Your Most Emotional Moments in Wrestling

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

We're all here because we're fans of pro wrestling, or were at one time and seek the community of those who still are. And at some point I think we've all had those moments where a certain wrestler, angle, or feud sparked legitimate emotion in us through their work. For some, maybe it was a huge title win that was a long time coming for a very deserving Superstar. Or maybe it was the end of an era, like when Ivan Koloff ended Bruno Sammartino's longest title reign in WWE history. Perhaps, if you take a darker approach, it was the tragic loss of one of our heroes?

I'm talking about the emotional moments you live for as a wrestling fan. The ones that make your favorite wrestler the "best of all time", and the memories you will never forget. What are yours?

(NOTE: I understand that almost all wrestling fans were effected by his death, but if we could refrain from an entire thread about the passing of Eddie Guerrero that would make for better discussion. Thanks!)

 

[ProudFlairMark]

Great topic for a thread. I've always been of the mindset that most fans or ardent supporter of any sport or activity must have an emotional attachment to it. I was speaking today with my friend and we spoke of having tears in his eyes. This person has his doctorate and is a professor at a major university and he was talking about crying over wrestling!

Anyway, to the point of the post - the most emotional event for me had to be Ric Flair's return WCW on September 14th, 1998 edition of Nitro. I remember the date because it's my birthday. I grew up a HUGE fan of Ric Flair. While most people in New York were WWF fans, I was a staunch NWA/WCW fan and always admired Flair's work and charisma. I followed his career like a hawk - every match, title, etc. When Hogan came to WCW, I understood the eventuality and inevitability that came with his arrival. While I have always respected Hogan, he is no Ric Flair in terms of overall talent and ability. Hogan certainly is a huge draw and a tremendous talent (I am actually a pretty big Hulk Hogan fan as well), but it seems like Flair just never got the respect he was due. That changed on September 14th, 1998.
The disrespect that Flair faced over his career is well documented, whether by Jim Herd or Eric Bischoff, and it came to a head in late 1997. Flair was "sent home" and told he would be "sued into bankruptcy." To say that as a fan of his, it upset me, would be putting it mildly. So when he returned on that edition of Nitro to reform the legendary Four Horsemen, the out pouring of respect and admiration did a Flair fan's heart good. I cried like a baby and still do this day every time I see it.

A very, very close runner up was Flair's retirement and subsequent RAW. Again, grown-ass husband and parent of 3 cries like a baby every time I see it.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

A very, very close runner up was Flair's retirement and subsequent RAW. Again, grown-ass husband and parent of 3 cries like a baby every time I see it.

That's what it's all about! I don't know that I had THAT much emotion over Flair's retirement, but I definitely felt its effect. It brought a tear to my eye, and still does when I watch it, and I can see (by your name) why it would have that kind of effect on you. Awesome story, thanks for sharing it!

Most recently I had a huge emotional moment while attending Money in the Bank 2011. I know, the Punk thing has everyone talking, so it probably sounds generic to use it as an example at this point. But as a guy who has lived in Chicago his entire life, was born in the Suburbs, and has also followed CM Punk's career since he faced Samoa Joe at Joe/Punk II here in the Windy City...it was an amazing moment seeing him win the title and walk out in the streets with the belt. I was there live, I was about 100 feet from him when he jumped the rail. It was one of those moments where a guy I knew had the talent to make it all the way to the top finally realized his dream. The build-up was perfect, and the delivery was more than I could have asked for. Just an excellent moment for any wrestling fan, but for Chicagoans and ROH fans, it was unforgettable.

While that was the most recent, I have to give the most impactful moment of my career as a fan to the Eddie Guerrero/Chris Benoit hug following WrestleMania 20. I was a big WCW back in the day, but not because of the main event guys. I didn't tune in for Sting or Goldberg, or even the NWO. I loved them, but I was always a cruiserweight-style kind of guy. For the same reason I followed Steamboat and to a lesser extent Savage back in the day, I loved Eddie Guerrero. Chris Benoit was golden as well, but Eddie just exuded passion and charisma while in the ring. Every match was something truly unique. So to see both of those guys in the ring with their titles held high, especially after the amazing Triple Threat match between Benoit, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H...truly something special.

Another one that comes close is Jericho "killing" the Y2J character, evolving into his new Jericho heel persona, and putting HBK through the Jeri-Tron. My two favorite of all time (don't ask me to rank them) taking pro wrestling to the next level... So good.

 

[TheMizMark]

This was a hard one. I had to think a while about this. I have two, from opposite ends of the spectrum, and they involve the same wrestler:

First would be Shawn Michaels' 2nd PPV match after his return, Survivor Series 2002, when he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Trips in the first Elimination Chamber. I still get emotion when I see it, because Shawn had overcome so much (medical hardship, his own personal demons, etc.), and for him to come back and do that made me very happy.

The other would be Shawn's retirement match at WM26. I didn't get to see the match because I stopped watching during that time period (and it still bothers me to this day that I didn't get to see Shawn's last run), but I did watch it recently and I've never been more emotional about a wrestling match in my life. When the match was over and 'Taker embraced Shawn, I went into full crybaby mode. Any time I go back and watch that match, I still get the same exact way.

 

[Smartie]

For me it's:

1) Flair's retirement, especially WM match with Shawn. The amount of emotions was just too much. The superkick, the crying, and I 'm not even a Flair fan at all, but the whole thing could easily make you feel for him.


2) My second one is also for someone that I'm not exactly a fan of, and that's Christian. When he won the WHC at Extreme rules I was really about to cry, the guy deserved it and had worked for it real hard, I never had forgotten his epics in attitude era and to just see him finally win the big one, and doing it with Edge being there and helping him is just classic and indescribable, I really like it when someone wins a title after long years of fighting and that to me is the greatest moments you can see in wrestling, the last one I remember being this great was Benoit at WMXX, I watched that event about two month before his death, and was greatly overwhelmed by his story.

I must say the next one that'll probably get me really emotional will be Taker's retirement, and also It's a shame that in this era of wrestling we'll probably never see one of those highly dramatic title wins again.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

It's a shame that in this era of wrestling we'll probably never see one of those highly dramatic title wins again.

I'm not so sure that's true, but I can see exactly why you would think that. Most guys are given the title if they show even remote signs of greatness these days. I'm sure Ziggler won't have to wait too much longer, and I'll love that moment, but it won't be that truly emotional long climb to the top. In small ways emotion title wins do happen - for instance when Ryder won the US title a lot of fans were incredibly emotional about it. It signified the pay-off for a long road for Ryder as well as the fans who are directly responsible for getting him there. A first-time moment for wrestling fans, but probably not as great as a Benoit, Guerrero, or Christian type of title win.

I think there's an outside chance we could see John Morrison return in a few years and go on to greatness. I'm not his biggest fan, but I think he's got the talent and a glimmer of HBK in him. If he returned in two or three years and really worked his ass off and finally took the gold, that would be an emotional moment for a lot of people I think.

First would be Shawn Michaels' 2nd PPV match after his return, Survivor Series 2002, when he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Trips in the first Elimination Chamber. I still get emotion when I see it, because Shawn had overcome so much (medical hardship, his own personal demons, etc.), and for him to come back and do that made me very happy.

Thanks for reminding me about this. I'm currently downloading Survivor Series 2002 to watch this moment again, and I agree that it was an extremely emotional win for most wrestling fans. I followed his career since he opened WrestleMania with Janatte, and winning the World title after overcoming all his personal demons was just incredible. A true testament that you can't always tell who is going to come out of nowhere and stake their claim at the greatest of all time...

 

[Alex Lexington]

1) Eddie Guerrero's RAW tribute i remember my Dad sat me down and told me what happened to my Favourite wrestler i thought he lying but he showed the newspaper and i didn't believe the report until i watched RAW and i cried my friends that absolutely hated wrestling were beside me and they didn't say anything they put there arms around me and said it will be fine.

2) Edges retirement i was so gutted and annoyed that one of my favourites was retiring i thought it was kayfabe at first until edge broke kayfabe

 

[Qwake]

1) Rob Van Dam winning the Championship off Cena at One Night Stand, for me this was huge because I've followed RVD for a long time and he's always been one of my favorites so for him to not only win the title but to beat Cena in what was an insane match with ECW returning was just crazy.

2) Edge cashing in the first ever MITB briefcase, I honestly didn't expect it because at that time there hadn't been a MITB before his so I never really thought about it, plus he had just wrestled Ric Flair and when his music hit after Cena had gone through the EC and could barely stand I went crazy, finally Edge had won his first Championship after so long.

There's plenty more but these are a couple I've thought of that aren't too recent but aren't too long ago either.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

1) Eddie Guerrero's RAW tribute i remember my Dad sat me down and told me what happened to my Favourite wrestler i thought he lying but he showed the newspaper and i didn't believe the report until i watched RAW and i cried my friends that absolutely hated wrestling were beside me and they didn't say anything they put there arms around me and said it will be fine.

Thanks for sharing that. After you did I went back and watched parts of both the Raw and Smackdown tribute episodes... The emotion in those arenas was palpable, and seeing somebody like the Big Show crying as he tried to wrestle a match - powerful stuff. Eddie was one of the best, and likely the very reason I love wrestling so much today. Every time he stepped in the ring it was a new experience for each of the fans, heel or face.

1) Rob Van Dam winning the Championship off Cena at One Night Stand, for me this was huge because I've followed RVD for a long time and he's always been one of my favorites so for him to not only win the title but to beat Cena in what was an insane match with ECW returning was just crazy.

That ECW crowd was sick! I was never a huge fan back in the day, but the first WWECW return was a huge deal for a lot of people, and executed pretty in my opinion. I genuinely feared for Cena's life in that match, and had he won I think there would have been some serious security issues. Nobody's more passionate than Philly ECW fans man...(and I'm from Chicago!)

By the way, welcome to the forums both of you! You too MizMark.

 

[BK Styles]

Edges retirement, hands down. I got into wrestling in 2001 and HATED Edge and Christian (huge ex-Hardy's mark). But when Edge won the King of the Ring I really started to like him. He was good on the mic (not that good back then, but entertaining at least), exciting in the ring and just had the crowd in the palm of his hand. I genuinely think he'd have been the next biggest face of the company had he not broken his neck.

But I digress, I've been an Edge fan for some time, and cheered for him even when he was a heel. Watching the Raw when he retired was just...well, it wasn't cool, let me tell you! As I live in the UK Raw airs at 2am and, for some reason, that night I decided I was gonna stay up and watch for once. And I couldn't believe it. I think I shouted 'NO FUCKING WAY! NO!!!!' with my parents in the next room. I've never felt so sad for another persons misfortune (aside from Eddie Guererro, of course). One fo the few moments I've shed a tear for a superstars retirement, Edge will always go down as one of my favorite wrestlers, and, in my mind, one of the best, and I'm sad his career was cut short so cruelly. Mind you, at least he still has his life, and his health. For an Edge-head, that's the only saving grace there is.

 

[mrjoe94]

While I've never gotten that extremely emotional, i was shocked that Edge retired legitimately. It was one of those "Woah, how did this happen" type of moments.
The funny thing is Edge was born in a town 20 minutes from here (Orangeville, Ontario.). Now that he's retired i may meet him someday lol.

Another couple actually was when Chris Benoit (yes i am going here) won the world title and when it was announced he died (the first time, before we found out what he did.)

 

[MVA09]

My favourite moment was Rock winning the wwe championship at backlash vs triple h...that i thought was one of the greatest match in wwe history...the odds were stacked against the rock with the whole corporation in triple h's side...and then suddenly, stone cold appears, beats the hell out of the corporation and helps rock win the title...the crowd reaction was absolutely awesome...

 

[Tattooed Jesus]

I remember watching as a kid back with the Rock N Roll Express were feuding with the R&R Express (Rick Rude and Ragin Bull), they had a match for the NWA Tag Team titles on World Championship Wrestling. Before the match the Midnight Express attacked the Rock N Roll Express and injured Ricky Morton. The Rock N Roll Express went on to lose the titles that night and I was so mad. I was pounding on the floor and yelling at the TV, my mom and dad were just laughing at me the whole time.

I think the saddest I have ever been watching wrestling was the Monday Night RAWs that they announced Eddie Guerrero's death and Owen Hart's death. I mean I never knew either man personally but watching them week in and week out on TV made it seem like I did. To here about them no longer being there each week and their peers reaction just really made me break down and cry like a little girl.

Getting to go to my first and only Wrestlemania after watching wrestling for so long and then finally having the chance to go to Wrestlemania was just amazing for me personally. I have been to other PPVs and Nitro and many, many house shows but actually being at Wrestlemania is just a completely different feeling altogether.

 

[Rockyfolifebo!!!]

The Rock's return in 2011- I remember back in December of 2010, internet rumors (even on here) had started popping up saying that The Rock was returning to WWE soon. If you can't tell by my name up here, I'm a HUGE Rock mark. Had all his posters, figurines, home videos, etc. I didn't believe the rumors. I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment. I figured that if for some reason he DID come back, it be a short 3 minute segment to plug one of his stupid movies in and maybe bury some talent. Boy, was I in for a surprise. Most people spend Valentine's Day sharing love, I spent the whole day thinking about if The Rock was indeed coming back that night. Rumors also went that it was Trish coming back not The Rock. So, when they did the segment with the high heel stepping out of the limo, I got very, very sad. Then, I remember I was in bed. The lights go out. Then: IF YA SMELLLLL!!! I hopped of bed like a little kid on Christmas (16 years old). The Rock came out! He buried most of the roster, and had me ROLLING with laughter! Fastforward to the day after WM 27, and The Rock challenges Cena to a match at WM 28. I'm ecstatic!!! The Rock, lacing up the boots, and coming back to check "Fruity Pebbles" into the Smacdown Hotel? I can't fucking wait!!!

 

[CraigThe13th]

Like the dude above me I cried when The Rock came back, never thought I'd see it happen. But mine is when Macho King lost to The Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VII. I know now that you take retirement matches with a pinch of salt but didn't when I was 11, I thought Savage was gone for good!

When Sherri started attacking him and Liz jumped the rail to save him I was jumping up and down with joy totally marking out! When they reunited I cried my eyes out it was one of the first time I can remember crying out of happiness it had been three years since Macho and Elizabeth had been an on screen couple plus that feeling I wouldn't see Macho Man wrestle again made me feel all sorts of emotions.

It still chokes me to this day watching it, one of my favourite wrestlemania moment certainly.

 

[LamaNamaneumi]

I got to go old school for this one, back to Wrestlemaina VIII. Hogan and Sid just had a mediocre main event match, when the spooky Papa Shango started his way out to the ring. I thought my boy Hulkster was done for, there was no way he could take on both Papa Shango and Sid. Then that old familiar, wannabe Black Sabbath/Led Zeppelin guitar riff hit, and BOO-YA! ULTIMATE WARRIOR!!1!! Mofo came running to the ring to make the save, and my 12 year old ass busted a nut all over my Zubas. I remember kids at school saying he was dead, I believed them because he had not been seen in a while, that afternoon changed everything. The rest of the day I was making mouth tunes of his theme song and beating up on my little brother. Ahh, good times.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Oh man, the Rock's return was electric. After several years of pretty dull product with intermittent moments of greatness, that was the spark that woke me up as a fan again. I've never been one of those "PG SUX, BRNG BACK TEH ATTITUDE ERA!" kind of fans, but I HAVE always been a huge Rock supporter. THere were so many different rumors spinning around, most of which involved Justin Bieber, Stephanie McMahon, Trish Stratus, and a WHOLE lot more. The Rock was in there, but I think most people just assumed it would never happen. In fact, I remember the sheer amount of "ROCK WILL NEVER RETURN!" threads and posts that were thrown down in these forums, and when he returned most of where just too over-joyed to make them eat their words.

I still think that whole that was one big swerve. I think they leaked the Bieber information so that the dirt sheets would report it, and fans would get all up-in-arms over him hosting WRestleMania. By the time those lights went out and Rocky came home, people were so upset they were just hoping for ANYBODY that wasn't a child pop-star. And DAMN did they get it... I was at the last Raw in Chicago before Mania, and I witnessed Cena hit him with the AA for the first time. It was a great moment (that night also featured the return of HBK, the Undertaker, and Triple H, as well as E&C's last match), and one that I will never forget. I don't judge the man for leaving, following his dreams, or for only coming back on a rare, part-time basis. He's the most electrifying man in entertainment, and if I only see him once or twice a year, I will wait in utter anticipation for those precious moments.

If any of you happen to have lived under a rock (pun fully intended), watch this video. If it doesn't bring you back, wake you up, or ooze passion all over your tighty whity's...you have no soul.
[YOUTUBE]h8ejiG5-BtA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[midgensa]

Edge's sudden retirement really hit me. I know he and everyone else was shocked. And you could tell what that means to him. I like he wanted to do his entrance again to hear the pop. I think people don't understand what that adrenaline is like. And for a performer to be told he is not getting that anymore ... it has to be hearbreaking. His retirement and Michaels retirement speech both got to me because you could truly see what this means to them.

As for "in-match" moments ... I remember a few. But I remember jumping out of my seat when HBK kick-out of the tombstone at WM25. It was shocking. It was fantastic. It was completely what great wrestling is about because all of a sudden you were thinking ... "Will Taker actually let Michaels go over?" It was pure adulation because even as a "smart," everyone loves the thrill of something not going the way it is supposed to.

There are plenty others ... but these came to mind right off the top of my head.

 

[ECW Sandman]

I have two of them

1.Ric Flair's retirement I cried seeing all the legends and hall of famers paying there respects to Ric and on The Definitive Collection Ric Flair DVD extra The Undertaker comes out gets in the ring and bows to The Nature Boy it still gives me goosebumps when I watch it.

2.May 20th of last year the shocking news of Randy Savage's death I was one of his biggest fans heel or face it did not matter to me he was my idol and when I found out he passed away I cried for days it was just so shocking I still can not believe it I think sometimes it's all a dream.

 

[I am Mr. Excitement]

I have never cried when it comes to wrestling but i do get emotional. The only moments i remember were probably the ric flair retirement. Also at the end of the Wrestlemania 27 match between triple h and undertaker, triple h leaves the ring and looks back at taker sittin on the side of the ring. When he puts his feet on the ground and tries to get up, his legs just gave out. That right there was the most emotional thing i've ever seen in we imo. I was just like holy shit thats it, he's not doin another match. But for that i have to say Taker is the best wrestler to step in the ring.

 

[SavageTaker]

I know it’s been mentioned already but it has got to be Flair’s retirement. I was there live with 70,000+ fans and it was just so emotional in ways I can’t even explain.

I wasn’t around when the man was wrestling classics but I learn to respect him over the years with my knowledge of wrestling expanding and getting to appreciate him and other legends. So to be there and see the ending of an era really was a special moment for me.

Sometimes we hate the thought of our favorites retiring or moving on but that’s just how life is. I think a big moment we’ve yet to witness is the day that The Undertaker hangs up the boots forever and I think that’ll become my most emotional moment ever in wrestling (for me) when it happens. I know several find him overrated, but he’ll always be my favorite and it’ll be a sad day to see him retire.

 

[SLE]

the Emotional moment for me would have to be the night Edge retired. He was an amazing wrestler and when he said he was retiring I was like what and I went on my computer check see if he was just taking time off but it was real and I was sad. It was emotional because Edge was in tears. He was in the wwe for a very long time and he put his body on the line every night and his injurys just caught up to him.

 

[rated-r-patelstar]

i love wwe for the HEEL having watching when even austin explaed and did somthing crazy and when mad was great as a kid but what get me the most was when EDGE goes out and bam steals the win or the title remember screaming at the t.v like yes yes yes and then finally a bit older when orton had the feud leading upto WM25 and jus went through the whole family(one of the best builds into wm in many or year since) personally if he took that dominace through to the next year and kept the title at wm would have been great

 

[JWGunslinger]

There are so many moments that come to mind considering I've been watching since I was a tike but a few that come to mind are Orton winning the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time and Jericho becoming the 1st Undisputed Champion, being that I followed Jericho from ECW/WCW and Orton from his WEE debut those wins we're huge to me as a fan, I was so happy for both of them I felt like I had won too.

Retirements are always hard too, Ric's retirement from the WWE, Shawn's and most recently Edge's. These were 3 guys that I grew up watching and were major influences on me and after so much time seeing them on a weekly basis it was sad that I didn't get that any more, Edge's was really hard too because he was so young and you could see that it killed him to have to retire.

Lastly when Eddie and Benoit died, those were both incredibly hard on me. Those two and Jericho were the guys I looked up to the most as a kid and to lose Eddie out of the blue was horrible, even though I never knew them personally I grew up with them being in my life every week, and I idolized them like they were super heroes. Ofcourse Benoit's was already difficult but considering the circumstances it made it harder because the guy I looked up to was all of a sudden dead and exposed as a murderer, not a very easy thing to cope with but I like to think that he did so because of brain damage or something and the man he truely was couldn't have done it.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

There are a lot that come to mind, and too many to name. Although I had a pretty emotional moment recently watching the Royal Rumble. It was when Road Dogg came out. He got a huge pop and then got the "You still got it" chants. Just one of those emotional things considering all of his personal problems and then overcoming them to be where he is today type of deal.