Greatest Upsets In Professional Wrestling?

[fxnj]

Not seeing how any of these come close to Taker/Brock. It really puts it in perspective to realize that it would take at least 20 years for WWE to replicate that moment with another streak, and even then it probably wouldn't be as shocking because it would have been done before.

[clintthecrippler]

If my memory is correct, the PJ Walker win over IRS was to further the storyline of IRS/Dibiase making fun of Razor Ramon losing to the 123 Kid. Razor's distraction in the match caused IRS to lose and proved "it could happen to you too."

 

I literally cannot think of any answer that wouldn't pale in comparison to Brock/Taker and Koloff/Sammartino.

[JerryvonKramer]

123 Kid beat DiBiase too.

[Yo-Yo's Roomie]

Daivari over Shawn Michaels and Rico over Flair were both eyebrow-raising ones.

[Log]

Andre beating Hogan (and the craziness surrounding it) was pretty shocking. I don't know that you can really call Andre beating anyone an upset, but I clearly remember that night and being very surprised that Hogan wasn't champ anymore. Could be that since I had been into wrestling, Hogan had always had the belt, so seeing him without it was weird.

[Grimmas]

Not seeing how any of these come close to Taker/Brock. It really puts it in perspective to realize that it would take at least 20 years for WWE to replicate that moment with another streak, and even then it probably wouldn't be as shocking because it would have been done before.

Bruno-Ivan definitely competes and was probably a bigger deal.

[The Greg Muta]

Well, looking at it through kayfabe eyes, I'm going to throw out Rick Steiner's TV title win over Rotundo at Starrcade 1988. Steiner was still a fairly new name who I don't think had ever held a significant title at this point, Rotundo was the champ, a veteran with the evil manager, and this was at a time when the TV title was still kind of a big deal.

 

And look at the reaction when he wins the belt.

 

Maybe not the biggest upset ever...but I think it deserves mention.

[C.S.]

Well, looking at it through kayfabe eyes, I'm going to throw out Rick Steiner's TV title win over Rotundo at Starrcade 1988. Steiner was still a fairly new name who I don't think had ever held a significant title at this point, Rotundo was the champ, a veteran with the evil manager, and this was at a time when the TV title was still kind of a big deal.

 

And look at the reaction when he wins the belt.

 

Maybe not the biggest upset ever...but I think it deserves mention.

 

On that note, Scott Steiner winning the TV Title and turning heel against Ricky Steamboat was a similar situation and upset. Unfortunately, Steiner left WCW right after, and the TV Title was dropped. But that could have been great if he had stayed.

[shakla]

Surprised no one's mentioned Prince Iaukea beating Regal for the WCW TV Title on Nitro in 1997. Iaukea was a low-end JTTS at best, only WCW win I can find before that was against the Gambler on Saturday Night, Out of everyone on the super-deep WCW roster, they choose him. Prince even defended it successfully on 3 straight PPVs.

 

I heard this was done to poke fun at Rocky Maivia's IC title win (the Iaukea win happened a few days after), but I'm not for sure on that.

[TRMD]

The Miz beat John Cena in the Main Event of Wrestlemania.

[Log]

Well, looking at it through kayfabe eyes, I'm going to throw out Rick Steiner's TV title win over Rotundo at Starrcade 1988. Steiner was still a fairly new name who I don't think had ever held a significant title at this point, Rotundo was the champ, a veteran with the evil manager, and this was at a time when the TV title was still kind of a big deal.

 

And look at the reaction when he wins the belt.

 

Maybe not the biggest upset ever...but I think it deserves mention.

A lot of that reaction was because Steiner's win was the payoff to a really long story. Steiner had been in the Varsity Club with Rotundo for a while. He was a heel, but sort of loveable. People were dying for him to turn, so when he finally did and took the title, it made for a great reaction.

[Al]

 

A couple that I haven't seen mentioned are...

 

- Mikey Whipwreck over The Sandman

- The Genius over Hulk Hogan (through nefarious means, but still...)

 

Mikey's win was built up for months. By the time he took the title, I honestly expected the win to happen.

[Yo-Yo's Roomie]

Has the Milan Miracle been mentioned?

[Fantastic]

Has the Milan Miracle been mentioned?

 

Santino over Umaga for the IC title?

 

Come on... This match was Bobby Lashley destroying Umaga with a chair, spearing him, then holding Santino over him for the pinfall! They gotta be clean victories, no outside interference, etc.

 

Kurt Angle defeats Hulk Hogan by Submission.

 

- I believe this was the first time in his career that Hogan had tapped out. It was a significant upset, given that Hogan was on a twilight megapush and had recently been the WWE Undisputed Champion. Meanwhile, Angle went cleanly over having just come out og a mid card feud with Edge.

[Dooley]

 

 

Kurt Angle defeats Hulk Hogan by Submission.

 

- I believe this was the first time in his career that Hogan had tapped out. It was a significant upset, given that Hogan was on a twilight megapush and had recently been the WWE Undisputed Champion. Meanwhile, Angle went cleanly over having just come out og a mid card feud with Edge.

 

 

Luger submitted him with the rack in '97.

[Fantastic]

 

 

 

Kurt Angle defeats Hulk Hogan by Submission.

 

- I believe this was the first time in his career that Hogan had tapped out. It was a significant upset, given that Hogan was on a twilight megapush and had recently been the WWE Undisputed Champion. Meanwhile, Angle went cleanly over having just come out og a mid card feud with Edge.

 

 

Luger submitted him with the rack in '97.

 

 

Yup, you're right, totally missed that.

 

Guess that goes to show how forgettable Luger's feud with Hogan and title reign in '97 was.

[Grimmas]

 

 

 

 

Kurt Angle defeats Hulk Hogan by Submission.

 

- I believe this was the first time in his career that Hogan had tapped out. It was a significant upset, given that Hogan was on a twilight megapush and had recently been the WWE Undisputed Champion. Meanwhile, Angle went cleanly over having just come out og a mid card feud with Edge.

 

 

Luger submitted him with the rack in '97.

 

 

Yup, you're right, totally missed that.

 

Guess that goes to show how forgettable Luger's feud with Hogan and title reign in '97 was.

 

I don't know about that, from everybody I have talked to that was one of the most memorable moments of the Monday Night War.

[Blazer]

 

 

 

 

Kurt Angle defeats Hulk Hogan by Submission.

 

- I believe this was the first time in his career that Hogan had tapped out. It was a significant upset, given that Hogan was on a twilight megapush and had recently been the WWE Undisputed Champion. Meanwhile, Angle went cleanly over having just come out og a mid card feud with Edge.

 

 

Luger submitted him with the rack in '97.

 

 

Yup, you're right, totally missed that.

 

Guess that goes to show how forgettable Luger's feud with Hogan and title reign in '97 was.

 

 

Lulz, what? Just because YOU forgot it?

[SomethingSavage]

Uhh, yeah. Can't speak for everybody, but I know Lex was over HUGE with almost everyone I knew at the time. Luger's 1997 is still probably one of my all-time favorite babyface runs, to be honest. The guy was just on a mission to Rack the world, and it worked.

[rainmakerrtv]

Vladimir Kozlov pinning the Undertaker clean as the proverbial sheet.

[Dooley]

Uhh, yeah. Can't speak for everybody, but I know Lex was over HUGE with almost everyone I knew at the time. Luger's 1997 is still probably one of my all-time favorite babyface runs, to be honest. The guy was just on a mission to Rack the world, and it worked.

 

"Rack the planet" would have been a great catchphrase for him.

[Fantastic]

I see my attempt at sarcasm in light of a brain fart went over well there!

[C.S.]

Yup, you're right, totally missed that.

 

Guess that goes to show how forgettable Luger's feud with Hogan and title reign in '97 was.

 

What a ridiculous statement... I was never a Luger fan, and even I was cheering for him during all of this.

 

One of the most memorable moments of the Monday Night Wars by a mile. A shame his reign lasted only six days, but his victory and post-match speech on Nitro were both beyond glorious.

[Steenalized]

Vladimir Kozlov pinning the Undertaker clean as the proverbial sheet.

And on Smackdown too, wasn't it?

[Fantastic]

 

Yup, you're right, totally missed that.

 

Guess that goes to show how forgettable Luger's feud with Hogan and title reign in '97 was.

 

What a ridiculous statement... I was never a Luger fan, and even I was cheering for him during all of this.

 

One of the most memorable moments of the Monday Night Wars by a mile. A shame his reign lasted only six days, but his victory and post-match speech on Nitro were both beyond glorious.

 

 

I know! I tried to be sarcastic, following the revelation that I had totally forgotten about Luger submitting Hogan!

 

It was a pretty good moment for WCW, and Luger as well. I don't know whether he was any more over at any time than he was then.

 

 

Vladimir Kozlov pinning the Undertaker clean as the proverbial sheet.

And on Smackdown too, wasn't it?

 

 

Yeah, this was mind boggling, I mean Taker has always had a history of being willing to put new guys over (Yokozuna in 1993, Mankind in 1996, Angle in 2000, Lesnar in 2002, hell, even Khali in 2006 - which was comparable to Brock squashing Cena at Summerslam this year) on big stages, but this was a random throwaway episode of Smackdown. What's more weird is how the finish came across. Kozlov countered the Old School into a Powerslam and pinned Taker. It came across like Taker simply fucked up, rather than Kozlov actually defeating him. An upset nonetheless, as nobody expected Kozlov to go over.