Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Top 5 Wrestling Debuts of All Time - Part 1
5 GOLDBERG – RAW, MARCH 31, 2003: When the WWE purchased WCW, wrestling fans eagerly anticipated watching Goldberg step into a WWE ring, however, Goldberg’s contract wasn’t bought out by WWE and fans would have to wait nearly two years to see Goldberg’s debut.
The fans got their wish the night after WrestleMania XIX, with The Rock cutting a promo that he was going to leave the company because he had nothing left to prove. Goldberg’s music dropped and the wrestling world finally saw his long awaited debut. His debut wasn’t long, as he told The Rock that he was next before spearing him.
Goldberg’s debut garnered a lot of excitement, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a long lasting success as Goldberg was with the company for a year and his contract was not renewed.
4 THE RADICALZ – RAW, JANUARY 31, 2000: With all four members (Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko) sitting at ringside during the start of Raw, fans realized that the WWE had just signed The Radicalz from WCW.
It was just a matter of time before they got into the ring and made a statement. The stable interrupted a match featuring the New Age Outlaws, before beating them down as Guerrero hit a frog splash and Benoit hit his signature diving headbutt.
The fans were thrilled as all four men walked to the back of the locker room. All four men had good runs with the company, with Benoit and Guerrero having the most success. This debut was a preview of the end of WCW, as they were losing quality mid-card talent to WWE.
3 JOHN CENA – SMACKDOWN, JUNE 27, 2002: On SmackDown in 2002, Kurt Angle issued an open challenge to any superstar in the back and that challenge was answered by a young and little known wrestler, John Cena.
Though the fans didn’t know what to expect from this kid, they could see he had all the physical attributes to become a huge star. The match was fast paced and impressive, with Angle eventually winning by a wrestler pin. After the match, many superstars congratulated Cena in the back, with the biggest one coming from none other than The Undertaker.
This debut was very successful, as it was the start of the “Ruthless Aggression Era” and the beginning of the career of the future face of the company.
2 BROCK LESNAR – RAW, MARCH 18, 2002: Coming through the crowd, Lesnar interfered in a match between Al Snow, Maven, and Spike Dudley. He destroyed all three in the ring, showcasing his brute strength.
Seeing this virtually unknown wrestler create so much carnage sent fans into a state of ecstasy. To make this debut even better, Paul Heyman joined Lesnar and barked orders at him from outside the ring.
This was an example of the “Ruthless Aggression Era,” as a young unknown superstar made a huge splash on their debut. Lesnar would end up becoming the chosen one to end The Undertaker’s incredible streak at WrestleMania.
1 THE SHIELD – SURVIVOR SERIES, NOVEMBER 18, 2012: This was an impressive debut, as three young wrestlers made a statement by interfering in the main event at Survivor Series.
The fans were stunned as three unknown men came out of the crowd, attacked Ryback and powerbombed him through a table. This resulted in CM Punk pinning John Cena and retaining his title.
The Shield would go on to be a huge success, as they would feud with top stars and go on a long undefeated streak. The Shield was one of the best factions in wrestling history and this debut was the start of that.