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WWE had a mixed week. Monday Night RAW saw one of the lowest ratings in the show's history, thanks in part to football drawing an extraordinary number that very same night. NXT, on the other hand, had the highest viewership in years.
Tuesday was also notable as it featured the merger between Endeavor and World Wrestling Entertainment becoming official. Lastly, Friday Night SmackDown aired featuring The Rock and Pat McAfee both surprisingly appearing. Sadly, Friday also marked the end of many employees' time with the promotion.
If the up-and-down nature of modern wrestling isn't your thing, however, there's always the option to re-live some of the best or most notable moments in the company's illustrious history. In this regard, Sportskeeda has you covered.
Every Sunday, an article is released looking back at major matches and moments that occurred this week in history. This time around, the oldest world champion in company history was crowned, a physical Hell in a Cell Match aired, and a popular superstar won their first major title in the company. What went down?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way aired on September 11, 2014
WWE NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way aired on September 11, 2014, at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Around 400 fans were in attendance for the six-match card.
The main event of the show was a Fatal 4-Way Match. WWE main roster star Tyson Kidd battled Adrian Neville, Tyler Breeze, and Sami Zayn for the NXT Championship. In the end, Neville retained his title in a 24-minute match.
The NXT Women's Championship match saw Charlotte Flair battle Bayley. Additionally, the card featured a Hair vs. Hair Match and a bout where the NXT Tag Team Titles were on the line. KENTA, also known as Hideo Itami, also made his debut on the program.
#4. AJ Styles won his first WWE Championship at Backlash on September 11, 2016
WWE Backlash was held on September 11, 2016, at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. The event took place in front of around 7,000 fans and featured stars from SmackDown. It was the first brand-exclusive Premium Live Event since the brand split was re-introduced.
The main event of the evening featured Dean Ambrose clashing with AJ Styles. The Phenomenal One won after 25 minutes of hard-hitting bout, winning the WWE Championship for the first time. It was his first major title in the promotion.
Six other matches were held. This includes both the SmackDown Women's Championship and SmackDown Tag Team Titles being decided for the first time. Additionally, Kane and Bray Wyatt clashed in a No Holds Barred Match.
#3. Kairi Sane won the Mae Young Classic on September 12, 2017
The 2017 Mae Young Classic was a 32-woman tournament looking to find WWE's next major breakout star. The winner of the grueling series would earn a NXT Women's Championship match.
Numerous stars participated in the tournament. The likes of Bianca Belair, Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Kairi Sane, Kay Lee Ray, Lacey Evans, Mia Yim, Rhea Ripley, and Toni Storm, among others, were all featured and went on to become stars on WWE's main roster.
The tournament finals was held on September 12 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. Kairi Sane defeated Shayna Baszler to win the bout and the tournament. From there, The Pirate Princess eventually won the NXT Women's Championship.
#2. Vince McMahon won the WWF Title on SmackDown on September 16, 1999
WWE taped an episode of SmackDown on September 14, 1999, that went on to air two days later on September 16. The show was held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, in front of around 8,000 fans.
The show's main event featured the-then WWE Champion Triple H wrestling an opponent of his choosing. He chose Vince McMahon, who by this point had wrestled a handful of times but was still 54 years old. Shane McMahon, Vince's son, was the guest referee.
The bout was chaotic, with much interference, as was common in this era. Eventually, Stone Cold Steve Austin came out, hitting Chyna and Triple H with Stone Cold Stunners.
He laid Vince on top of Triple H from there, and the referee counted to three. Vince's victory made him the oldest WWF Champion of all time, a record he still holds today.
#1. Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns clashed at Hell in a Cell on September 16, 2018
WWE held the Hell in a Cell Premium Live Event on September 16, 2018. Around 15,000 fans attended the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, for a show featuring seven matches on the main card.
The main event of Hell in a Cell 2018 saw Braun Strowman clash with Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley was the special guest referee. In the end, the bout was ruled a no-contest due to interference.
Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose were all involved in the bout. Ultimately, however, a brutal beatdown from Brock Lesnar on both Braun and Roman led to the match being thrown out. As a result, Reigns retained his title.
How did Ric Flair spend $1500 at a pizza place? More details here
