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With the Road to WrestleMania truly underway, the fans have seemingly got one of their many wishes granted, with Finn Balor being pushed and inserted into the Universal Championship match against the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. While this was done at the expense of Braun Strowman, the WWE fans are over the moon with Balor finally getting the match he deserves.
What made Balor's win against John Cena, Baron Corbin, and Drew McIntyre special was Mr. McMahon's disbelief in Balor's credentials being evident before the match was made, thus creating Balor's storyline to be one of an underdog.
While WWE has seemingly invested in the likes of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and even Jinder Mahal over the past few years, Finn Balor just might be the first of many underdog stories the WWE might bring about.
As we enter into a "new" era of WWE with better quality of matches and more intense storylines, we take a look at the best underdog stories in WWE history.
#5 Zack Ryder
If a couple of WWE fans were to compile a list of superstars who are critically underused by the WWE right now, Zack Ryder would top each and everyone's list. Although Ryder has fallen out of favor with WWE management, he had seemingly peaked at WrestleMania 32.
He was given absolutely no chance before the ladder match began, which already boasted of superstars such as then champion Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn, but the manner in which he pulled it off, and the crowd reaction was something which was quite rare in WWE.
The Broski from Long Island had channeled the spirit of Razor Ramon, who himself won the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania X to gain an upset over more solidly pushed superstars.
While this match was touted to be one of the best matches on show that day, credit should be given to Ryder for displaying enormous determination in repelling the Miz and Kevin Owens on his way to clinching the championship.
In spite of Ryder losing his championship the very next day, this still remains fresh in the minds of WWE fans.
#4 Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero was never supposed to win against a mammoth Brock Lesnar. Never! In what is considered to be one of the biggest underdog stories in WWE history, Eddie did the unthinkable after beating Brock Lesnar at No Way Out in 2004.
The match was a fairly long one, with Guerrero always trying to punch above his weight against a young Lesnar. With determination on show and a little help from Goldberg, Eddie was able to realise a life long dream of holding the championship head over his shoulder, and the crowd also backed him up in his tryst with destiny.
The performance is still regarded by many as Eddie's best, and why not? He withstood the Beast and came out of the match with the belt around his waist. While the world still mourns over the legend's tragic demise, we take this moment to honor his legacy, with the gist of his epic win.
#3 Mick Foley
Perhaps the first superstar to actually portray an underdog to its fullest potential, Mick Foley will forever be remembered for his audacity and daredevil nature. While Foley wasn't ever taken seriously by anyone - let alone Vince McMahon, in the middle of a war between WWE and WCW, Foley shocked everyone by beating the Rock for the coveted championship.
That crowning moment may be what turned the wrestling industry on its head, and made the WWE the big shot company it is today. With the commentators even claiming Foley to not be the most talented or even the best looking, he sure was their new champion.
To cap it all off, he dedicated his win to his kids and to all the WWE fans who backed him all the way to the top.
This is just another example of the right storyline being pushed, and the kind which inspires more and more youngsters to achieve their dreams. While Mick might be on and off WWE right now, he will be forever remembered for his exploits in the ring.
#2 Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio is still considered the Ultimate Underdog, and why not? Not many of his stature have achieved the kind of success he has. In 2006, when Mysterio against all odds won the Royal Rumble, it was a match made in heaven.
Everyone was awaiting the coronation of their favorite underdog. The 5'6" superstar gave the WWE fans their money's worth when he emphatically won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the WrestleMania 22 main-event, after beating not only Kurt Angle, but also 'the Viper' Randy Orton, in what was an instant classic.
With Vince McMahon generally backing strongly built superstars, Mysterio's win was a breath of fresh air, which also broke the stereotypical thought of WWE not investing in their cruiserweights.
The charisma and determination of Rey did stand out over the course of the storyline, which makes this one of the best in the WWE.
#1 Daniel Bryan
How can anyone possibly forget the epic Yes Movement that took over WWE in 2013 and 2014?
Daniel Bryan was always perceived to be an underdog, he didn't stand at 6 feet or weigh over 250 pounds, but he did make it up with his superior in-ring ability.
Bryan had his fair share of ups and downs before his feud with the Authority. But it was the onset of the Yes Movement which saw Bryan scale unprecedented heights.
After Triple H turned on Bryan, causing him to lose his championship to Randy Orton, Bryan went on an epic storyline that saw him needing to win a match against Triple H first to earn a spot in the main event for the WWE Championship.
He did that successfully but was heavily injured, making it seemingly impossible for Bryan to even compete. But Bryan being Bryan did the unthinkable when he won the championship, and made the crowd go wild like never before.
The storyline is perhaps the best in the PG era, with the WWE fans invested in the idea of Bryan winning the championship.
While Mick Foley and Rey Mysterio could have clinched the top spot as well, Daniel Bryan's winning the championship against all odds makes it the best underdog storyline in WWE history.
