'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE is the biggest company in the world of sports entertainment at the moment. Vince McMahon's organization has millions of fans all over the world, nicknamed as the WWE Universe. Several legends like The Undertaker, John Cena, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and many others have entered the squared circle and immortalized themselves with their performances.
WWE has a unique set of championships used to distinguish the top Superstars on the roster from others. The world titles of the company are the most sumptuous prizes in all of sports entertainment, while the mid-card championships also have a prestigious place in the organization. The women's division has evolved a lot in the last few years, and this growth has prompted the backstage staff to add more championships to the female department.
It is the dream of every pro wrestler to join WWE and win a title in the company. However, after achieving success inside the ring, some Superstars understand the impact that a win or a loss can have, and they become gracious enough to allow their colleagues to rise to the top.
The following five individuals earned a place in high-profile title matches, but they wished to lose the bout because a victory could have helped their opponent a lot. Here's a list of the five WWE Superstars who wanted to go down in a championship match.
#5 Becky Lynch wanted to lose WWE RAW Women's Championship Match at WrestleMania 36
Becky Lynch held the RAW Women's Championship for 398 days before relinquishing the title on an episode of RAW, where she also announced her pregnancy. The Irish Lasskicker had won the title at WrestleMania 35, overcoming a challenge from Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair in a 'Winner Takes All' match for the top women's crown of the company.
The Man then ruled on the Red brand and defeated almost every member of the RAW women's locker room. She seemed to be unstoppable, but when Shayna Baszler challenged her for the belt, it looked like Becky's reign would finally come to an end at WrestleMania 36. Much to everyone's surprise, Vince McMahon booked her to retain the gold.
During her recent appearance on The Bellas Podcast, Becky revealed that she pitched to lose the title to The Queen of Spades at the Showcase of Immortals, even before her positive pregnancy test. Here's what the Irish Superstar said:
"It (Pregnancy) happened before I would have expected and I was still champ at the time. I actually thought I was going to lose the title at WrestleMania, which I also pitched, but that was the end of it. Plans change."
#4 Dolph Ziggler wanted to lose the WWE Intercontinental Championship match at No Mercy 2016
The Intercontinental Championship rivalry between The Miz and Dolph Ziggler will go down as one of the best feuds in WWE SmackDown's history. Both the Superstars nailed their respective roles, and they faced off in an epic 'Career vs. Title' match at No Mercy 2016. The odds were stacked against Ziggler as The A-List Superstar had got the back of The Showoff's former Spirit Squad teammates, Mikey and Kenny.
Even Dolph wanted to lose that match and stay away from the ring for an extended period. However, Vince McMahon did not allow him to do so as he gave him a career-defining win at the pay-per-view. Speaking to Corey Graves on WWE's After The Bell podcast, Ziggler shared the details of the match at No Mercy and the finish that he had planned.
"I said, 'I have to leave now. Am I not going to re-sign a contract or am I going to fake an injury? But I have to leave.' I find out I'm going to be putting my career on the line against The Miz, one of my favorites. I go, 'This is perfect.'”
He also mentioned how desperate he was to leave WWE for some time.
“Anybody who looks back, I promise you, I wanted it to be my last match at least for a year or something. It was an awesome reaction and a fun time, but the next day we went back to me being Dolph Ziggler and sadly we didn't capitalize on it. So, I needed to get out of there," he continued.
#3 Daniel Bryan wanted to lose the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 35
Kofi Kingston's WWE Championship win at WrestleMania 35 touched every fan's heart. At the beginning of 2019, no one expected The New Day member to become the WWE champion at the Showcase of Immortals. However, Mustafa Ali's injury prompted the company to add Kofi to the WWE title picture.
His impressive showing inside the Elimination Chamber got the fans behind him as Kingston became the most popular Superstar on the roster. Daniel Bryan was holding the WWE title at that moment, and he saw a lot of potential in the 'Kofimania' storyline. Hence, Bryan 'begged' Vince McMahon to allow Kofi to pick up the big win at WrestleMania 35.
Kingston won the WWE title and held the belt for six months. On The New Day's Feel The Power podcast, the high-flying Superstar disclosed the role that Daniel Bryan had played in his title win.
“KofiMania was definitely a very strong one [Storyline of the Year contender]. You talk about the poetic justice that was taking the title from Daniel Bryan. From day one, the beginnings of that storyline, the gauntlet match, Daniel Bryan was in and out of Vince McMahon’s office begging to lose the title to Kofi at WrestleMania. He was so far behind his fellow [Superstar], really wanted to see that happen.”
#2 Mark Henry wanted to lose the WWE Championship match at Money in the Bank 2013
Mark Henry cut one of the best promos of his career in 2013 when he faked retirement just to blindside the then WWE Champion, John Cena. This segment kicked off their rivalry, and the fans witnessed a WWE title match between The Face That Runs The Place and The World's Strongest Man at Money in the Bank.
The rivalry became the hottest thing in professional wrestling, and many fans believed that Mark Henry would walk out with the title at Money in the Bank. However, much to the disappointment of Henry's supporters, Cena overcame a challenge from him and retained the crown by forcing his rival to submit to the STF.
The Olympic weightlifter recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet and revealed that he wanted to lose that championship match because he wished to return home.
"That wasn’t Cena’s fault, that wasn’t WWE’s fault. If anybody should be mad, it should be me, because I’m the one who said, look man, I want to go home. I love to stay here and play with the boys and get out here and make some more money and all that stuff, but the most important thing to me was going home and doing what I’m doing. This is God’s work as well as what’s expected out of a man," Mark Henry stated.
#1 Edge wanted to lose the World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 24
The Undertaker challenged Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE WrestleMania 24. The Rated-R Superstar was the top champion of SmackDown, while The Deadman earned a chance to battle him by winning an Elimination Chamber match. They crossed paths in the closing bout of the night, and Edge had a chance to retain his title by defeating The Phenom.
However, since The Undertaker had a 15-match winning streak at WWE WrestleMania, Edge felt that he would have proven to be the wrong man to end that streak. In a recent interview with The New York Post, 'Taker's wife Michelle McCool disclosed that Edge refused to beat his legendary opponent. Here's what she said:
“I remember a few years prior at WrestleMania [24] versus Edge, they talked about Edge breaking the streak and it was Edge that was actually like ‘That makes zero sense. I don’t want to do that. Why would I do that? The fans already love him. What’s it going to do for Edge?"
The Rated-R Superstar lost that match as The Deadman won the World Heavyweight Championship by forcing his enemy to tap out to Hell's Gate.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
