Title match outcomes you were really invested in

[RedRooster]

I'm massively invested in the outcome of Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page for the AEW World title this weekend, to the point I know I'll feel massively deflated if Omega retains the title, even though I don't have any issue with the idea of Omega's title reign continuing.

That had me thinking - what title matches did you feel massively invested in?

While there are others, the first time I remember feeling actual nerves before a match was Brock Lesnar vs. Eddie Guerrero for the WWE title. I literally punched the air in joy when Guerrero won - heck, I still get goosebumps watching it back: 

 

[BomberPat]

Eddie vs. Brock was the first time I remember actually cheering at a TV screen. I was watching it live, volume down, in the living room, while my parents were asleep upstairs. Eddie had really snuck up on me as a wrestler I was that invested in, and I don't think I realised going into the match just how much I had bought into the story.

I knew the plan was for Lesnar/Goldberg at Wrestlemania, and just assumed that they'd keep the belt on Brock for that match - I mean, would they really have him lose it to Eddie Guerrero of all people? As the match built and built, I was completely on the edge of my seat, and remember actually jumping up and cheering at the three count because they completely got me, and I honestly think it was right up until the ref's hand hit the mat a third time that I believed they were actually going through with it. 

[DavidB6937]

If we're talking any title then this was probably my first real emotional investment:

A real head vs heart situation as I imagine it was for many people. Bret was one of my favourite wrestlers. Davey was the home talent. Still one of my favourite matches from an emotional perspective I'd say.

[Carbomb]

Despite the obvious, the WMXX Benoit/HHH/HBK Triple Threat was a massive deal to me at the time - they'd done a great job of portraying Benoit as the perennial nearly-man, positioned him as the smarks' favourite, and solidified that by working the internet by leaking that they weren't planning to put the belt on him at Mania. 

Savage/Flair at WM8 was also a big deal. They built it up so well, with the Elizabeth angle and Flair heeling it beautifully.

EDIT: Great call on Bret/Bulldog there.

Edited November 12, 2021 by Carbomb

[HarmonicGenerator]

36 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

Despite the obvious, the WMXX Benoit/HHH/HBK Triple Threat was a massive deal to me at the time - they'd done a great job of portraying Benoit as the perennial nearly-man, positioned him as the smarks' favourite, and solidified that by working the internet by leaking that they weren't planning to put the belt on him at Mania. 

Savage/Flair at WM8 was also a big deal. They built it up so well, with the Elizabeth angle and Flair heeling it beautifully.

EDIT: Great call on Bret/Bulldog there.

Yeah, unfortunately the first one that came to mind for me was Benoit at WrestleMania XX. I remember (quietly) yelling at the TV for Triple H to tap out, and was overjoyed when he actually did.

More recently, I got completely swept up in Kofimania and definitely had a bit of a cheer when he beat Bryan at WM35.

Edited November 12, 2021 by HarmonicGenerator

[JNLister]

When Flair won the Rumble, I jumped up and punched the air so hard that I grazed my knuckle on the ceiling.

[Keith Houchen]

Hogan V Savage. I hated Hogan back then with his Yankee Doodle dickface shit and Savage was my favourite. Sky had adverts for Mania as it had happened a month or so before it aired, and the last clip in the ad was Savage hitting the elbow. It really got my hopes up. 

[mim731]

13 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

More recently, I got completely swept up in Kofimania and definitely had a bit of a cheer when he beat Bryan at WM35.

I was just coming in here to post this. That win, and the moment that never seemed like it would come with Kofi finally getting that win was something that made me jump out of my seat. I genuinely think is up there with Bryan and Benoit, and really any other in terms of investment from me. 

[Max Power]

Backlash 2000.

Rock was shafted at Wrestlemania, but now Austin was back to make sure that shit went down that night.

When Rock hits the spinebuster into the People's Elbow, I still love it to this day.

[Kfogg1991]

I can't really remember way back when in terms of this topic however I remember the last one In the realms of WWE was the wrestlemania main event with Brock Lesnar I can't remember who against but I was really excited for Seth Rollins to cash in his money in the bank briefcase 

[Hannibal Scorch]

Of recent times, WM 30 with Bryan. My first was Hulk/Undertaker at Tuesday in Texas as I had not long gotten into wrestling when Undertaker cheated the belt away from Hogan (yet had no issue with Hogan cheating to get it back).

Bret/Bulldog was another huge one as well. In AEW I think when Darby beat Cody for the TNT and Fuego vs Miro on Rampage stood out. But Hangman/Omega has surpassed both of those.

[Tsurutagun]

So when I was 10 and it was "real to me" I was so nervous about the Shawn Michaels vs Mankind match as a fan of HBK with Mankind being undefeated and beating Taker twice so far. Sky weren't showing the In Your House's back then so waiting to the first WWF show after and finding out that Shawn had retained, I was so relieved. 

I remember in a time when I would always check out Smackdown spoilers when I went a week without looking in wrestling websites so I could watch Angle vs Lesnar in an Ironman match and wanting Angle to win really bad. 

Ngl, Cody got me hooked into watching Full Gear and really invested in his world title match two years ago in a time when my wreatling fandom was getting reduced. 

[Guest]

Mine is far more local. For as long as I started going to UK shows my guy was DCT. He wasn’t a top star, but I liked his character and style was tv early 90s “worker” moves I like. Watched him pick up titles in different places, but ICW was the big deal up here. He worked his way up the card, and won a #1 contender match to face Stevie Boy at Shugs Hoose Party. Immediate thought was that he was just a contender for Stevie to beat as he was clearly The top guy. 
As the event got closer, rumours started that DCT was quitting. Just murmurs from people at shows, nothing canon or on shows. He started losing at other shows he did and wasn’t announced for much coming up. 
 

as it was my favourite wrestlers biggest match, I recorded a two part podcast with him. Got contributions from his biggest friends and opponents and dropped them in. Probably one of my pods I’m most proud of. 

before the big ICW shows, there’s a live podcast type show that gets run called the one Fall sessions. After it was talking to a wrestler who dropped in that DCT was indeed leaving for Australia, which D confirmed and did leave later in the year for. So this gave away the finish for the weekend for me. I’m not into acting smart, so when asked about the show I kept up that I thought D was winning. 
 

in build up, he tweeted that he’d never had the streamers we used to throw for Polo Promotions which he used to be a part of. I’d usually organised that, so stuck an order In for those that wanted them. 
 

the Sunday of the show Comes. I’m there thinking that this is the last I’ll see him wrestle, bit of an end of an era. In the queue I’m talking to someone working the show who says I should keep a streamer for after the match. I think they are joking and think nothing off it. Match comes, in his entrance he stops and we share a hug, nothing unusual as I’m well known as being a massive fan. he heads in and it’s on, interference strewn, big moves, ref bumps. I’m just waiting for it to be over after all the build. Not gonna lie I was dreading it and the slagging after that he lost in the pub as silly as that sounds. Then DCT hits a running knee.

1…2………3. Silence. Felt like forever then a roar as the bell rang and match was over. Just fucking jubilation at the massive massive shock. 

(I’m the very shocked in yellow )

mates from across the room come running to celebrate with me. Just chaos. He poses in ring with the belt. Won’t lie I’m in tears. After years of being over wrestling I’m shocked and stunned in a way I didn’t think possible. I knew what was happening and then this. He left the ring and again we hugged. This one comes with a story. Not only did the ringside photographer get this 

after I left the show I was sent these from People I knew across the room who all said things like “ I wanted to be sure you had a pic of this” . That meant and still means so much as I live every day thinking people don’t like me. 

 

wrestling has been a constant in my life. I’ve always kept an eye on it even when not obsessed. Going to uk shows revitalised what had turned into a boring life, it got me out more, made loads of friends, loads of experiences from podcasting, being in a rumble, getting sponsored thousands doing half marathons and got me back to going to football. For all it did, the build and result of this match made me, and still makes me happy beyond the many words above. I have a couple of the pics above printed and in my home office space. The realest wrestling ever was and ever will be for me. 

Edited November 13, 2021 by Louch

[TildeGuy~!]

As a child Bret beating Yoko at Wrestlemania X stuck out to me, finally getting his revenge on the foreigner and Cunt Hogan a year later.

[RedRooster]

1 hour ago, BomberPat said:

Eddie vs. Brock was the first time I remember actually cheering at a TV screen. I was watching it live, volume down, in the living room, while my parents were asleep upstairs. Eddie had really snuck up on me as a wrestler I was that invested in, and I don't think I realised going into the match just how much I had bought into the story.

I knew the plan was for Lesnar/Goldberg at Wrestlemania, and just assumed that they'd keep the belt on Brock for that match - I mean, would they really have him lose it to Eddie Guerrero of all people? As the match built and built, I was completely on the edge of my seat, and remember actually jumping up and cheering at the three count because they completely got me, and I honestly think it was right up until the ref's hand hit the mat a third time that I believed they were actually going through with it. 

I still remember how deflated I felt when Goldberg interfered, Eddie went for the pin, and Lesnar kicked out. I couldn't see Eddie coming back from that, and it made that blast of emotion when he turned things round all the more powerful - for me, the way they laid out the match was absolutely genius.