Being a WWE fan generates a variety of emotions during the viewing experience, including despair, anger, perplexity, and, on occasion, delight. All of these feelings were felt throughout the six moments we’ll discuss here, demonstrating how influential the professional wrestling business can be.
Professional wrestling is wonderful because it generates a wide range of emotions from viewers. While the majority of the time it is delight, there can also be shock and even despair, with some of the most emotional moments in WWE history.
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The Shield split up in 2014
Despite being regarded as one of the greatest factions in WWE history, The Shield only lasted a few years. They made their debut at Survivor Series 2012, with Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins as members.
The Shield went on to become one of the most popular groups in WWE history, producing three future world champions in less than 20 months. They split up on June 2, 2014, after Seth Rollins betrayed them by joining The Authority.
But what was the real cause for the breakup behind the scenes?
The Shield had recently won back-to-back matches against a resurrected Evolution (without Ric Flair) at Extreme Rules and Payback. WWE decided that now was the time to send The Shield their own way. This means establishing the three guys as singles stars, with an immediate priority on Seth Rollins and a long-term focus on Roman Reigns. While Dean Ambrose was not always pushed as hard as the other two, he won the World Championship in mid-2016. Ambrose was a recognized top performer for WWE until his departure in 2019.
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Undertaker’s Retirement
The Undertaker’s retirement was an issue of debate in the wrestling world a few years ago, with his frequent returns turning it into a joke. While he last wrestled AJ Styles in the main event of WrestleMania 36 Night 1, fans believed his final match was at WrestleMania 33 a few years ago.
Everything pointed to The Undertaker riding into the sunset after his loss to Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania, Taker breaking his character post-match and abandoning his suit in the ring. The entire WWE Universe became emotional as huge ‘Thank You Taker’ shouts reverberated around the arena.
Taker returned to the ring at the next year’s WrestleMania. Though his return at WrestleMania 34 diminished the impact of his post-Mania 33 moment, it was still emotional enough to make the list.
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Daniel Bryan’s Retirement
Every now and then, a WWE superstar appears and radically changes the trajectory of the industry. Daniel Bryan, who debuted in the initial edition of NXT in 2010, was the most recent addition to that list. Of course, it would take a few years for him to reach the top of the card, but once there, he felt like he had always belonged there.
As a result, his retirement in early 2016 was one of the most heartbreaking things fans could have imagined. Bryan spoke on the impact wrestling had on his life, his father, and his wife Brie Bella, and he kept coming back to one word and one word only: appreciative.
The flying GOAT would triumphantly return to in-ring battle, becoming the WWE Champion and once again main-eventing WrestleMania. Daniel Bryan has since left WWE for AEW, joining the Blackpool Combat Club stable.
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Owen Hart Tribute
Owen Hart sadly died as a result of a botched stunt during WWE’s Over the Edge pay-per-view in one of the more avoidable moments on this list. Because of the incident, the following night’s show of Monday Night Raw was devoted to Owen, with fans and superstars alike expressing their shock and grief over the situation.
Nobody could have predicted this, and it’s that kind of unexpected impact that causes people to react in a really natural way. Many fans were unsure whether to cry, become angry, or simply sit in silence, but at the end of the day, we all felt the same emotion: loss.
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KofiMania becomes a reality
Daniel Bryan’s presence in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship contest at WrestleMania 30 was perhaps the most well-known example of WWE modifying plans for WrestleMania. ‘YestleMania’ was the name given to the entire story. Bryan was the adversary in a similar storyline more than a decade later.
During the WrestleMania season, Kofi Kingston delivered outstanding performances in the Gauntlet and Elimination Chamber matches. As a result, fans were rooting for Kofi Kingston to eventually win the WWE Championship and go to the main event.
WWE Chairman Vince McMahon placed numerous roadblocks in his path to the Showcase of Immortals. Kingston, though, overcame all of them with the help of his New Day brothers to punch his ticket to WrestleMania.
Even though everyone knew Kofi had won the title that night, everyone burst into tears when the referee counted three. The victory made Kofi the first African-born world champion in WWE history, adding to the outpouring of emotions on both sides.
