Best Short Runs in WWF / WWE History

[IrishCanadian25]

We spend so much time on these boards discussing who the "greatest of all time" are, or the "most impressive career" with names like Hogan, Flair, Hart, Michaels, etc. ALWAYS being tossed around.

But a strange dynamic that we often overlook are the wrestlers who absolutely BURST onto the WWF / WWE scene, make a HUGE impact, and then disappear less than 3-5 years later, never to be seen again.

Guys like Goldberg don't count. Despite his short WWE career, he brought superstardom with him from WCW. Here are a few guys I thought of who fit the category of "greatest short runs in history."

1. Brock Lesnar. The benchmark. The difinitive favorite. From 2002-2004, he was THE big thing in pro wrestling. He schooled the Hardyz and RVD to win the King of the Ring. He destroyed The Rock - clean - at Summerslam. He had some of the most amazing matches EVER with Kurt Angle. And he ran away amidst a huge feud with Goldberg before a shot with Austin.

2. Bobby Lashley. Same shit as Lesnar, only I don't look at Lashley as the potenial legend Lesnar was. But the guy was an athlete, and from 2005-2008, he had the wrestling world at his feet. He was handed ECW to run with and given the massive Trump / McMahon feud at Wrestlemania.

3. Ludvig Borga. This guy was in the WWE during 1993 and 1994 under the persona of a Finnish powerlifting champion. After annhiliating Marty Jannetty at SummerSlam 1993 (yes, 15 years ago!), Borga ended Tatanka's 2-year undefeated streak and feuded with main eventer Lex Luger, even helping headline the 1993 Survivor Series. Originally, Borga was supposed to beat Undertaker for the WWF title and then lose to Luger at Wrestlemania 10, but he hurt his ankle and the run was over as fast as it started.

4. The Patriot. Spending only part of 1997 in the WWF, Del Wilkes -The Patriot - beat Shawn Michaels on TV and narrowy lost to him at In Your House - Ground Zero to just miss winning the WWF Title. This guy came from out of nowhere and got an instant Main Event push in the biggest angle in wrestling - Bret Hart vs the USA.

 

[klunderbunker]

Have to go with Ahmed Johnson. He was in the company just under two and a half years and was injured a decent amount of that time. Before he got hurt and left he was being groomed for the WWF title. THe pops he was getting were Jeff Hardy-esque. He had the look, the power, the build, the name, the finisher, just about everythign that he needed. The only thing he was missing was the fire that was needed to be a main eventer. He won the IC title and then got hurt. After that, he just was never the same. This guy showed up and took WWF by storm almost like Lesnar did. Could've been interesting to see what he could have done had he never gotten hurt.

 

[Big Sexy]

I think the two best short runs were Ahmed Johnson and Brock Lesnar.

Johnson- Burst onto the scene in 1995 and went on a big winning streak, by 1996 he had won the ic title and started teaming with main event guys like HBK. He even won a battle royal to become the #1 contender for the heavyweight title but he got a legit kidney injury after ron simmons attacked him and he was forced to give up the ic title and the heavyweight title shot. When he came back he got another small push, turned heel and was again in line for a title shot but he got injured again, gained some weight, and left the wwe in 1998.

Lesnar- Came in 2002 crushed both the Hardyz in a short feud and then won the king of the ring. Then he had a short feud where he crushed Hogan and then beat The Rock for the title. After that he was on top of the WWE for 2 years. He was like what John Cena is now. Then he left for the NFL.

 

[DMAIN]

Here are some runs that went under-appreciated, a couple of which could be considered at the top:

Brain Busters (Oct 88 - Nov 89) Tag Team champs for 3 months, defeated teams like Demolition, Rockers, Hart Foundation, and Strike Force

Kerry Von Erich (July 90 - June 92) 3 month IC title run, nearly flawless PPV record

Bad News Brown (Feb 88 - Aug 90) One of the Top Heels for 2-1/2 yrs, feuding with Macho Man (while WHC), Hulk Hogan (while WHC), Jake Roberts, Roddy Piper. Promised title run, but Vince screwed him

Goldberg (Mar 03 - Mar 04) 3 month reign as Heavweight champ, main-evented several PPV's

Lex Luger (Feb 93 - Aug 95) Royal Rumble winner, year long main-eventer, arguably biggest face for 12-15 months

 

[klunderbunker]

Here are some runs that went under-appreciated, a couple of which could be considered at the top:

Brain Busters (Oct 88 - Nov 89) Tag Team champs for 3 months, defeated teams like Demolition, Rockers, Hart Foundation, and Strike Force

Kerry Von Erich (July 90 - June 92) 3 month IC title run, nearly flawless PPV record

Bad News Brown (Feb 88 - Aug 90) One of the Top Heels for 2-1/2 yrs, feuding with Macho Man (while WHC), Hulk Hogan (while WHC), Jake Roberts, Roddy Piper. Promised title run, but Vince screwed him

Goldberg (Mar 03 - Mar 04) 3 month reign as Heavweight champ, main-evented several PPV's

Lex Luger (Feb 93 - Aug 95) Royal Rumble winner, year long main-eventer, arguably biggest face for 12-15 months

I'm not sure about Goldberg, Luger, and the Busters here. All of those guys had made huge names for themselves already in WCW/NWA. Same with people like Flair. The fans of these companies weren't stupid at the time. They knew the other companies were out there even though they weren't mentioned on regular television. They had big runs in WWF, but I can't imagine that would be the case had they not already had their time in the other company.

On the other hand, guys like Von Erich and Brown I'll have to agree with. Von Erich was a god in WCCW, but not everyone had heard of that company at the time. He came in and took the company by storm in his first few months, but then just sort of fell off the face of the map the last year he was there. Brown was coming off a medal in the Olympics and was perfect as the evil heel. He could've been huge but from what I've heard/read, which mainly was from him, Hogan wouldn't drop the belt to him like he had been promised. The time he was there though he was great indeed.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

I will go with Muhammad hassan. He might have never reached the levels of Lesnar or Lashley but for his short run he made quite and impact. I also believe if the whole london bombing thing didnt happen and that Hassan didnt want to go into acting he could have been a major heel in the wwe. Hussan lacked alot of thing but I think he would have been a monster heel right now.

 

[Slim Pickns]

To me there is really only two who I can say are a cut above the rest.

Brock Lesnar- Brock had not only one of the most dominant runs, but one of the most believable dominant runs. When he got the clean win that Irish eluded to, the crowd bought it. When he was booked over Hogan, Angle, and Taker the crowd bought it. The guy was so big so athletic and so talented that no matter how dominant he was booked, people bought it.

Ludvig Borga- How can you doubt a guys dominance who was undefeated in singles matches his entire run? The only time he was pinned was Survivor Series' main event against The All Americans. I know his run came short due to injury, but he was still never booked to lose, even on the way out.

 

[klunderbunker]

Borga really was an amazing story. He was in the company for 7 months and he's still remembered today. If I remember correctly, he was scheduled for a title feud but he was injured and Yokozuna kept the belt instead of losing it to Taker who would've dropped it to Borga. That really is amazing to think that in just 6 months at the time he was being primed for a title run which would have ended at Wrestlemania. No one ever has come that far that fast. It really is a shame that he blew his ankle out and never came back as he could have been an absolute force in the company. Taht backbreaker he used was a great heel finisher and he connected with the audience as a heel. I remember almost crying when he beat Tatanka.

 

[ecw4life]

Brock Lesnar. He had some of the most legendary matches. He won Royal Rumble, King of the Ring. His matches with Kurt Angle and the ring collapse with Big Show! Lesnar.

The most underused short run was K-Kwik. But hes comin back so hopefully they use him.

 

[Big Sexy]

I will go with Muhammad hassan. He might have never reached the levels of Lesnar or Lashley but for his short run he made quite and impact. I also believe if the whole london bombing thing didnt happen and that Hassan didnt want to go into acting he could have been a major heel in the wwe. Hussan lacked alot of thing but I think he would have been a monster heel right now.

Hassan was ok, but he never held a title and he never had a clean win over any major superstar. He might have become a great superstar, but I don't think his short run can compare to anyone else that has been mentioned.

 

[klunderbunker]

I think with Hassan he was the epitome of what could have been had real life/politics not happened to him. WWE had some of the worst timing imaginable to have put on the beheading angle the day of the issue in Spain, and it's not like there was really anything they could do with a taped show. Hassan should have been able to continue in WWE, even if it meant lowering his role for awhile in the company. His impact, while very short lived was great for its time. I believe he was supposed to beat Taker and go on to win the belt from winning that match. The problem is he wasn't around long enough to do any of this, making his short run full of potential but never having the real time to play out.

 

[RatedRFan]

i thinking of someone who wasent really on the top, but could have been one of the more exciting high flyers in wwe.....any guesses? essa rios, he could have been more exciting than rey mysterio ever has been, he seemed like he could have been destined to be at the very least a mulitple time IC/US champion. if he was giving the chance i think he could have been very entertaining, and a blast to watch... i mean does wwe even have any good highfliers? dont say jeff hardy either(i love him and he got some grapefruits, but jumping from High spots/Xtra tall ladders doesnt make you a great high flyer)

 

[jmt225]

I agree with Brock Lesnar. He's been the best champion WWE has had since HBK in the mid-nineties (to me, anyway). He could deliver from all angles. I like Cena a lot, but he's nothing compared to the next big thing. Brock was truly one of a kind.

The Texas Tornado's run was awesome. I was such a big fan of his. It really sucks what happened to him and the rest of his family.

Adam Bomb is another dude I loved when I was a kid, but I thought he was underutilized. I thought he should've beaten HBK for the IC Title when they had that feud and deserve a nice stretch with it. I remember being extremely disappointed when he lost that match. But hey, does anyone else remember those little footballs he would throw out to the crowd when he was a babyface? I wanted one of those things so bad, lol. But yeah, he was pretty awesome. All of Bryan Clark’s gimmicks that followed failed in comparison to Adam Bomb.

And The 123 Kid was another guy who I ended up being a huge mark for. I know he went on to have long, successful runs as Syxx and X-Pac, but The 123 Kid's run in WWE will always be my favorite thing that Sean Waltman ever gave us. From his upset against Razor, to having unbelievably great matches against Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, dude was awesome. The only thing I didn't like was that stupid fucking diaper match he had with Razor where he had to cry like a bitch and wear a diaper after a match he lost against him. I remember being so pissed about that. But other than that and him having to tag with worthless douchebags like Spark Plug Holly, I loved Waltman's run in WWE as The 123 Kid.

 

[DJ]

I think everyones forgetting one man-

Vader.

As soon as he came in he was pushed like a star.First he destroyed everyone in the rumble.Then got a storyline with Yokozuna before heading off to face Shawn Michaels at Summerslam.This was all in his debut year.The Next year wasn't as good but he was dominating.The following year he had a great big man feud with Kane.Then he became a jobber to the stars.......but in 3 years Vader was aboustly brutal and dominating.

 

[Shocky]

G2S, I think the focus of the thread is moreso on virtual unknowns or rookies that came in and made an impact right away. Guys like Luger, Anderson, Blanchard, and Vader all were established names here stateside before they came to the WWF. However, the title of the thread is a bit confusing so you maybe right with your post.

I think people nailed most of the big ones on the head. Borga was fan fucking tastic, and as said, it's amazing how a guy that was with the company less then a year is still remembered, and remembered quite fondly, considering he really never accomplished anything in the company. A prime example of "What If?"

I wouldn't go with Muhammad Hassan. Personally I felt Hassan was atrocious on the microphone. The way he annunciated different words was so irritating. It always seemed like he was trying too hard to get his point across instead of just saying things naturally. Plus, the entire gimmick was based on cheap heat, and cheap heat only.

Ahmed Johnson was a personal favorite of mine. That dude was all intensity and just pure strength. The injury bug however came up and just ripped this guy a new asshole every chance it could (Plus Simmons punting his Kidney's too hell and back because he didn't think he "Paid his Dues" was a bit of a hold up.") Honestly, if Johnson wouldn't have been injured, we would have been talking about the first Black Man to hold the WWF championship in my opinion.

Bobby Lashley. Lashley, I was not a fan of until the end of his career in the WWE. People like to shit on Lashley and his poor wrestling ability, which maybe the dumbest statement I have ever heard. You know, the guy was a champion in the military at wrestling, but clearly the guy can't wrestler. I think Lashley was a victim of the WWE and it's preconceived perception of typecasting guys with certain body types into certain stereotypical roles into the company. Lashley was obviously a big, powerful looking man, so clearly he shouldn't use any of his mat skills and just go all power. Very bad idea in my opinion. His one match with Chris Benoit opened my eyes to how good Lashley could have been, but backstage racial issues (Heaven's no, not the WWE) saw Lashley take his dignity and pride and leave the company, again a company that has never had a full blooded African American as it's WWE Champion.

Brock Lesnar: The Measuring Stick, pretty much is all you need to say about this man. No one, and I mean no one, had a year in wrestling, let alone a rookie campaign, like Brock Lesnar (I will listen to the Kurt Angle argument). Lesnar dominated what at the time was seen as the best tag team in the business in the Hardy's, by himself. Went onto win the KotR in just 2 months. At the three mark month, He made Hogan passout in a bearhug, effectively ending the Hulksters 2002 return. At four months he cleanly left the Rock lying on his back in the Main Event of Summerslam for his first WWE Title (an undisputed title before Triple H wanted to derail Lesnars momentum by splitting the belts up, but that's an argument for another thread). At 6 months, he left the Undertaker lying battered, bloodied and beaten inside of a Hell in a Cell. This was all within 6 months, not to mention winning the Rumble, and winning his second world title in the Main Event of Wrestlemania, all within his first year. Please, anyone, try and find someone that made more of an impact then Brock Lesnar. When Wrestler of the Decade comes up, Lesnar only wrestling two years is going to be considered a top ten finalist.

 

[foundation611]

I agree Lesnar is the measuring stick. I never liked the guy but he had it all then didn't want to do it anymore. I'll never forget Summer Slam 2002 when he whipped the Rock and not only that but Rock got booed out of the building that night and Lesnar was getting cheered like crazy. (I still think they should have the KoR tournament and set up a title shot for Summer Slam like they did that year with Lesnar but that's another topic.) They were in Long Island and I"ll never forget that reaction they got. Almost like Cena/Trips at Mania 22. No one comes close to that monster run Lesnar had. He won the title quickly and was a multiple time champ. Vince pushed him to the moon and he left almost as quickly.
I liked Hassan and thought he had real potential but didn't have the heart for the business. He left quickly after the controversy and wanted to act so his run wasn't memorable because he didn't win a title or anything significant. Lashley was being groomed as the next big thing but they were taking it slower than they did with Lesnar. He didn't have the heart for pro wrestling either. That's what all these guys have in common. Didn't have that passion to stay long term.