Why Kevin, Why?

5 WWE matches in 2017 that went off script

Some of the greatest moments in pro wrestling have been products of unscripted chaos. The Montreal Screwjob and the infamous CM Punk pipe bomb are just two of many defining moments in the history of the business that happened on the fly.

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2017 may not have produced anything of that magnitude but it did, however, give the fans a different perspective of what's going down backstage that influence the final product.

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WWE has blurred the lines between kayfabe and reality in the present era coupled with 'backstage info' that seamlessly flows in the public domain.

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The leaked details have brought to light unscripted moments that, if not for the revelations, would have been neglected. This piece takes a look at those moments:

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#1 AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens (Battleground 2017)

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A great match that was marred by a dodgy finish, Styles vs. Owens from Battleground earlier this year had everyone scratching their heads at the abrupt sound of the final bell.

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Styles was locked in an Owens crossface when the dazed referee counted till three and adjudged Owens the winner and the new United States Champion. Reports from the Wrestling Observer stated that Styles may have misjudged the ref's third slap on the mat as the second count, leading to the botched finish.

More backstage details on the incident revealed that the finish of the match was changed mid-way through the encounter. The Phenomenal One was the favourite heading into the contest but a last-minute audible was taken to give the Prizefighter a W.

But it was an unwanted booking decision when all was said and done and we're sure WWE learnt from their mistakes.

#2 Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn refuse to go by the rules

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For all the right as well as the wrong reasons, 2017 has been Kevin Owens' year. The Prizefighter has maintained a steady balance of accomplishing commendable feats both inside and outside the ring.

The match in question is from the November 7th episode of SmackDown Live in which Sami Zayn took on Kofi Kingston. The plan was to have Zayn lose and then Owens was to come out for a collective beatdown on Kingston. Big E and Xavier Woods were supposed to make the save.

Everything went according to plan up until this point. The next course of action was to have the New Day beat up the heels and create a feel-good babyface atmosphere. As Pro Wrestling Sheet reported, Owens and Zayn were instructed to 'feed' the New Day.

This was when Owens digressed from the script and retreated instead of brawling with the New Day. Visibly confused New Day members looked on as Owens was heard screaming at Zayn to follow him backstage.

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Following the unforeseen turn of events, the Canadian best friends were sent home packing from the UK tour and the IWC, naturally, began speculating regarding the possible reasons for the rebellion.

At one point, it seemed the duo were on their way out of the WWE. Thankfully, they're still the top heels that SmackDown LIVE has to offer.

#3 Drew McIntyre's untimely injury

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NXT's latest Takeover offering continued the tradition of the yellow brand upstaging their main roster counterparts during big PPV weekends.

WarGames was far more entertaining than Survivor Series, so much so that fans were heard chanting 'WarGames was better' after Triple H effectively ruined a decent PPV with a flat finish to the Men's Elimination match.

But the fans in attendance witnessed an intense NXT Championship match the previous night, that played a major role in the success of the historic edition in the Takeover series.

Andrade Cien Almas pulled off a major upset by defeating Drew McIntyre to become the new NXT Champion. The former Intercontinental Champion suffered a torn bicep during one of the spots in the match which could have possibly forced an impromptu change.

It's a shame that McIntyre's redeeming title reign ended in such an unfortunate way but the future is bright as WWE is looking at a WrestleMania return for 'the Chosen One'.

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Expect Almas to excel as a brilliant heel champion in the meantime.

#4 Big Cass injures his knee

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Big Cass was destined to be a big deal. He would have surely made the Survivor Series team if not for that fateful Street Fight match against Enzo Amore on the August 21st episode of Raw.

The 7-foot giant to landed hard on his left knee while tumbling outside the ring and tore his ACL in the process. Cass was expected to go over with a dominant destruction of his former tag team partner but lost after being unable to continue.

Cass' loss has proven to be Amore's gain, who has risen to the occasion and has single-handedly brought some traction towards 205 Live. As for Cass, the big man should be back in time for the grandest spectacle of them all at WrestleMania 34.

Retire the Big Show maybe?

#5 Too Sweet!

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Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles was even better than an RKO Outta Nowhere. Who would have thought that a disease such as Meningitis could be the REAL REASON behind the dream matches that we were treated to at Tables, Ladders and Chairs?

The former Bullet Club members tore the house down in what was a nostalgic sight for NJPW faithful. But what happened after the match was truly goose-bump inducing!

The Demon King and The Phenomenal One did the iconic 'too sweet' and many were under the impression that it was a direct directive from Mr McMahon himself -- a message in retaliation to the Young Bucks' antics.

Styles took to Twitter and said that it was a decision taken on the spur of the moment and had no input from the WWE boss:

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This and the Money in the Bank staredown between Styles and Nakamura will go down as the most awe-inspiring moments of the year and both, incidentally, had hints of improv to them.

Got any moments we missed out? Sound off in the comments section below.

We leave you with a video of Braun Strowman licking Apollo Crews' head that we're pretty sure no one scripted!


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Edited by
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