The WWE may have had some of the most captivating storylines in sports entertainment, but they have also been guilty of dropping the ball on numerous occasions.
These have typically ended any potential big payoff for fans in the long-term, and instead, they have felt rushed just so that both superstars can get onto something fresh. But, which of these have stood out more than most over the last couple of years?
Bayley and Sasha Banks
This had all the ingredients to be a solid main event match on a pay per view. The chemistry between the real-life best friends is off the charts, and they could have put on one of the very best matches we have seen over recent years. The creative dropped the ball on this one, and instead of a main event at a PPV, we had to suffer through prolonged counselling sessions.
The two made up, and eventual went on to become the inaugural women’s tag team champions, but it was certainly a case of what could have been. With both women now on SmackDown, there could be a chance of picking this rivalry back up, especially considering that Bayley is currently holding the gold on the blue brand.
Sami Zayn and Bobby Lashley
Both of these superstars have fell victim to mistakes from the creative. Zayn has been criminally underused since returning from injury, and it feels like he is being wasted as a mouthpiece for Shinsuke Nakamura. Lashley meanwhile has been in a host of strange stories since returning; maybe none more so than his current run against Rusev.
However, this had all the potential to be a solid feud following on from a tag match at Backlash. But, it was cut short due to the interest of fans, which was largely diminished during a segment titled ‘Lashley’s Three Sisters’. There was nothing to like about that overly long segment on Raw, and will likely go down as one of the worst promos in the last ten years.
Daniel Bryan and The Miz
This was certainly a case of the WWE not realising something very special just dropping on their lap. It was potentially THE rivalry that could have shaped the WWE Title reign that Bryan had, and could have headlined any major PPV. The majority of the legwork was done while Bryan was retired on TalkingSmack, and could have been truly very special.
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At one point, The Miz spoke of how this match should have headlined Mania, but it seems that we will never get the long-term payout that we deserved with this. The best rivalries are the ones that blur the lines between sports entertainment and reality, and there is a sense when these two are together that they genuinely can’t stand each other. Hopefully, it is revisited at some point in the future, but it’s looking doubtful.
Are there any rivalries that we have missed out? Have your say in the comments below.
