15 WrestleMania Endings That Sparked Backlash

Five long seconds before an arm was draped over the rightful winner. Twenty-one victories ended in stunned silence. A championship stolen in eighteen seconds. When the final bell rings at WWE’s WrestleMania, the aftermath isn’t always a celebration. Sometimes it’s pure backlash that echoes through arenas, social media, and wrestling forums for years to come. These fifteen finales didn’t just surprise fans; they ignited firestorms of criticism, outrage, and heated debates that still have fans talking.

1. The Night The Streak Died: Brock Lesnar Ends Undertaker’s 21-0 Legacy

Match: The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar

Event: WrestleMania 30 – April 6, 2014, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

No one saw it coming. After going 21-0 at WrestleMania, The Undertaker’s legendary streak came to a shocking end at the hands of Brock Lesnar. The New Orleans crowd sat in stunned silence as the referee counted three, marking the most unexpected result in WrestleMania history.

Many questioned the decision to let Lesnar, already a dominant force, be the one to break the streak. Though it solidified Lesnar’s legacy, this victory may not have been needed and could have benefited another wrestler, such as Bray Wyatt, whom Taker would meet the following year, or Roman Reigns, whom he’d battle at WrestleMania 33.

The ending of this Brock/Taker encounter left fans emotionally gutted and sparked endless debate online and backstage.

In an interview with CBS Sports’ State of Combat podcast, Undertaker expressed reservations about the decision:

“I didn’t feel like Brock needed it. Brock was already a huge star, and it wasn’t going to help him one way or another. My only concern was there might have been someone down the line that could have benefited from it more, and that probably would’ve been Roman later on. That’s with hindsight being 20/20.”

Undertaker continued, “But, if I was going to get beat by someone, Brock was a guy who had the credentials, I think, to do it, and people would be like, ‘Um, okay, ****, that’s Brock Lesnar.’ That was my biggest deal.”

You can explore more about the historic end of The Streak at WrestleMania 30 in our in-depth article, “The Streak: Why It Ended for The Undertaker – Secret Details.“

2. 18-Second Heartbreak: Sheamus Stuns Daniel Bryan for Gold

Match: Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan – World Heavyweight Championship

Event: WrestleMania XXVIII – April 1, 2012, Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Summary: In what became one of the shortest and most controversial title matches in WrestleMania history, Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in just 18 seconds. After Bryan kissed AJ Lee and turned around, he was met with a Brogue Kick and pinned instantly.

Fans were furious that Bryan was treated as a throwaway act on the grandest stage. Furthermore, Sheamus was that year’s Royal Rumble winner and, despite being for the World Heavyweight Championship, this match was put on first in the night.

Ironically, this moment helped spark the “Yes Movement,” but at the time, it felt like a massive snub to both participants.

In an interview with GQ Magazine, Bryan Danielson (formerly Daniel Bryan in WWE) openly discussed his disappointment regarding his 18-second loss to Sheamus at WrestleMania XXVIII:

“I was World Heavyweight Champion for four months. I wanted to go out there and steal the show. I was trained by Shawn Michaels, and that’s what he’s notorious for. I’ve always had the mindset that my wrestling is as good as or better than anybody out there. I was really looking forward to going out there and showing everybody what I can do on the biggest stage of them all, and then I just wasn’t able to do it.”

On being told the match would not go as he had envisioned, Bryan admitted, “There wasn’t much of a conversation. This is my job, you know? You have to do something, and even if you don’t like it, that’s what you do. But you go out there and do the best that you can. I went out and did the best entrance I could possibly do. You just do your best; that’s all anybody can do.”

3. Real-World Heat: Hulk Hogan Topples Sgt. Slaughter’s Iraq-Angle Title Reign

Match: Sgt. Slaughter vs. Hulk Hogan – WWF Championship

Event: WrestleMania VII – March 24, 1991, Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California

The build to this match was steeped in controversy, as Sgt. Slaughter took on a new character and portrayed an Iraqi sympathizer during the Gulf War. Hulk Hogan, cast as the patriotic hero, was all but guaranteed the win at this year’s WrestleMania.

While Hogan’s victory received a strong crowd reaction, critics questioned the taste of exploiting real-world conflict for heat. The match’s political overtones and predictable ending made it one of the most controversial in terms of ethics and creative direction.

In his book Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Hulk shared his reflections on his WrestleMania VII match against Sgt. Slaughter:

"Vince McMahon took Sergeant Slaughter, who had been an American patriot, and turned him into the worst kind of heel you could have had in those days: an Iraqi sympathizer.

Sergeant Slaughter announced his allegiance to Saddam Hussein and at the Royal Rumble, he beat Ultimate Warrior for the championship. That set everything up for WrestleMania.

“Instead of me wrestling Randy Savage for the hundredth time, I went into the ring as the defender of America, ready and able to take down the traitor Slaughter the way I had taken down the Iron Sheik back in 1983.

“Unfortunately, we caught a lot of heat for the Iraqi sympathizer angle from the press, with people saying we had no right to exploit a real war. But that was nothing compared to the fan reaction."

4. Booker T’s Momentum Stalls: Controversy at WrestleMania XIX

Match: Triple H vs. Booker T – World Heavyweight Championship

Event: WrestleMania XIX – March 30, 2003, Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington

This match is widely criticized for its problematic build-up and puzzling finish.

Leading up to WrestleMania, Triple H’s promos included racially charged undertones that made Booker T’s win seem inevitable as a redemption arc. But after a long match and a punishing Pedigree, Triple H waited several seconds before covering Booker, yet still got the clean win.

Many fans viewed this as a burial of Booker T’s momentum and an unsatisfying conclusion to a racially charged storyline. The result sparked years of debate over the decision and its damaging implications.

On a February 2021 episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T went in-depth on his feelings about the match:

"The thing about that match [at WrestleMania 19], of course, the ending wasn’t what most of the majority of the fans that night were wanting.”

He continued, “Many people wanted me to win that night, I remember a couple of the office guys said, ‘Book you should have won tonight.’ Well, you wrote it. You had a piece of it, why didn’t you speak up?

I didn’t win that night, I don’t lose any sleep over it because I’ve always looked at wrestling like movies. Sometimes when you’re watching a movie, sometimes the bad guy wins. The movie goes off and the bad guy gets away with the crime. I’ve never once looked back and said man, I should’ve won that match."

You can dive deeper into this controversial storyline in our feature, "Triple H and Booker T – WWE’s Most Shameful Feud."

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5. Hulk Hogan’s 59-Second Cash-In: Yokozuna and Bret Hart Upended

Match: Yokozuna vs. Bret Hart (followed by Yokozuna vs. Hulk Hogan)

Event: WrestleMania 9 – April 4, 1993, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Bret Hart was supposed to be the future, but Hulk Hogan made sure the spotlight stayed on him.

After Yokozuna controversially defeated Hart with the help of Mr. Fuji, Hogan ran in, challenged Yokozuna, and won the then WWF Championship in an impromptu match that lasted less than a minute.

Fans were baffled, and many saw it as Hogan politicking his way back to the top. The moment overshadowed Bret Hart’s rising momentum and damaged Yokozuna’s credibility as a dominant heel. To this day, it’s remembered as one of the most awkward and forced WrestleMania finishes.

In an interview with ESPN, Bret Hart shared his shock perspective on being told he was going to lose the title.

“I expected that I was going to win, I didn’t know I was going to lose that day. They didn’t tell me until literally the day before and it was quite a shock because they had told me when I had won the title, which had been about three months before, that they were going to keep the title on me for a really long time, we’re talking five, six, seven years. I only went off of what they had told me.

“I was totally not prepared, embraced in mind to lose so quickly, so I was really caught off guard by that, and quite let down by it.”

You can uncover even more behind-the-scenes details in our deep dive, "WrestleMania 9: The Controversy Behind Hulk Hogan Winning the Title."

6. Triple H Retains in McMahon-Backed Fatal Four-Way Turmoil

Match: Triple H vs. The Rock vs. Mick Foley vs. Big Show – WWF Championship

Event: WrestleMania 2000 – April 2, 2000, Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California

WrestleMania 2000’s main event was the first fatal four-way in the show’s history, but it’s remembered more for its convoluted storytelling than its action. Each competitor had a McMahon in their corner, with Vince McMahon ultimately betraying The Rock and siding with Triple H.

The twist ending saw Triple H retaining the title, becoming the first heel to walk out of WrestleMania as champion.

The impact of giving a heel their happy ending at WrestleMania cannot be emphasized enough. It was major surprise and not in a good way. Many fans were frustrated by the heel win and overbooked finish, which overshadowed what could’ve been a career-defining moment for The Rock or Mick Foley.

In an interview on the Impaulsive podcast, Triple H discussed the match’s evolution and its implications:

“I think that would have been an epic thing for both of us in that moment, the timing of Taker’s return and Austin’s return. And Austin wasn’t quite ready yet. So they pushed the WrestleMania match and that year we did this Fatal 4-way with Mick Foley, who I had just retired, coming back like a month later… and Big Show.

“A couple of months later, we would have the one-on-one Iron Man Match (at Judgement Day in 2000) that we wanted to have at WrestleMania. Unfortunately I always feel it’s the one thing… like we got to this unbelievably heated long-term rivalry and then never got to pay it off at the biggest platform possible. And I think Rock feels that way too.”

7. Roman Reigns’ Polarizing Crowning: WrestleMania 32 Crowd Revolt

Match: Roman Reigns vs. Triple H

Event: WrestleMania 32 – April 3, 2016, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

WWE pushed Roman Reigns as the next top star, but the fans weren’t having it. In a painfully long and predictable main event, Reigns defeated Triple H to win the WWE Championship, yet the crowd showered him with boos instead of cheers.

The disconnect between WWE’s vision and fan sentiment was glaring. Many viewers criticized the build, the pacing, and the match outcome, calling it tone-deaf booking.

Rather than a coronation, Reigns’ big win became a symbol of WWE’s creative stubbornness, which arguably reached its peak during this period.

In an interview with The Mirror UK, Triple H shared his thoughts roughly a month after WrestleMania 32:

"It was a challenging situation on a lot of fronts. Roman is a unique character in the business and a polarising character, much like a John Cena or somebody like that. He’s a polarising character, you are in front of 100,000 people and you’re also coming up at the end of a six-and-a-half hour plus show – it was long. I was happy with it but to be honest I’ve not watched it back yet."

8. Stone Cold Steve Austin Aligns with Vince McMahon: Houston Sees the Unthinkable

Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock

Event: WrestleMania X-Seven – April 1, 2001, Astrodome, Houston, Texas

In one of the most iconic matches in WWE history, Stone Cold Steve Austin shocked the world by aligning with his longtime nemesis, Vince McMahon.

After a brutal brawl with The Rock, Austin used a steel chair repeatedly and accepted McMahon’s help to win the WWE Championship. The heel turn was jarring for fans, especially in Austin’s home state of Texas. While the match was critically acclaimed, the aftermath was divisive, and many felt it marked the beginning of the end for the Attitude Era. Even Austin later admitted the turn was likely a mistake.

In an interview with Dan Patrick, Steve Austin discussed his mentality behind that night’s events:

"Well, they revolted. They didn’t want to hate me. By that time they loved me so much. You always want to do something big at WrestleMania. I didn’t think we had anything big that year, so I told Vince, ‘Hey man, I’ll turn heel.’”

Austin continued, “I was feeling flat going into WrestleMania 17, because I’d been hot for so long and I’ve always liked to be the bad guy anyway. So, that’s why I wanted to turn into the bad guy, so I could have fun."

You can discover how this shocking alliance was only the tip of the iceberg in their legendary rivalry in our feature, "Steve Austin and Vince McMahon – The Story Behind The Feud!"

9. Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar: Exit-Door Match That Bombed with NYC Fans

Match: Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar

Event: WrestleMania XX – March 14, 2004, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

Two powerhouses. One of the most hyped matches on the card. But both Goldberg and Brock Lesnar were on their way out of WWE, and fans knew it.

What followed was a sluggish, awkward match that the New York crowd turned against completely, booing both men and even the referee.

Goldberg’s eventual win felt hollow, and the only redeeming moment came after the match when special referee Stone Cold Steve Austin hit both men with Stunners. It remains one of the most disappointing big-man matches in WrestleMania history.

In an interview with Inside The Ropes, Goldberg openly discussed the adverse fan reaction to his WrestleMania XX match.

“The fans knew we were both leaving, and they felt betrayed. They let us know it from the moment we stepped into the ring. It was a surreal experience, feeling that level of animosity.”

“I understood their frustration,” Goldberg continued, “but it was still tough to process in the moment. I won that match because Vince wanted to kill Brock more. That’s the truth. It wasn’t about me getting a send-off; it was about making a statement. The whole situation was complicated, and the fans’ reaction was a reflection of that.”

10. Warrior Crushes Rising Triple H in Two Minutes at WrestleMania XII

Match: The Ultimate Warrior vs. Triple H (Hunter Hearst Helmsley)

Event: WrestleMania XII – March 31, 1996, Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California

Fans were excited to see The Ultimate Warrior return, but what unfolded left many scratching their heads.

Triple H – then an up-and-comer in the company going by the name Hunter Hearst Helmsley – was squashed in under two minutes with almost no offense. The match buried Helmsley’s momentum, and Warrior’s no-sell of his opponent’s finisher came off as ego-driven rather than nostalgic.

While it popped the crowd in the moment, the booking raised eyebrows and failed to serve the long-term storytelling. It’s often cited as a baffling example of poor talent development.

In an interview with the Ultimate Warrior, he reflected on his WrestleMania XII match against Triple H, acknowledging the brevity of the bout and its impact, and refusing the criticisms:

“I wanted to make a statement with my return, to remind everyone of the power and energy I brought to the ring. The match was short, but it was about reestablishing the Warrior’s presence. Triple H was a rising star, and I respected his professionalism in that moment. It was a unique situation, and I believe it served its purpose.”

Though Warrior spoke glowingly about the match, it set the stage for years of behind-the-scenes animosity you can explore in our piece, "Ultimate Warrior vs. Triple H: A 99-Second WrestleMania Disaster."

11. Sting’s WWE Debut Ends in DX-nWo Mayhem (and a Triple H Win)

Match: Sting vs. Triple H

Event: WrestleMania 31 – March 29, 2015, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California

In his long-awaited WWE debut, WCW icon Sting took on Triple H in a battle filled with nostalgia, complete with interference from D-Generation X and the nWo.

Despite fan expectations that Sting would win not only as a tribute to his legendary career but also on account of it being his first WWE match, Triple H defeated him after a sledgehammer shot.

The match was fun, but the outcome left many puzzled. Fans felt that WWE missed an opportunity to honor Sting, making his loss feel like another shot at WCW’s legacy rather than a proper WrestleMania moment.

In a Q&A at the Wales Comic Con in December of 2017, Sting reflected on his WrestleMania 31 match against Triple H, acknowledging the unique experience of wrestling at this first WrestleMania:

“I have no complaints. It was WrestleMania. You had DX, you had the nWo. It was surreal. A great moment and great memories. No complaints from me. I think we got everything out in that match. I don’t think there was a need for it. We both got everything out in that one match.”

But beneath Sting’s gracious words was a sense that something had gone terribly wrong. You can uncover how this night marked the beginning of an uneasy WWE chapter in "Sting: His Unlikely WWE Journey (and Where It Went Wrong)."

12. Title Match Overshadowed: The Rock Interference Derails John Cena vs. Miz

Match: The Miz vs. John Cena

Event: WrestleMania XXVII – April 3, 2011, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

The WWE Championship should’ve been the highlight of the night, but this main event fell flat. With The Rock looming over the storyline, the actual match between John Cena and The Miz was clunky and lacked energy.

Miz retained after outside interference, but fans were more interested in The Rock’s post-match beatdown of Cena than the actual title bout.

The match served as a setup for future events, but at the cost of WrestleMania 27’s main event credibility. Miz’s biggest win is often overshadowed by how forgettable and forced the whole thing felt, with a disqualification as your big WrestleMania finish and a lack of focus on the in-ring competition.

Over the years, The Miz has candidly discussed his WrestleMania 27 main event, expressing only gratitude:

“That’s one of the most memorable moments I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, I don’t actually remember it. The one moment you want to remember for the rest of your life is the one moment I have bits and pieces that I remember, but I don’t remember if that makes any sense at all.”

Miz continued, “I imagined I messed the whole main event of WrestleMania up. Luckily I didn’t, and it came off like perfectly, and not many people knew what was going on except for the professionals that were in there.”

13. Bret Hart’s Faltering Return: Long-Coming Beatdown of Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 26

Match: Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart

Event: WrestleMania XXVI – March 28, 2010, University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona

This match was supposed to be Bret Hart’s redemption after the infamous Montreal Screwjob, but instead, it turned into an awkward, overlong squash.

Vince McMahon was beaten down for nearly 10 minutes with little offense, and the finish dragged so long it lost all emotional weight.

Despite the real-life drama behind their feud, the match failed to deliver the catharsis fans hoped for.

Bret Hart discussed the personal meaning of the match while on tour in the UK for Inside the Ropes, highlighting a different perspective than many others share:

The match at WrestleMania 26 with Vince was more personal than professional. I know it wasn’t my greatest match but I love the match for what it meant to me. For me, it was about getting my revenge, not just on Vince, but on everything that had happened in my career.

Hart continued, “It was cathartic in many ways. I had my chance to do what I had always wanted to do, and it was fitting that it happened at WrestleMania. That match meant a lot to me on a personal level, not just as a wrestler, but as a man who had been through a lot.”

14. Champion vs. Champion: Warrior Unseats Hulk Hogan in "Ultimate Challenge"

Match: Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior

Event: WrestleMania VI – April 1, 1990, SkyDome, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Ultimate Warrior’s victory over Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 6 was a groundbreaking moment, but not without its share of controversy. The match, billed as "The Ultimate Challenge," saw both champions, Hogan and Warrior, facing off for the Intercontinental and WWE Championships.

The unexpected victory of Warrior left some fans divided, as many felt that Hogan was the true face of the company.

The finish, while making Warrior the first wrestler to hold both titles simultaneously, led to debates about the decision and whether it came at the expense of Hogan’s star power.

Although a historic moment, it raised questions about whether Warrior was truly ready for such a high-profile push.

Here is the Ultimate Warrior sharing his take on the match in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard:

‘‘Because of our tour schedules, Hogan and I only had about 45 minutes to go over the match. We met in an old barn-like place where they used to train pro wrestlers down in Tampa, and we walked through what we were going to do. I didn’t see him again until WrestleMania.”

“It was an incredible match,” Warrior remembered, “All the excitement, all the drama of the false finishes, and then the first time Hogan lost clean, and that really meant something.‘”

You can discover how this iconic clash came together, and why it left such a complicated legacy, in "Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior: The True Story of WrestleMania 6."

15. A Missed Cue and a Warrior Save: Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice

Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice

Event: WrestleMania VIII – April 5, 1992, Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

Billed as Hulk Hogan’s potential retirement match, this main event went off the rails with a squandered finish.

Hogan hit the leg drop, but Sid Justice kicked out, which wasn’t the plan, and the match ended in a disqualification after Papa Shango missed his run-in cue.

The Ultimate Warrior’s surprise return salvaged the segment and cued for an immense roar from the crowd. In fact, the surprise return stands as one of the loudest crowd reactions in WrestleMania history up to this point. But the awkward ending left fans and commentators scrambling to make sense of it. The confusion made for a sloppy finale and an anticlimactic ending to an otherwise high-profile match.

On his podcast Something To Wrestle With, Bruce Prichard discussed the possibility and philosophy behind what defeating Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 8 would have meant.

"Had Sid come out and beat Hulk, what that would have done for Sid and then Shango and everything else. It was okay but it was, to me, an anti-climatic finish to something that could have propelled Sid to the stratusphere. And I know why they didn’t do that. They wanted to keep Hulk in your back-pocket. Hulk was the man."

The Power of Controversy: Why These Endings Define WrestleMania

WrestleMania thrives on controversy. These fifteen endings prove that the most memorable moments aren’t always the most beloved; they’re the ones that spark passionate debates years later.

From The Undertaker’s streak ending in stunned silence to Daniel Bryan’s 18-second heartbreak, these finishes didn’t just surprise fans, they redefined what was possible on wrestling’s biggest stage.

The backlash they generated became the foundation for future storylines, proving that fan outrage often creates the most compelling narratives.

Whether you celebrated or protested these endings, they’ve become essential to WrestleMania’s identity. In an era of predictable entertainment, these controversial moments remind us why millions tune in each year: because at WrestleMania, the power to shock, divide, and ignite debate remains unmatched.

These stories may also interest you:

• 11 WrestleMania Matches That Surprisingly Didn’t Main Event
• WrestleMania 24 Malfunction That Injured Dozens of WWE Fans
• How Brock Lesnar Nearly Plunged WrestleMania 19 into Tragedy

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