Sheamus' punctuated World Title squash of Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania XXVIII remains one of the most shocking internal character assassination attempts in company history. Not least because it kicked the "movement" WWE didn't realise they'd one day desperately wish to stop.
Fans uttered their incredulous indignation when, after just 18 seconds, Bryan had been defeated. Part of a storyline involving his toxic masculinity and their fractured relationship, the match served merely as a backdrop to their inevitable collapse. In kayfabe, Bryan naturally blamed her for the embarrassment, but the audience were wise to the game.
Tacking on a 'Yes!' chant to virtually every major song or cheer on the night in a show of solidarity with the former champion, the audience made the already-annoying heel mannerism an institutional genre-defining catchphrase. It foreshadowed the next wrestling zeitgeist bubbling under, eventually propelling its proponent to the promised land.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
