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Professional wrestling isn't as simple as it used to be a few decades ago. Back then, babyfaces would get cheered and heels would get booed, and keeping kayfabe alive was one of the most sacred acts in pro wrestling. As the 90s arrived, the fans began getting tired of the same old formula, and WWE & WCW's cheesy, family-oriented storylines were slammed heavily.
This resulted in a brand new age of anti-heroes like Stone Cold Steve Austin, DX, and the nWo. There have been several occasions in the past few decades where the fans cheered heels and booed babyfaces, for various reasons. WWE's fans in Toronto, Canada are known for always coming up with unexpected reactions towards WWE Superstars. SummerSlam 2019 is being held in Toronto, Canada. Let's take a look at five times when the fans in Toronto booed babyfaces out of the building.
Also read: 5 reasons Samoa Joe's babyface turn is a ploy
#5 John Cena vs Edge, Unforgiven 2006
At SummerSlam 2006, Edge defeated John Cena with the help of brass knuckles to retain his WWE Title. The two arch-rivals were set to battle again, this time in Edge's home country. The Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match headlined Unforgiven 2006.
A hard-fought battle resulted in John Cena performing his signature finishing move FU on Edge, off a ladder, through two tables inside the ring. This was enough for Cena to grab the belt and win the match. By this time, a better part of the WWE Universe had grown tired of Cena's superhero shtick. Edge, despite being possibly the biggest heel in WWE at the time, was heavily cheered throughout the match. There was possibly nothing these two Superstars could do that night that would change the reaction of the Toronto crowd. They are known for getting behind heels, and there wasn't a better heel than Edge in WWE at the time. Plus, being a Canadian Superstar helped him too.
#4 Bayley gets mercilessly booed
At WrestleMania 33, Bayley managed to retain her Raw Women's title by defeating Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Nia Jax in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match. Soon after, Bayley lost the title to Alexa Bliss at WWE Payback. She later became the #1 contender for the title and was set to face Bliss at SummerSlam for the same, but an injury took her out of action.
Also read: 5 times Vince McMahon saved the day
On the August 7th episode of Monday Night Raw, Bayley addressed the WWE Universe in a heartfelt promo. The only issue with the segment? The Toronto crowd booed her out of the building. The extremely negative reaction baffled Bayley as well as WWE announcer Corey Graves, who acknowledged the same on commentary. Vince McMahon was reportedly unhappy with the Toronto fans for their strange reaction to Bayley's emotional promo.
#3 Fans are tired of babyface Edge
SummerSlam 2004 was held in Toronto, Canada. After WrestleMania 20, Edge had finally made his return to WWE after being on the sidelines for months on end due to an injury. By the time SummerSlam rolled around, he had defeated Randy Orton to win the Intercontinental title.
Also read: 5 reasons The Rock quietly retired from WWE
At the PPV, Edge defended his title against fellow Canadian Chris Jericho and Evolution's Batista, in a Triple Threat Match. To everyone's shock, Edge got booed by his countrymen on various occasions throughout the match. WWE soon turned Edge into a full-fledged heel, in what was possibly the decision that changed Edge's career for the best. Edge went on to become one of the greatest Superstars of his generation and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012.
#2 Eugene vs Triple H, SummerSlam 2004
Soon after WrestleMania 20 was done and dusted with, Eugene came up to the main roster, portraying the character of a "special" and overly excited nephew of Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff. The recently returned William Regal was reluctant at first to take care of Eugene, but they soon formed a bond and became good friends.
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Eugene got into a feud with Triple H soon after, which culminated in a match at SummerSlam 2004. The crowd had booed Edge of all people a while ago on the same PPV. The reaction Eugene received was even worse. The Toronto fans were having none of his antics, and actually cheered for Triple H. The Game won the match after hitting a Pedigree on Eugene. SummerSlam was the night when the term "Bizarro World" was coined. Announcer Jerry Lawler seemed shocked by the crowd reaction, as it wasn't a usual occurrence at that point in time.
#1 The Rock vs Hollywood Hogan, WrestleMania 18
This was possibly the moment that cemented the fact that the Toronto crowd is one of the most unexpected bunch of fans in the world. WrestleMania 18 saw The Rock take on Hollywood Hogan in a legit dream match that the fans never thought they would ever see. Hogan was as big a heel as anyone could be at that point and was still donning the black & white nWo gear.
Also read: 5 things we could see after Undertaker's long-term signing
The Toronto fans didn't have a problem with it though, as they welcomed Hogan with a loud sea of cheers as he made his entrance. Hogan was visibly surprised to see the reaction of the fans. The crowd cheered for him throughout the match and even booed The Rock on several occasions, despite him being a traditional babyface. The boos were brought up by The Rock the next year on the road to WrestleMania 19 when he turned heel.
