Good Feuds/Storylines That Fell Off A Cliff

[Liam O'Rourke]

So, for this week's podcast, we're looking to discuss rivalries/storylines that had some momentum or major potential, but for whatever reason fizzled out, and would like to get your input. Of all the rivalries in wrestling history from any company, which ONE stands out to you personally as a feud you were into, until a certain pivotal moment that let all the air out of the balloon?

 

So the questions are - what was the feud, what made you super into it in the first place, and what was the moment that made it fizzle out and stopped you caring?

 

As always, the best contributions will be read on the show and you'll be credited accordingly. So what gets your vote?

 

EDIT - Our show discussing Feuds and Storylines that Fell Off A Cliff featuring many of your contributions, is now online and available to listen to at the following link: http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/web/h32fb8/SCG_Radio_103_-_Feuds_That_Fell_Off_A_Cliff.mp3

[tiger_rick]

First one to jump out at me was the Nexus. Incredible angle to start their story and decent follow-up to build the SummerSlam 7 on 7 where upon they were taken apart handily and were never as interesting again. The angle had a flicker of life when Cena had to join the Nexus but much like Daniel Bryan joining the Wyatts or CM Punk leaving with the WWE title, nothing remotely interesting came of it. Such a massive missed opportunity. They'll have to wait years now to do an nWo style angle. They had one, they had interest and intrigue and they blew it.

[eugenespeed]

Cheesy acronyms aside, I was a huge TNA mark during the weekly PPV days and loved the whole TNA vs SEX storyline. Wrestling vs Sports Entertainment, I was hooked. 

 

It went on for a few weeks with Russo's faction recruiting people and TNA standing up for Professional Wrestling and then, well, nothing. It just fizzed out. No conclusion, no pay off, no anything. 

[Porkchopcash]

The Steph/Kurt/Hunter love triangle springs to mind.

[Duke]

First one to jump out at me was the Nexus. Incredible angle to start their story and decent follow-up to build the SummerSlam 7 on 7 where upon they were taken apart handily and were never as interesting again. The angle had a flicker of life when Cena had to join the Nexus but much like Daniel Bryan joining the Wyatts or CM Punk leaving with the WWE title, nothing remotely interesting came of it. Such a massive missed opportunity. They'll have to wait years now to do an nWo style angle. They had one, they had interest and intrigue and they blew it.

Addendum to that. When nexus killed taker and there was a mystery reason why. Never got explained.

[Supremo]

Love triangle between Kurt Angle, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Genuinely some of the best TV they've ever done, a proper soap opera storyline that built perfectly, only for Stephanie to stupidly pick Triple H at Unforgiven and kill the angle dead. In no other form of entertainment would such a storyline end so abruptly, in such a jarring, unsatisfying manner.

 

I feel like this could be a long list, though. I genuinely can't think of many storylines WWE have done that has started, built and then ended satisfactorily. Everything falls off a cliff.

[Grecian]

CM Punk's Summer of Punk in 2011.

 

What should have been the anti-establishment hero taking on corporate WWE in Vince and Trips disappeared into a fugue of Kevin Nash, stolen mobile phones, Punk losing to Trips in the only 1-on-1 match they had on PPV, an utterly nonsensical run-in from Miz and R-Truth, and a blistering promo followed by that match vs Cena was undone in mere weeks. No wonder he couldn't be arsed anymore.

[Mr.E]

Might be an odd choice, but for me it was Orton/Triple H prior to Wrestlemania 25.

 

Orton had gone all bad-ass, with the new tattoos/faction/attitude, won the royal rumble and had Triple H in his sights. The story progress'd fantastically, with Orton taking out Stephanie in the process, and not just RKO'ing her, but kissing her unconscious body in front of a restrained Triple H. I believe he may have also had vince/shane off in the process.

 

At this point, it all had to 100% culminate with a solid victory from Orton at WM, showing he's the man to beat going forward. Instead what we got was Triple H demolishing him fairly decisively [from my recollection] and instantly ending all the the months of fantastic build up, they had with Orton. 

[Jazzy G]

A lot of Samoa Joe's stuff in TNA . The"Nation of violence". He gets kidnapped by the guys and bundled into the back of that van, disappears for a couple of weeks then turns up looking like he fell asleep at a party with some penis drawn on his face and carries on lost in the midcard. Never really gets much of a push, then one week he's back to normal as though it's never happened, conveniently enough after Hogan et al had left. Plus that 18 month unbeaten run just after he came into TNA. He's built up as an all conquering monster only for him to job clean to Jurt Angle on his debut. Nothing against Angle, but they could have put him over somebody else and built to the match with Joe over time and people would have been champing at the bit to see it.

[Guest]

Might be an odd choice, but for me it was Orton/Triple H prior to Wrestlemania 25.

 

Orton had gone all bad-ass, with the new tattoos/faction/attitude, won the royal rumble and had Triple H in his sights. The story progress'd fantastically, with Orton taking out Stephanie in the process, and not just RKO'ing her, but kissing her unconscious body in front of a restrained Triple H. I believe he may have also had vince/shane off in the process.

 

At this point, it all had to 100% culminate with a solid victory from Orton at WM, showing he's the man to beat going forward. Instead what we got was Triple H demolishing him fairly decisively [from my recollection] and instantly ending all the the months of fantastic build up, they had with Orton.

This.

 

It started with a punt to old man Vince that felt like an awakening, a sit-up-and-take-notice, epoch-defining moment that would make Orton the next red-hot star at last.

 

The DDT and kiss to Stephanie while her husband was forced to watch continued the ascent.

 

Then Super Shane happened, and it all came crashing down in an instant. Rather than a climactic affirmation, a win at WrestleMania would have merely salvaged things for Orton.

[tiger_rick]

That shitty angle where Trips invades Orton's house ruined that whole run for me.

[westlondonmist]

I'm going with Ultimate Warrior vs Undertaker. I felt like nothing came of the amazing funeral parlour where they put Warrior in the casket. Everybody rushed to get out and save Warrior and even when they did you thought he was lucky to be alive. As a kid I was truelly worried about Warrior and wanted him to get revenge. I think they did a 6 minute Saturday Night Main Event with a DQ finish but that could have led to a big match in my view.

[tiger_rick]

I'm going with Ultimate Warrior vs Undertaker. I felt like nothing came of the amazing funeral parlour where they put Warrior in the casket. Everybody rushed to get out and save Warrior and even when they did you thought he was lucky to be alive. As a kid I was truelly worried about Warrior and wanted him to get revenge. I think they did a 6 minute Saturday Night Main Event with a DQ finish but that could have led to a big match in my view.

I don't think that really counts. It was a house show feud. It didn't fall off a cliff, it just served its purpose.

[westlondonmist]

 

I'm going with Ultimate Warrior vs Undertaker. I felt like nothing came of the amazing funeral parlour where they put Warrior in the casket. Everybody rushed to get out and save Warrior and even when they did you thought he was lucky to be alive. As a kid I was truelly worried about Warrior and wanted him to get revenge. I think they did a 6 minute Saturday Night Main Event with a DQ finish but that could have led to a big match in my view.

I don't think that really counts. It was a house show feud. It didn't fall off a cliff, it just served its purpose.

 

Really? When on tv kids were speaking about it at school. Seemed like something really big to me when I watched it. If it was a house show feud then I feel it was a waste. Warrior was a big name face and Undertaker was a scary bad guy.

[Guest]

Wasn't this a case of Warrior having one of his fallings out with WWE before the planned pay-off?