of hapless suck-up who helped her cheat to win and almost singlehandedly ruin Asuka's aura. Come Money In The Bank, Ellsworth knocked Becky Lynch off the ladder and, being the only one in the ring, climbed the ladder and retrieved the briefcase, effectively becoming the first Miss Money in the Bank.
The decision was so poorly received, Carmella was stripped of the contract and the match was redone on the following SmackDown, without Ellsworth shenanigans.