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For every superstar, it’s a dream come true when they debut in the WWE. After all, WWE is the biggest professional wrestling organization there is. No matter how much you sugar coat it, in the end, WWE is not just an ‘Entertainment’ company, but the largest and one of the oldest wrestling promotions in the world. For every kid who has ever watched the old WWF with his parents, like Adam Copeland, their dream is to step into the ring one day and show the world what they’re capable of. No matter where you perform, how much you travel, the end destination for every major name in the business is the WWE. This is why WWE is the ‘be all, end all’ in the industry.
They say you haven’t done it all in professional wrestling if you haven’t performed in the WWE, and there is a good reason for that. Making their debuts in the WWE is one of the most common wishes, which is even the top wish when the WWE stars go to the Make A Wish foundation! Thus, performing in an organization which was the reason for creating stars like Hulk Hogan, Sammartino, Undertaker, Austin etc. is nothing short of an honor and a privilege. In this article, I take a look at the top 5 debuts in the WWE in the past 2 decades, and this only includes the debut matches, not the segments.
At number 5 is the current flag bearer of the WWE, the man who has been carrying the company on his shoulders since the past 8 years, and the current WWE champion, John Cena. When John Cena debuted, no one would have imagined that a decade from then, Cena would be the biggest name in the industry. John Cena made his debut against the Olympic gold medalist, Kurt Angle, when Kurt issued an open challenge for anyone to face him. Not only was it the first time the WWE fans got to witness John Cena, but he put up a good fight against the technical maestro, and nearly pulled off a major upset win, after which he got a nod of approval from the greatest superstar in the history of the business, The Undertaker himself!
Santino Marella
In the history of WWE, there are only a couple of people who won a championship during their debut match, and Santino is one of them. The ‘Italian Stallion’ was handpicked by the Chairman himself, Vince McMahon to face Umaga on an episode of RAW in Italy. Not only did he beat Umaga, but he also won the prestigious WWE Intercontinental champion in the process. Talk about making an impact!
Tazz
Back during the Attitude Era, WWF’s competitor WCW found a way to turn things around, and gain the upper hand for a while, and WWF retaliated by forming an alliance with ECW. In ECW, there was a superstar who was known as the ‘Human Suplex machine’, someone who was feared by the ECW individuals. But in 2000, he jumped ships to the WWF, and debuted at the Royal Rumble. He was none other than Tazz, and he made his debut to a tremendous ovation against Kurt Angle, and defeated the Olympic Gold medalist who was till then undefeated in the WWF, and that too at Madison Square Garden! That is how you make an impact on your debut.
Carlito
Carlito is one of the very few, along with Santino Marella, to have won a title during his debut match! In ’04, Carlito made his debut against the then United States Champion, John Cena, on an episode of Smackdown!, and went on to defeat Cena to win the WWE United States championship! Carlito, being the son of the legendary Carlos Colon, was held in high regards when he made his debut on the main roster, and hence was given the title after his very first match!
The Shield
The Shield’s recent dominance in the WWE earns them the number 1 spot on the list. The Shield made their debut last year at the TLC PPV in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match against the team of Ryback and Team Hell No and defeated the monster, and two former champions in Kane and Daniel Bryan! Since then, they have dominated the scene, and are now the Tag Team champions and Ambrose is the United States champion!
