WrestleMania can be good, it can be bad, it can be anything it wants to be so long as its not boring. The last thing a fan wants is to wait weeks and months for WWE's biggest extravaganza, only to be sorely disappointed by how utterly predictable the results end up being. There have been some truly predictable WrestleManias, such as WrestleMania 29, in which Mark Henry was put over Ryback in the second match just to try and stun oddsmakers, as every other match had a non-negotiable conclusion. Other times, WrestleMania has thrown a wrench into the works of notable matches with the intent of surprising even its most jaded viewers. Oftentimes, this strategy works to a fault. With these sorts of risky decisions, you run the risk of upsetting the audience. In some cases, the shocking finishes were virulently protested by fans that tuned in the following night anyway. Other times, they've been quickly rationalized for the stunners that they are, and accepted as legitimate thrills. And then there are the ones that leave viewers feeling odd, unable to comprehend what they just saw. You know, nuclear stunners. Here are 15 times in which WrestleMania audiences were stunned by what they saw...
15. Jack Swagger Wins Money In The Bank (WrestleMania 26)
It wasn't so much a shockwave as it was a flatline. Lacking storylines for some of its harder workers (not exactly a new problem), WWE crammed a record ten wrestlers into one ladder match for a future shot at either World Championship. Among the odds-on favorites were crowd favorite Christian, recently-pushed Kofi Kingston, and talented heat magnet (and reigning Intercontinental champion) Drew McIntyre. What the assembled crowd in Glendale, Arizona got was ice-cold Swagger making the final climb, sending Christian sprawling to the mat, and unhooking the briefcase. In an ominous sign for his forthcoming World Heavyweight title reign, Swagger struggled for an eternity to free the briefcase from its skyhook. He was mostly met with quizzical derision, and his three-month reign as champion was utterly forgettable.
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.
