7 Greatest Backfires In Wrestling History
3. Punk In The Bank
Daniel Bryan wasn't the first superstar who was so popular that the company was forced to push him. Jeff Hardy returned to WWE as a hot midcard act in 2006, but he won so much fan support that, by 2008, the company had no choice but to give him a crack at the main event. Despite boasting a Wellness Policy suspension, he was penciled in to win the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 24.
Just weeks before the show, though, Hardy was suspended for his second violation of the Wellness Policy. He would miss WrestleMania, and as such, a new winner for the Money in the Bank match needed to be chosen.
Rather than replace Hardy, the company decided to go with a star who was already in the match - popular ECW up-and-comer CM Punk. Fans were stunned to see the former independent standout claim a ticket to the main event, and when he successfully cashed in his contract a few months later to become World Heavyweight Champion, it was a major break for a star outside the WWE mold.
Even though Punk's first title reign wasn't well-booked, WWE putting all of its eggs in the Jeff Hardy basket indirectly led to the breakout of another main-event talent.