4 WWE Superstars who lost matches that they wanted to win
When a WWE Superstar finishes their career, they will often be defined by the titles that they won during their time in the wrestling business. Zack Ryder, for example, has lost more matches than most Superstars during his 14-year association with WWE, but he has also won four titles along the way (Intercontinental Championship 1x, United States Championship 1x and Tag Team Championship 2x).
Another prominent Superstar from the last decade, Dolph Ziggler, has built up a reputation as an incredible in-ring performer who regularly loses his high-profile matches, yet his career will likely be defined by his 12 title reigns (World Heavyweight Championship 2x, Intercontinental Championship 6x, United States Championship 2x, Tag Team Championship 2x), as well as his 2012 Money In The Bank triumph.
Simply put, while wins and losses do not mean everything in WWE, it is still important to a performer’s legacy that they rack up significant victories every once in a while, not only to win titles but also to maintain their status as a credible threat to future opponents.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at four of the most notable WWE Superstars/teams who lost a specific match that they wanted to win.
#4 Kurt Angle
The inspiration for this article comes from Kurt Angle, whose in-ring career came to an end following a surprise defeat at the hands of Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35. Many fans were outraged by the outcome of the match, especially as it was announced in advance that the encounter with Corbin would be Angle’s final battle inside the squared circle after a 21-year career in pro wrestling/sports entertainment.
Speaking during a Facebook Q&A shortly after ‘Mania, the Olympic Gold medallist mentioned how he felt as though it was his job to put over a younger talent in his final match. However, he added that he would still have liked the match to have gone a different way.
"My WrestleMania 35 match, I would have liked to go out with a win, but I understand why it didn’t occur... I would have loved to have won, but I don’t think I would have properly played my role if I did. You leave the company better than it was before you came."