2017 has been a fantastic year for the WWE. Both in terms of storytelling and in-ring performances, WWE left very little to be desired. The superstars stole the show more often than not and provided some memorable moments to cherish. The Sportsrush presents the five WWE’s best moments of 2017.
1) Undertaker’s retirement
The moment the seeds were planted for Roman Reigns vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania, fans sensed something awry. Reigns was being billed as the poster boy and everyone wondered if he would go through The Deadman with a victory. The inevitable happened but the aftermath of the match was even more heartbreaking.
Undertaker laid down his trademark gloves and hat in the centre of the ring arousing speculation of his retirement. Though nothing official has been declared till date, we haven’t seen The Deadman in the ring either. The deafening boos of the crowd the next night targetted at Reigns remains a testament to The Deadman’s legacy and fandom.
2) The Hardys return at Wrestlemania
The Raw tag team championships were to be defended in a triple threat match at Wrestlemania. The slated contestants were The Bar, Enzo Amore and Big Cass and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. However, the Wrestlemania hosts, The New Day pulled a rabbit out of the hat. The Hardys were now the fourth team in the ladder match.
The entire arena felt goosebumps as evident by a few reactions showcased on television. The Hardys were back to the WWE after 9 years with a match they revolutionized. Moreover, as an icing on the cake, the left Orlando as the new Raw Tag Team Champions.
3) The Shield reunite
Following weeks of beatdown and punishment by the The Miztourage and The Bar, the Shield finally came back together. The creative team played this out brilliantly which ensured a enormously loud response from the WWE Universe. Though there were mini reunions in the past, this full blown reunion was one of the best moments of this year.
The patent Shield powerbomb to The Miz was also something that drove the crowd into frenzy. We saw the reunion getting sour due to Reigns’ meningitis and Ambrose’s tricep tear and only one match against the New Day. However, the Shield reunion remains one of the five WWE’s best moments of 2017 for obvious reasons.
Also Read : Five of the best WWE matches from 2017
4) Kurt Angle returns/ inducted into Hall of Fame
One of the pioneers of the Attitude Era, Kurt Angle made a triumphant return to the WWE. After a long hiatus from the WWE owing to contractual and personal reasons, Kurt Angle finally returned to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. On the next night he would be inducted into the Raw Roster as the General Manager.
His stint would not be restricted to off ring responsibilities. He made an in ring return after 11 long years to fill in for the missing Roman Reigns. He received huge cheers while delivering a few spots in the match. The fact that he is still adorably greeted by ‘You Suck’ chants speaks volumes about how much the WWE Universe loves him.
5) The Women’s (R)Evolution
The Women’s Revolution began with the introduction of the Four Horsewomen and the rechristening of the Divas’ division to the Womens’ division. However, this year was a landmark year for the WWE in this regard. The WWE Universe bore witness to the first ever all-women Money in the Bank Ladder and Hell in a Cell matches.
However, the most special of them all was Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss in a live event at UAE. This was an unprecedented event and both the competitors were greeted with chants of ‘This is Hope’. The women look to create history once again in the upcoming all woman Royal Rumble match which would be another one of WWE’s best moments.
