We’re still reeling over Goldberg’s unbelievable devastation of Brock Lesnar at this past weekend’s Survivor Series. While Goldberg defeating Lesnar was always a possibility, no one, and I mean NO ONE could have ever predicted that Brock Lesnar’s air of invincibility would be shattered in such a short amount of time.
In the history of professional wrestling, there have been many shocking victories. Outcomes that managed to completely blow wrestling fans’ expectations out of the water. It should be noted that upsets alone, do not count as shocking victories. For true shock value, an unexpected ending trumps a loveable underdog overcoming the odds. Let’s find out where Goldberg’s shocking squash of Brock Lesnar ranks among the all-time greats.
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5. Andre The Giant Defeats Hulk Hogan For The WWE Championship
To say a that a wrestler whoย spent 15 years undefeated winning a match is shocking may seem strange, but in 1988, that’s exactly what happened when Andre The Giant defeated Hulk Hogan for the WWE(F) championship.
The Hulk and Andre match that everyone remembers took place at Wrestlemania 3. It was there that Hulk Hogan slammed the Giant to retain his championship. Less than a year later on anย episode of The Main Event, Hogan defended the WWEย Championship against Andre The Giant again, but this time heย also had to contend with Ted DiBiase and Virgil outside the ring.
The shocking victory occurred when referee Dave Hebner countedย Hogan’s shoulders down for the pin.ย Hebner ignored Hulk’sย obvious kick-out-at-two and declared Andre the winner. The shock value increased when it was revealedย that Ted Dibiase had paid Hebner’s twin brother Earl to “throw the match” in favor of Andre.
Hulk Hogan had held the world championship since 1984. To see a 4 year title run come to such aย fluke end was truly unbelievable.ย
Andre’s championship run would not last long. In fact, as soonย as the match was over, he handed the belt to DiBiase.ย Unfortunately, The Million Dollar Man would have the belt stripped, whenย WWEย President, Jack Tunney, declared the title vacant. He cited the controversial ending to the match and the fact that a champion cannot just give the title to whoever he wants.ย
4. 123 Kid Defeats Razor Ramon
Long before he became X Pac, Sean Waltman started his career on RAWย as the Kamikaze Kid. And thenย the Cannonball Kid. And then the Lightning Kid. No matter which Kid moniker he tried, his matches always ended the same, with a loss.ย He was a high flying jobber who never stood a chance at picking up the win. When none of his Kid nicknames stuck, he just went by The Kid. That is, until he faced Razor Ramon.ย
Unlike today’s show, RAW used to be filled with established superstars mopping pu the mat withย jobbers on a weekly basis. Which is why no one expected the young Kid to put up much of a fight against The Bad Guy. Razor controlled the entire match, toying with the Kid and looking well on his way to victory, until one missstep allowed the Kid to capitalize with a moonsault andย roll-up for the shocking victory.ย
The win led The Kid to be renamed The 1-2-3 Kid and the momentum would carry him on to one of the more successful careers ofย the Attitude Era.
3. Goldberg Defeats Brock Lesnar In Under 2 Minutes
The talk of amongst the wrestling experts leading up to Survivor Series was that Goldberg would likely put up a valiant effort, but ultimately come up short to The Beast Incarnate. It was assumed that the one-off appearance would do wonders to pop the WWE Network subscriptions and possibly lead to a Goldberg 2017 Hall of Fame induction, all the while continuing to build on Lesnar’s legacy as the WWE’s one true immovable object.
Lesnar’s previous match was a 1st round, bloodbath knockout of Randy Orton. Before that, he destroyed Mark Hunt inside the octagon at UFC 200. Goldberg was 49, had not been inside the ring in 12 years and nearly fell down trying to throw a mid-air push kick to no one. All signs pointed to the Beast making amends for his loss to Goldberg at Wrestlemania 20.ย
Which is exactly why the world was so completely stunned when Goldberg was able to make such short work of Lesnar in such convincing fashion. Twitter exploded. Heads exploded. People vowed to never watch wrestling again. All signs of a truly shocking wrestling victory.
2. Brock Lesnar Breaks The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania Streak
The decision to have Brock Lesnar faceย The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 30 seemed perplexing. Sure, he was a credible opponent, but he was only going to lose. Why would the WWE pay so much money to have a guy like Lesnar come in to job to Cena and now The Undertaker?
It never occurred to anyoneย that The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania streak of 21-0 was in jeopardy. Why break it at this point, we all thought. Boy, were we all wrong. So wrong, in fact, that when the referee’s hand hit the mat a third time, we assumed it mustย have been a botch. But no, the streak was over and we were all left in utter shock.ย
Lesnar would go onto use beating the streak as his entire platform for domination for the next two years (making Goldberg’s victory appear even more impressive). Vince always knows best.
1. David Arquette Wins The WCW Championship
Could it have been any other match than this? To promote the release of Ready to Rumble, a truly “special” movie about professional wrestling, David Arquette was injectedย into the WCW in the year 2000. At first he was at ringside, then he got a little involved, then he formed an alliance with Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon. Soon after, on an episode ofย Thunder, Arquette teamed with Page in a match against Eric Bischoff and Jeff Jarrett, with the stipulation that whichever man got the pin would take the championship. Arquette pinned Bischoff again in the match’s finish, receiving the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in the process and completely shocking the wrestling world. Many point to this moment and decision by then writer Vince Russo, as the beginning of the end of WCW.ย
If Twitter had existed in the year 2000, it’s safe to say this mind-bogglingly shocking victory would have completely blown it to smitherines.ย
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