'%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)
2018 saw lots of ups and downs when it comes to professional wrestling, or more specifically - WWE. There were several controversial moments throughout the year, and different fans have their own unique perspectives on some high-profile WWE storylines in 2018.
Regardless of what you personally thought about those moments in general, we can all agree that 2018 will be looked upon as one of the most unexpected and spontaneous years the company (WWE) has ever seen.
So without further ado, here are the 'top 5 most unexpected WWE moments of 2018'.
#5 Dean Ambrose turned heel on one of the most unexpected nights WWE has ever seen
The 22 October 2018 edition of Monday Night RAW saw one of the most shocking revelations of the entire year.
Not only did Roman Reigns - the hand-picked 'top guy' announce that he had been diagnosed with leukemia, but what transpired in the main event of the same night shocked both fans and critics alike.
It was being thoroughly teased that Dean Ambrose would turn heel sometime in the near future, so audiences were expecting it to happen soon, however, nobody saw it coming on the same episode where The Big Dog would shockingly make his announcement.
But it happened, Dean Ambrose betrayed Seth Rollins, and several questions followed soon after - "Why, Ambrose, why?"
While we may never get to know the exact reason why Ambrose did what he did, but as an indirect result of that, WWE dropped one of the best documentaries this year titled "WWE Chronicle: Dean Ambrose" on the WWE Network, which gave us more insight towards Dean Ambrose's character than weekly promos on RAW or SmackDown ever could.
#4 Daniel Bryan eventually turned heel by metamorphosing into the NEW Daniel Bryan
Unlike Dean Ambrose's eventual heel turn, nobody would have even predicted that Daniel Bryan would be the one to lead SmackDown Live as a remarkable heel champion in 2018.
The former YES Man seemed to have struck a chord with fans after his career peaked at WrestleMania 30, where he overcame all odds to be crowned WWE World Heavyweight Champion at last.
But we all know what happened after that...
Despite Daniel Bryan's career resurgence in 2018, he could never quite capture the intensity, popularity, and momentum we had witnessed during his peak years in the company.
Eventually, frustration set in, and one of the company's most popular babyfaces transformed into the NEW Daniel Bryan who has now adopted a bizarre routine of channeling his frustrations by pointing out the mistakes of mankind and how those mistakes are poisoning this earth as years pass us by.
From experiencing the feeling of being one of the most insanely popular babyfaces which only the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold, Hulk Hogan, and a few others have been accustomed to, and now, by portraying some of the most innovative heel-work the company has ever seen, Daniel Bryan is one of the only few wrestlers to experience both sides of the divide.
#3 The Undertaker squashes John Cena under 3 minutes at WrestleMania 34
It is no secret that 2018 has featured some of the most fan pleasing moments when it comes to WWE. From Shawn Michaels' return to several legends, both male and female appearing at various shows such as Royal Rumble, RAW 25, and SmackDown Live 1000.
But if there was one moment under this category which drew a lot of eyeballs for various reasons, it has to be John Cena vs The Undertaker at WrestleMania 34.
A year after The Deadman's devastating loss at WrestleMania 33 against Roman Reigns, John Cena sought to challenge The Phenom to a match at WrestleMania 34.
The Undertaker didn't respond to Cena's challenge until the event itself. This was primarily done to ensure that audiences don't get overly enthusiastic for a contest that would only last under 3 minutes.
Fans wanted to see these two legends collide at some point in the future, and many members of the WWE Universe were shocked to see this bout last for a very short amount of time.
Truthfully, whether you liked this decision or not, it was smart on WWE's part to not build any false hope towards the match itself, and despite what you might have hoped for, the history books will always state that The Undertaker squashed John Cena under 3 minutes at WrestleMania 34.
#2 Daniel Bryan was cleared to return after a career ending injury which had forced him to retire
We all know what happened, but it is important to understand the struggle behind achieving something huge.
Daniel Bryan retired and became the new SmackDown Live General Manager. He could have let things be as they were, after all, who wouldn't want to get paid as the General Manager of a weekly WWE show?
But Daniel Bryan loves to wrestle, and even as General Manager, his ultimate desire was to achieve the impossible by fighting for his dreams, so that those dreams could fight for him.
Social media had a lot of speculation: Will Daniel Bryan wrestle for independent promotions after his WWE contract expires? Will Daniel Bryan be cleared to wrestle at some point?
While those speculations kept pointing to the fact that an in-ring return was highly unlikely, things progressed, and Daniel Bryan fought even harder. Eventually, he was cleared for an in-ring return in an unexpected turn of events.
It was hard to fathom what had just happened, because the announcement itself was so sudden. Nevertheless, it is great to see the NEW Daniel Bryan headline SmackDown Live in a contrasting manner when compared to his original gimmick as everyone's favourite 'YES' Man.
#1 Roman Reigns revealed his battle with leukemia
"...My name is Joe and I've been living with leukemia for 11 years, and unfortunately it's back. Because the leukemia is back, I can't fulfill my role. I can't be that fighting champion and I'm going to have to relinquish the universal championship.
I'm not going to lie, I'll take every prayer you can send my way but I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm not looking for you to feel bad for me because I have faith."
It is not every day that a company's top star is diagnosed with leukemia just when he is at the peak of his status as the brand's leading champion.
"Thank You Roman" chants followed when Roman Reigns thanked the fans and relinquished his Universal title in front of everyone.
This proved to be one of those rare moments where each and every member of the WWE Universe, no matter which stance they took when it came to Reigns' wrestling character, united as one single voice to thank the man Joe Anoa'i for putting his body on the line for the sake of entertaining the WWE Universe every week.
Following Reigns' announcement, Shield members Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose joined him atop the entrance ramp.
'The Architect' Seth Rollins had tears in his eyes, and both Ambrose and Rollins stuck out their fists as Reigns joined them in a show of camaraderie before the trio hugged.
Here is what The Big Dog wanted to leave us with:
"But I want to make one thing clear: By no means is this a retirement speech, because after I'm done whupping leukemia's ass, I'm coming back home. And when I do, it's not going to be about titles and being on top, it's about a purpose.
I'm coming back because I want to show you all at home and my family and my children and my wife that when life throws a curve ball at me, I will choke up and I will swing for the fences every single time. I will beat this and I will be back so you will see me very, very soon."
Thanks for reading this article, share it around to spread the word. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below, and you can follow me here to stay updated regarding the latest posts.
Happy holidays!
