Was King Kong Bundy Really The Biggest Drop Off?

[The Brain]

Last night on Raw the Miz mentioned that the biggest main event drop off in WrestleMania history was King Kong Bundy from WrestleMania 2 to WrestleMania III. While Bundy did fall considerably down the card from one year to the next I’m not so sure that he is the biggest drop off. There have been a few other stars who main evented mania one year to have a pretty insignificant role the next. Looking back at all the people to have competed in a mania main event who would you say had the biggest drop off the following year? Please refrain from selecting someone who was either no longer with the company or injured the year after his mania main event.

Bundy is definitely in the conversation but I think the biggest drop off was Sgt. Slaughter. He walked into WM7 as WWF champion with more heat than anyone had ever had. He headlined the show against Hulk Hogan. At WM8 he was a mediocre baby face and just one of eight men in a random tag match. Nobody would have thought anything of it if someone else was in Slaughter’s place for that match. Bundy was involved in a strange gimmick match but at least it was memorable. Dropping the elbow on Little Beaver was actually a pretty big moment at WM3. Obviously it was a far cry from the main event but Bundy did leave a mark that night. I would say Bundy’s match at WM3 was more memorable and ranks higher on the mania match list than Slaughter’s WM8 match. One thing about Slaughter was he was obviously brought in as a temporary main event heel for WM7 while Bundy should have been a top guy for the next few years. Even so my pick for biggest main event drop off goes to the Sarge.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

Paul Orndorff had a pretty significant drop-off. He was part of the main event in Wrestlemania 1, tagging with Piper against Hogan and Mr. T. The next year he was in a four-minute double countout match against Muraco. Everyone from WM1 had a significant match (Piper v. T in a boxing match, Hogan beat Bundy for the title) except Orndorff.

For me, that's pretty significant.

 

[ProWrestlingFan84]

The minute I saw this, I had to reply and The Brain, you have a great argument with the Sarge. Clearly he was just there for the storyline of everything going on at the time with the first Gulf War and Sarge against Hulk Hogan. Since The Miz said his statement I've been thinking about who has been the biggest fall from grace.

One that I can think of is Paul Orndorff from Mania 1 to Mania 2. In the first he was in the main event tag team with Roddy Piper in the losing effort against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. Also I believe shortly after this time he had a feud with Hogan and had some championship matches. Fast forward a year later and he's in the opening match against Don "The Rock" Muraco. It wasn't a bad match but the match just ended in a double count out which I don't think was ever repeated in Mania history.
Now I was way too young to understand why Paul's fall from grace, whether it was nagging injury or what not but just something I was thinking about.

Great post idea.

 

[CleverName51]

For me it's Eddie Guerrero, Wrestlemania XX he defeated Kurt Angle for the WWE Title and then curtain jerked WM 21 with Rey Mysterio in a match that, compared to the end of the card at 21, was kind of insignificant IMO.

Or, a close second

Big Show, he main evented WM 16 (2000) and in 2001 was part of a Hardcore Title Match that was overshadowed by the rest of an amazing WM 17 card


I'm assuming we don't count anyone who retired/or missed the next Mania due to injury

 

[Peoples_Champ]

It probably wasn't as significant, but pretty notable was Ricky Steamboat's drop-off. Wrestlemania 3 he stole the show with Macho Man for the IC title. Wrestlemania 4 he was out in the first round of the title tournament, losing to Greg Valentine (who then lost in the next round himself).

 

[Killercam]

Here's two. Ted Dibeosi from IV-V. At 4 he was a part of the biggest storyline going in (Andre-Hulk, buying the belt etc) and ended up in the main event and the next he's in the first hour of the card against Brutus B. The other is Lex Luger. He was technically apart of the main event with Yoko & Bret at WM X and I remember thinking it was for sure gonna be his day but for whatever reason that was the beginning of the end for him and he was stuck in the opener at 11 teaming with the Bulldog for the very first time against a team nobody would even remember if not for that match. There havent really been that many but those two come to mind.

 

[samus500]

For me it has to be Randy Savage...at Wrestlemania VIII he won the WWF Title from Ric Flair and then by Wrestlemania IX he was just a color commentator...however, as he was sporadically wrestling on early editions of RAW and essentially being phased out as a wrestler, I guess you can interpret this as Vince wanting to establish younger stars as Randy was far from his prime in '93.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

For me it's Eddie Guerrero, Wrestlemania XX he defeated Kurt Angle for the WWE Title and then curtain jerked WM 21 with Rey Mysterio in a match that, compared to the end of the card at 21, was kind of insignificant IMO.

I wouldn't even put Eddie Guerrero in the same conversation. WM21 was a beast of a card in that, with the exception of the Women's Title, every match had a former/current/future World Champion involved. In that sense one of those bouts had to become the opening match. If this match happened in another WM like 22, 23, or 24 it would be comfortably in the middle of the card.

Though I guess to answer the question I would go for Lex Luger from X to XI. You can argue that King Kong Bundy, Slaughter, Yokozuna, or The Big Show had big drop offs but the difference with Luger is that we was to be anointed as "the man", the guy who co-won the Rumble and was one of the top faces in the Company. So going from a Championship Contender at X to a Throw Away OPening Tag Team Match at XI is pretty significant.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Hard to argue with Slaughter. I will throw out a name though to add to the discussion.

Brock Lesnar from 19 to 20. At 19 Lesnar pinned Angle to win the WWE Championship. Then at 20 he was in a boring mid card match with Goldberg that he lost. The heat in that match was extreme as both guys were leaving the company and it was a solid five minutes into the match before anything significant happened. The best part of the match was Austin as special referee and playing to the crowd

 

[The Brain]

Paul Orndorff had a pretty significant drop-off. He was part of the main event in Wrestlemania 1, tagging with Piper against Hogan and Mr. T. The next year he was in a four-minute double countout match against Muraco. Everyone from WM1 had a significant match (Piper v. T in a boxing match, Hogan beat Bundy for the title) except Orndorff.

For me, that's pretty significant.

One that I can think of is Paul Orndorff from Mania 1 to Mania 2. In the first he was in the main event tag team with Roddy Piper in the losing effort against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. Also I believe shortly after this time he had a feud with Hogan and had some championship matches. Fast forward a year later and he's in the opening match against Don "The Rock" Muraco. It wasn't a bad match but the match just ended in a double count out which I don't think was ever repeated in Mania history.
Now I was way too young to understand why Paul's fall from grace, whether it was nagging injury or what not but just something I was thinking about.

Great post idea.

Paul Orndorff did cross my mind while creating this thread. I didn't go with him because on paper his match with Muraco was a good mania match. Paul Orndorff and Don Muraco were two of the biggest names in the WWF in the mid 80s. This was just a little before my time as a wrestling fan but I have to assume people were pretty excited for this match. The problem was the match was a total dud. It got about four minutes and ended in a double count out. The fans were obviously disappointed as a "bullshit" chant broke out in the arena. That chant was about ten years ahead of its time at a wrestling event. If that match got about ten minutes it would have been fine. I can't call it the biggest drop off because on paper it was a strong match.

Here's two. Ted Dibeosi from IV-V. At 4 he was a part of the biggest storyline going in (Andre-Hulk, buying the belt etc) and ended up in the main event and the next he's in the first hour of the card against Brutus B. The other is Lex Luger. He was technically apart of the main event with Yoko & Bret at WM X and I remember thinking it was for sure gonna be his day but for whatever reason that was the beginning of the end for him and he was stuck in the opener at 11 teaming with the Bulldog for the very first time against a team nobody would even remember if not for that match. There havent really been that many but those two come to mind.

Dibiase crossed my mind too. Like Orndorff vs. Muraco, Dibiase vs. Beefcake was a good match on paper between two of the top stars. I just don't know why they didn't have any kind of storyline. Dibiase was a top heel and Beefcake was a top face. They were natural opponents at the time for mania. The problem was there was no angle. It was just a match.

I don't consider Luger as part of the main event of WM10 but if you want to look at it like that he definitely had the biggest drop off. I think his drop off started at WM10 though when he became an after thought on the card that should have been built around him.

 

[Headman]

For me it was Sgt. Slaughter. He went from defending the WWF Championship against Hulk Hogan to tagging with Big Boss Man, Jim Duggan and Virgil in an 8 man tag match against the Nasty Boys, The Mountie and the freakin' Repoman! I can't imagine a bigger drop off than that.

 

[danvandam]

I think I will go with the Miz on this argument. Even though Sarge seems like a good choice, but in honestly I think it was meant to be his last run and he even knew that. Bundy on the other hand was in his prime, being a monster heel, knowing he wouldn't be feuding with Hogan forever, but at least he probably thought he would be against another establish top babyface. Wrestling in a 8 man tag match is quite a drop off but still respectful. Being a monster and wrestling midgets is embarrassing. Adding Hillbilly Jim to the mix made it worse (he was the Santino at the time, crowd pleaser, not meant to be taken seriously)

 

[berlinbrawler]

Miz made a pretty good case for Bundy. I don't think anyone tops it.

Well, maybe Randy Savage. At Wrestlemania V he was the main event against the Hulkster. At Wrestlemania VI he was in a mixed tag team match with Sensational Sherri in a losing effort against a polka dot wearing Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire...

 

[HeenanGorilla]

As soon as Miz said that, I started going through the Mania main events in my mind. My first thought was "Slaughter had a huge drop off." From being hated enough to the point where Vince was able to sell that "sniper/venue change" story, to being part of a comedy popcorn match, it seems like that was a major drop off. I agree with the OP.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

I think the biggest in terms of position on the card is jointly held by Andre and Hogan... they went from the biggest match of all time to a double countout in the first round of the title tournament.

Sarge was only ever going to be a one mania headliner... so it's unfair to judge him as failing. He was brought in specifically to feud with Hogan and he was then putting others over. Andre and Hogan were not in contention for that tourney win, arguably they shouldn't have been part of it...

 

[RicSpade]

In my personal opinion the guys who are still in the company and atleast are on the card are really the most significant still, I mean think about it Bundy was on the card from WM 1-3 wasn't he? and he lost to the Undertaker at a WM so his drop off isn't really that bad...

If you really want my opinion on the worst drop off my hat goes to Booker T. he loses to Edge in his first WM, then co-main events with Triple H at WM 19 then curtain jerks a tag team 4 way with RVD (who is another close one on the list) then wins dark matches a battle royal and then loses to the boogeyman at the next WM? I mean what significance did he have on the event? hell even his persona of King Booker was in a MITB match, but still lost... so you can pick whoever you want but honestly I pick Booker T.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

There were quite a few drop offs but for my taste I think the biggest drop offs weren't Bundy but Sgt. Slaughter and The Big Show.

Bundy did drop off quite a bit but at the same time his match at WM3 did end up being very memorable in its own right, I mean the guy got to be a dastardly heel and abuse a midget! In its own way that's a memorable Wrestlemania moment.

Slaughter on the other hand went from being the hottest heel in the world at WM7 to being thrown into a forgettable mixed tag match at WM8 as a mediocre babyface, how much more of a drop off can you get? In '91 there was no heel more hated than Slaughter, he was WWF champion going into WM7 against the biggest babyface of all time, the guy was so hated he got death threats for himself and his family. Then out of no where he asks for America's forgiveness and become Jim Duggan's tag team partner and fell off the radar faster than almost anyone I can remember.

Big Show went from being part of the main event at WM2000 to being in the second or third match at WM17 fighting for the Hardcore title, shortly after that he was demoted down to Ohio Valley Wrestling, that's how far off the radar the Big Show fell. Sure his WM match was fun to watch (I enjoyed it) but it was a throwaway match for the Big Show. He wasn't in a big feud, he was just put in a match so he had something to do, they certainly had no plans for him at all and it was a Hardcore Title match. That title was less prestigious than the Diva's championship for Christ sake.

I can't decide which one was worse, Slaughter was the hottest thing in wrestling and fell to the mid card. Although Big Show wasn't nearly as hot as Slaughter was at WM2000, I feel he fell a lot further than Slaughter did, he didn't fall down the ladder, he fell off it completely.

 

[degenxr1]

Bundy is my choice. Sarge has worked in the back; and been able to do the now and again appearance. Bundy just disappeared and has never been asked back. No one seems to have any reason why? Sarge still works for them so he has been pulling in a paycheck from them---Bundy-stand up-occasional indy shows, corrections hmmmmm?

 

[Tattooed Jesus]

I agree with Miz on Bundy, for the reasons many of you have already stated. I totally disagree on Sgt Slaughter. When Slaughter did that angle with Hogan he was pretty much semi-retired by that point in his career anyways, and this was to be his last run of any real meaning, and he made the most of it. Anything he did after that was just because he was and still is a big enough name for the WWE to trot out every now and again for that nostalgic USA chant pop! Paul Orndorff would be the only other real big name that I think fell from grace at an astronomical rate. He was one of the top heels teaming with Piper facing off against Hogan and then was pretty much never heard of again.

 

[Headman]

I think I will go with the Miz on this argument. Even though Sarge seems like a good choice, but in honestly I think it was meant to be his last run and he even knew that. Bundy on the other hand was in his prime, being a monster heel, knowing he wouldn't be feuding with Hogan forever, but at least he probably thought he would be against another establish top babyface. Wrestling in a 8 man tag match is quite a drop off but still respectful. Being a monster and wrestling midgets is embarrassing. Adding Hillbilly Jim to the mix made it worse (he was the Santino at the time, crowd pleaser, not meant to be taken seriously)

Hillbilly Jim was incredibly over. Plus he was a big man that could physically match up with Bundy. Bundy also got good heat for squashing Little Beaver. Nothing really came of it, but I still think going into an unhyped 8 man is worse.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

This will be my last post on this site because there are too many people who cannot read. This is about main-eventing Wrestlemania one year and dropping off the NEXT year. My disgust is not pointed at those who think people dropped off further than Slaughter. That's fine. It's your opinion and I see many of your points.

But, the idiots on this site who answer questions that aren't asked is infuriating. You say Bundy because Slaughter still has a job with the company?!?! WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MIZ'S/OP'S ORIGINAL POINT?!!? It is a one-year-to-the-next topic and you dumbasses come in with your pre-made decisions and post nonsense.

Enjoy each other. I love wrestling and what it offers, but you people are sad and hopeless. Good luck in life, losers.

 

[Trill Co$by]

This will be my last post on this site because there are too many people who cannot read. This is about main-eventing Wrestlemania one year and dropping off the NEXT year. My disgust is not pointed at those who think people dropped off further than Slaughter. That's fine. It's your opinion and I see many of your points.

But, the idiots on this site who answer questions that aren't asked is infuriating. You say Bundy because Slaughter still has a job with the company?!?! WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MIZ'S/OP'S ORIGINAL POINT?!!? It is a one-year-to-the-next topic and you dumbasses come in with your pre-made decisions and post nonsense.

Enjoy each other. I love wrestling and what it offers, but you people are sad and hopeless. Good luck in life, losers.

You mad?

---

Anyway, I really had to think about this one for a little bit because there have been a couple of Big Drop Offs in Mania history. But I think that I would have to give the biggest one to Christian, as much as I don't like him. He was one of the people who was heavily involved with making WrestleMania 17 the success it was for being one of the best Manias of all time... he was one of the center pieces for the tag division that made it so magical. And then he went from the top of the world to basically the scrap pile.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the DDP & Christian angle with the whole cry baby routine and all, but it just didn't feel right to have such a promising star at the time to be dwindled to a mere jobber title position.

 

[dingman29]

sid had 2 significant drop offs (both main events too)

wrestlemania 8 being defeated by hogan then he was not with the company

wrestlemania 13 as wwf champion defeated by the undertaker then once again not being in the company

id say its a worse drop off stabbing arn anderson and going to the indys than still having a job and complaining about not being on the card, or opening matches, tag matches, midgets etc

 

[Xtremebyrd2k6]

i think everyone is missing the big picture. Bundy was in a match with FUCKING MIDGETS!!!! 8 man tags and boring midcard matches are christmas compared being stuck in a midget match just ask jerry lawler

 

[MrExcitement]

I'm hoping it'll be Miz this year. How the FUCK did he ever main-event anything, let alone a 'mania?! The guy looks like a flabbier Buff Bagwell, can't talk, can't work, isn't a good heel, is a terrible babyface and can't get over even when he's booked as a heel killer against Cena.

Buff Bagwell>Miz. I hate Bagwell, but that's the truth.

Someone with the guts to go against the IWC flow and bag the Miz. I like it, i have never thought he was as good as the internet has hyped him, but i wouldnt go that far.

I was thinking along the lines of Sid. Dingman already mentioned his fall and i would have to agree that not being even on the WM card (or in the WWF) is worse than crushing midget wrestlers.