Lita and Heath Slater at Raw 1000Open Challenges are in all essentiality a great concept. It’s got an element of surprise given the fact that you never know who's going to show up and more times than less it’s a superstar/ diva we all admire.Whether it’s a legend making a return or a one- of appearance or a superstar making a debut on the main roster, these open challenges have provided for some of the better moments in wrestling history.Currently John Cena is part of one of the best things in pro wrestling today, producing great matches week after week.Here are the 5 times unexpected names answered open challenges.
#5 It\'s Time
It‘s Vader Time.
This was the beginning of one of the most memorable part of Heath Slater’s career. On the weeks leading upto the 1000th episode of Raw, Heath Slater began facing legends from the business something that he did not foresee.
One of those nights involved Slater proclaiming that he’s the best and this time, right now, is his. “It’s Slater Time” he uttered.
This led to that Vader coming out and nostalgia to set in. The audience seemed elated and it was pleasantly surprising to see so many react to Vader, given that it was expected that it’s more or less a casual crowd.
#4 The Queen of Extreme
And now we jump forward to Slater’s last Open Challenge. This was the 1000th episode of Raw and Slater was a usual presence and everyone expected some legends to walk straight to the ring and pin him.
There were rumors that Stone Cold was going to be the last legend. But his knee injury kept him away. So who was it going to be?
To everyone’s awe, Lita made her return and the next thing we know, APA returned and immediately all the other legends Slater faced leading up to Raw 1000 made their return.
Lita delivered a Twist of Fate and then that beautiful Litasault to win the match.
#3 Bizzaro World
Here’s a backstory-
Mike Awesome was the ECW World Champion when he signed up with WCW.
Fact No. 2 is that Tazz was an ECW mainstay before signing up with the WWE. MIke Awesome wasn’t allowed to take the ECW championship with him to WCW, so he had to defend it against someone. In a bizzare sequence of events, Tazz returned home to ECW, while he was still signed on with the WWE, and answered Awesome’s challenge.
Tazz won the title and held it for a mere 10 days. But Tazz’s brief return to home turf was a thing to behold.
#2 Be careful what you wish for
Despite the fact that he’s great in the ring, Swagger’s World Heavyweight Championship reigns, although surprising when he won, was one of the least memorable ever. He just didn’t have that charisma that made you buy tickets to see him on the show.
So, one night he stood in the ring and announced an Open Challenge after displaying his narcissistic heel traits.
He thought nobody was going to come out to answer said challenge and was only beginning to walk out when The Deadman came walking.
Undertaker won the match, as expected but not the title. The fact that it was The Undertaker who came out shows how unpredictable Open Challenges can be.
#1 Kevin Owens
And now we move on to the present. This very appearance may be the point where you look back and say that this when the history of the business took a turn. Kevin Owens’ rise in the WWE has been something to behold. He’s been booked incredibly well. And he’s got the talent and the charisma to justify that.
Owens answered Cena’s massively successful Open Challenge on raw only to not bother competing. He instead gave Cena a reality check and Poppa Power bombed him.
This led to one of this year’s most memorable feud. Also, Owens defeated Cena clean in his debut PPV match.
