5 big losses that led to legendary pushes

A Superstar on WWE's main roster has one goal, and that's to make it to the top and stay there for as long as they possibly can. Winning the top title on any brand is the ultimate goal of a Superstar. While many come and go without ever getting their shot at glory, there are a few who make it to the top and are deemed worthy enough by the company to hold the gold.

These Superstars don't just win the title randomly. The chase for the title is a long one, with several months of build behind it and a major push given to the wrestler. Although these pushes usually kick off with a big win over a top star, there have been several instances in the past where Superstars suffered a big loss, which ultimately resulted in the person getting a mega push. Let's take a look at five of these instances.

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#5 Kofi Kingston, 2019

Kingston wins WWE title

As the Elimination Chamber 2019 PPV was almost around the corner, SmackDown Live star Ali got injured, and was replaced with The New Day's Kofi Kingston. This twist of fate turned Kofi's whole life around in a matter of weeks! A Gauntlet Match on an episode of SmackDown Live saw Kingston giving an incredible performance, but he ended up losing the match to AJ Styles, who then immediately fell prey to a sneaky Randy Orton.

This loss ended up being a boon, as the fans got behind Kofi like they hadn't in a decade or so. Kofi's performance inside the Elimination Chamber only helped his case, and thus KofiMania was born. Kingston's popularity forced WWE to push him to the Moon, and he went on to defeat Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 to win his first WWE title.

#4 Hulk Hogan, 2002

The Rock vs Hogan

At WrestleMania 18, The Rock faced Hulk Hogan in a legit dream match. The fans in Toronto gave an incredibly loud, (and positive) reaction to Hogan, despite him being a heel. In the end, The Rock emerged victorious and helped Hogan fend off the villainous nWo. WWE hadn't expected that a heel Hogan would get a reaction such as this.

Vince McMahon cashed in on the opportunity and Hogan, now a mega babyface, was pushed by WWE immediately after 'Mania was done and dusted with. He went on to defeat Triple H at Backlash 2002 to win the WWE title, at 49! Hogan's reign as WWE Champion didn't last long though, and he lost the title to The Undertaker at Judgment Day.

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#3 Daniel Bryan, 2013

Daniel Bryan

At SummerSlam 2013, Triple H turned heel by attacking Daniel Bryan after his WWE title victory over John Cena, and helped Randy Orton defeat Bryan. By this time, Bryan's popularity was going through the roof. The loss resulted in Bryan becoming the cornerstone of one of the greatest storylines of the modern era, which culminated at WrestleMania 30.

The SummerSlam loss was followed by Bryan being held back by The Authority on several occasions. This continued as 2014 came around. Bryan's exclusion from the Royal Rumble Match irked the fans to no end and they booed Batista out of the building after his victory. Bryan defeated Triple H in the opening match at 'Mania, and went on to defeat Orton and Batista in the end to win the WWE World title, as 70,000 plus fans chanted 'yes' at the top of their voices.

#2 Becky Lynch, 2019

Becky and Ronda

The entirety of Becky Lynch's main roster career saw her donning the persona of a lovable babyface. At SummerSlam 2018, she lost a SmackDown Live Women's Title Triple Threat Match to Charlotte Flair. Immediately after, Lynch turned heel by attacking Flair, but the reception she received was far from negative. The fans had been behind Becky for a long time now, and the heel turn didn't stop them from cheering for her.

Over the course of the next several months, Lynch turned into a ruthless anti-hero, calling herself "The Man". Her popularity surged with each passing month, and WWE gave her the honor of becoming the winner of the first-ever Women's main event in WrestleMania history. Lynch defeated Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair to bag the Raw and SmackDown Live Women's titles.

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#1 Stone Cold Steve Austin, 1997

Austin

Although The Rattlesnake's main event push had already begun in 1996 when he won the King of the Ring tournament, he wasn't inserted into the title picture by the time WrestleMania 13 rolled around. This was the moment that cemented him as a mega babyface and kicked off a push that culminated at next year's WrestleMania. Austin battled Bret "The Hitman" Hart at WrestleMania 13, in what many consider as one of the greatest matches in WWE history. The hard-fought brawl resulted in Hart turning into a dastardly villain, while Austin became a fighting hero. WWE knew at that point, judging by the fan reaction, that Austin was the one.

The visual of Austin screaming at the top his lungs, while Hart locked in the Sharpshooter on the bloodied Rattlesnake, has turned into an iconic image over the years. This loss kicked off a mega push, with Austin scratching and clawing his way to the main event over the course of the next one year. He won the Royal Rumble in 1998, and went on to defeat Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 14 to win his first WWE title.