2015 has been another packed year for the WWE Universe. From new champions to rising stars, this year has provided some amazing action – and a glimpse of what we can expect in the year to come. Here are some of our year-in-review highlights!
10. Roman Reigns wins and loses WWE Championship in same night
It’s been a tough year for Roman. Having been cheated out of a fair opportunity for the Championship on several occasions, a tournament to crown a new titlist gave him new hope that the mountain could be climbed.
At November’s Survivor Series, Roman would pin Dean Ambrose in the tournament finals to finally become the WWE Champion, only to have the rug pulled from under him again.
History repeated itself as twice in one year, the ‘Money in the Bank’ winner would cash in his briefcase and put Roman Reigns out of the title picture. This time, just minutes after Roman became the official champ, the Celtic Warrior Sheamus would cash in the brief case and batter Roman, who was still recovering from his earlier match. In a shocking twist, Sheamus would become champion, leaving Roman Reigns’ hopes dashed once again.
9. World Title Becomes Vacant
When Seth Rollins cashed in his briefcase and won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, few could have predicted he would manage to defend the title against the likes of Sting, John Cena, and Kane. After beating all in his path, it was looking like no one could stop Seth – that is, until he beat himself.
In a match in Dublin, Ireland, the champ would land awkwardly and severely injure his knee. Following surgery, Seth is now rehabilitating his knee and is already on the come back trail. But for now, he will have to sit on the sidelines having vacated the WWE World Championship.
8. The Cesaro Section Grows
One of the fastest rising stars of 2015, in the eyes of many fans, is Cesaro. So much so that his fans hold up signs proudly announcing that they are part of the ‘Cesaro Section’. On TV, it’s not hard to see that the Cesaro Section has been growing week by week in 2015.
The Swiss born superstar has been on a roll, racking up impressive wins and performing in some of the years best matches. With a combination of seemingly impossible strength, and inspiring technical ability, 2016 could be the year of Cesaro.
7. John Cena Wrestles with Busted Nose
They don’t call him ‘Super Cena’ for nothing, but even John’s worst critics had to bow down to him for continuing a match with a busted nose. During a match on WWE Raw, Seth Rollins blasted John with a powerful knee to the face, which resulted in John’s nose swelling to double it’s natural size.
As the incident unfolded on TV, Super Cena would battle on despite heavy blood loss, picking up a victory and once again saying “You can’t see me” to his rivals.
6. Undertaker Returns
Perhaps the biggest surprise of 2015 was The Undertaker’s unannounced and unexpected return to the WWE right at the end of the Battle Ground pay-per-view back in July. The crowd erupted as the walking dead man returned.
25 years from making his memorable debut at the Survivor Series, The Undertaker has recently been in ferocious battles with Brock Lesnar, and the Wyatt Family. No one in the history of the WWE has had a career as consistent as The Undertaker.
5. The New Day Become Superstars
On paper, a 3 man team consisting of Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods doesn’t sound like the makings of one of WWE’s most entertaining groups. It’s not that each man isn’t talented in his own right, but it just seemed like an odd combination. ‘The New Day’ may have been assembled in 2014, but they evolved to become one of WWE’s biggest 2015 success stories.
Sometimes things just fit together. The power of Big E (and that dancing!), together with Kofi’s in-ring acrobatics, and Wood’s hilarious antics, have put ‘The New Day’ firmly at the top of WWE’s tag team division. We can’t wait to see what they do next.
4. The Diva’s Revolution
2015 was a great year for female athletes. The USA women’s soccer team lifted the World Cup, Ronda Rousey was riding high in UFC, and a new wave of WWE Divas were taking over the ring with the debut of Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Becky Lynch.
The new influx of female talent has proved WWE with some mouth-watering potential matched. With Divas such as NXT champion Bailey and Nia Jax waiting in the wings, 2016 could be an even bigger year for women in the WWE.
3. Seth Rollins Cashes in Money in the Bank at WrestleMania 31
The main event at WrestleMania is as big as it gets on the pro wrestling calendar. This year was no different with the Royal Rumble winner, Roman Reigns, challenging Brock Lesnar. The shock was that neither men walked away from WrestleMania with the belt.
Seth Rollins would crash the party. As the rules in WWE stipulate, the superstar who holds the ‘Money in the Bank’ briefcase can take on the WWE champion anytime – even during an ongoing match. Could Roman have dethroned the beast? We’ll never know because Seth would cash in his briefcase and topple an already beat-down Brock Lesnar for the upset win of the year, and the WWE Championship.
2. Ronda Rousey confronts Stephanie McMahon
No one in their wildest dreams thought it possible that the then UFC Women’s Champion could appear at WWE WrestleMania, but it happened in 2015!
In an unscheduled promo segment, Ronda Rousey would hip-throw Triple H and put Stephanie McMahon in an arm-lock. Could we see Rousey vs. McMahon in 2016? A match between two of the most influential women in sports and entertainment would be a blockbuster. Many would now say this is a strong possibility in 2016.
1. Roman Reigns wins the 2015 Royal Rumble
With January’s Royal Rumble winner earning a shot at the World Title at WrestleMania, 30 superstars would battle it out to become the number one contender.
The crowd favourite, Daniel Bryan, was ousted from the match early on and so it would be the ever-dominating Roman Reigns who outlasted the competition and took home the prize. Crowd reaction for Roman’s win was mixed, but those in attendance were thrilled to be treated to a rare surprise as The Rock joined the in-ring celebrations.
