WWE & AEW’s Most Surprising Underdog Wins
WWE has entertained us for many decades, with AEW becoming the new kid on the block in 2019. Whatever brand of professional wrestling, however, nothing generates so much excitement in a wrestling contest like a victory for the underdog. It often sends the crowds in the arena buzzing as hands clutch their heads, and for those who watch from home, the experience is similarly memorable.
It doesn’t matter whether it is a humble rookie taking out a seasoned wrestler or a long-overlooked performer finally getting his breakthrough moment; every underdog victory sends our emotions flying. In this article, we will be looking at some of the most surprising wins by underdogs in professional wrestling.
How do surprising wins affect betting outcomes?
Like many other sports, some bookmakers may set up events that allow punters to place bets on the outcome of a wrestling match. A punter’s payout is the sum of the odds selected multiplied by the staked amount. These odds usually come in three forms — fractional, decimal, and moneyline odds — which can easily be converted from one form to another.
On most UK betting sites, you are likely to find underdogs having higher odds because previous performance often influences the odds of a victory. Previous poor performance reduces the likelihood of a win, and the less likely an event, the higher the odds traditionally. This is why punters who placed their stakes on underdogs on the day of their surprise wins went home happier.
#1: 1-2-3 Kid Shocking Razor Ramon in 1993
Before he was known as XPac, 1-2-3 Kid was just a fresh-faced rookie who was only getting used to the WWF pro stage. Most fans expected an exciting match, but nevertheless, Razor Ramon was likely to win due to his greater experience. Little did they know, a major upset was in progress.
As expected, Razor dominated the start of the encounter; however, with a simple duck, an on-rushing Ramon hit the corner, giving 1-2-3 Kid the opportunity to pin Ramon for a quick victory. It shocked the world that a skinny kid would defeat a bulkier veteran. It was a victory that upgraded the status of XPac.
#2: Mankind clinching the WWE Championship in 1999
It was on the fourth day of January 1999, and the event was The Monday Night War. Mick Foley’s Mankind was that character that appeared unpolished and unconventional, the one usually undeserving of a win.
That day, two battles were going on at the same time. While Mankind battled The Rock, the WWF and the WCW were battling for viewer ratings. Many viewers tuned in to WWF to watch Mankind defeat The Rock to win his first WWF Championship with a sneaky help from Stone Cold. It was an unexpected victory for the ‘care-free’ wrestler.
#3: Rey Mysterio winning the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania in 2006
Rey Mysterio is hardly the biggest guy in the room, standing at 5’6’’, but on that day, he set a record alongside an unexpected victory. Entering the Royal Rumble match as the second participant to be introduced, he lasted in the ring for more than 60 minutes to eliminate Randy Orton, who entered as the thirteenth participant.
With over 30 entrants, including legendary wrestlers like Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Booker T, Kane, and Big Show, among others, no one saw Rey Mysterio’s victory coming. It was more memorable when he dedicated his upset victory to Eddie Guerrero, who had died in November of the previous year.
#4: Daniel Bryan’s WrestleMania triumph in 2014
Daniel Bryan’s victory felt like a triumph for the fans due to the circumstances leading to his involvement in the event. Originally left out of WWE’s Wrestlemania XXX plans, the “Yes” crooner’s fan base stopped at nothing to get WWE to change their mind.
Like a dream unfolding layer after layer, Daniel Bryan overcame household names like Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton on his way to becoming the WWE World Heavyweight Champion in a triple-threat match. Due to his injury before the fight, his victory is often seen as one of the best underdog victories in WrestleMania history.
#5: Kofi Kingston’s WWE WrestleMania victory in 2019
By 2019, Kofi Kingston was no longer a new name, but he had little to no glory after 11 years of fruitless toil. At Wrestlemania 35, fans expected the usual, but Kofi Kingston pulled a surprise to defeat Daniel Bryan in what seemed like a victory taken too long. The victory was a historic moment for perseverance in the WWE.
#6: Liv Morgan defeated rivals to win the Money in the Bank & Cashes in 2022
With top competitors like Asuka, Becky Lynch, and Alexa Bliss among the contestants for the coveted title, Liv Morgan stood no chance. However, an unexpected upset saw her defeat Ronda Rousey as she climbed the rungs to retrieve the briefcase.
It was an emotional moment for her and her fans as she struggled to fight back tears while holding the briefcase above her head. Fans couldn’t hold their cheer amidst the disbelief that, finally, Liv Morgan had gotten her due.
#7: Action Andretti’s victory against Chris Jericho in AEW Dynamite in 2022
Prior to the match, Chris Jericho announced that he would be facing a “jobber.” The fans had similar sentiments, too, because who expects a debutant on AEW Dynamite to win against a legend with over a dozen years’ worth of experience?
That “jobber” turned out to be up-and-coming star Action Andretti, who would go on to defeat the potential “Hall of Fame” wrestler Chris Jericho. The victory shocked fans and pushed Action Andretti’s career into a new light.
#8: Orange Cassidy winning his first AEW title
Orange Cassidy was always that laid-back wrestler no one took seriously, probably known for his comedic gimmicks. When he faced Pac in the All Elite Wrestling All-Atlantic Championship, which would later be the AEW International Championship, fans expected little from Orange Cassidy. However, in the hard-fought match, he defeated Pac to win his first AEW Championship title.
When the Unexpected Becomes Unforgettable
As with life, unexpected events happen, and the wrestling world is no different. These surprises either came from rookies defeating seasoned wrestlers or old faces who have stayed too long on the scene without glory, clinching titles on nights no one could have guessed.
Whichever way they came, they all went down as events to remember because of the realism, inspiration, and emotion they added to the wrestling narrative.