5 fairytale storylines that led to major victories in WWE
There's nothing like a great WWE Cinderella story. The rise of the underdog to the top of the mountain is something the company has used several times over the years. It is certainly one of the most satisfying things to see in wrestling.
When a WWE Superstar overcomes the odds and achieves success, it is the best feeling for a fan. The payoff to months of storytelling culminating in that one moment of victory has created some of the most iconic moments in the company's history.
Over the years, whether it's for championships or not, WWE has given us carefully-crafted underdog stories. Some did not let fans emotionally invest themselves into them (The Guy Roman Reigns, cough), while others had people tuning in every week and screaming when their hero was wronged.
On that note, let's take a look at five fairytale storylines that led to major victories in WWE.
#5. On our list of WWE fairytale runs that culminated in major victories: Liv Morgan's rise to the top
One of the best underdog stories of recent times saw Liv Morgan win the big one after months of scratching and clawing. The efforts she put in led her to the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match, where she prevailed after a hard-fought battle.
Morgan had been knocking on the door to the top for a long time. 2021 saw her do extremely well in singles competition, taking victories over Carmella and Zelina Vega. She then became #No.1 contender for Becky Lynch's RAW Women's Championship. Despite strong showings, she was unable to knock off The Man on two occasions.
Fan support for Morgan grew tremendously during this run. With momentum on her side, she qualified for the 2022's Money in the Bank ladder match. She wasn't the favorite to win, but she ended up winning the contract. That same night, she cashed in on Ronda Rousey and pinned her to become the SmackDown Women's Champion. Finally achieving her dream as fans rained her with cheers.
#4. The Ultimate Warrior becomes top dog
During Hulk Hogan's peak, no babyface was near him. Even the legendary Randy Savage played second fiddle to him despite holding the WWE Championship. The company was perfectly content to have a singular top babyface in their ranks, which is what made it happen at WrestleMania VI iconic.
The Ultimate Warrior took WWE by storm in 1990, with many backing him as a strong main-event player for the future. He had a few confrontations with Hogan, with the most famous one coming at the 1990 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The latter saw him declared as The Hulkster's opponent for WrestleMania, with both Warrior's Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship and Hogan's WWF Championship on the line.
The match was one of wrestling's definitive contests, and it saw Warrior shock the world and pin the face of the company with a Warrior Splash. Hogan endorsed him after the match as another one of wrestling's Cinderella runs came to fruition.
#3. Becky Lynch becomes Becky 2 Belts
Becky Lynch's ill-advised heel turn may be the greatest thing that has happened to her career. The poor reception it received forced WWE to turn her into an anti-hero character called 'The Man', which went on to become one of the biggest success stories in wrestling history.
Lynch's rise from that moment on was meteoric. She was set to face RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey in an interbrand match, but was injured and had to take a rain check. Rousey's attack on her a couple of weeks later led to fans clamoring for a matchup between the two, and after Big Time Becks won the Royal Rumble, it looked to be set in stone.
After a series of events that saw her refuse medical help and attack Stephanie McMahon and Triple H and getting suspended, the match was made official for WrestleMania. Even the addition of Charlotte Flair and her SmackDown Women's Championship did nothing to faze her. She pinned Rousey and won the biggest women's match of all time to become the undisputed face of WWE.
#2. KofiMania
Kofi Kingston performing in a masterclass during a Gauntlet match on SmackDown resulted in a storyline for the ages. The support he received for his performance led WWE to book him into world title contention. However, it wasn't easy.
Vince McMahon and then WWE Champion Daniel Bryan insisted that Kingston was a B+ player, with the former handing him one obstacle after another to overcome. After being forced to beat five top superstars in a Gauntlet match and winning, McMahon inserted one more participant in Bryan, who took the win easily and ended the dream.
However, Vinnie Mac stated that if Kingston's New Day teammates Big E and Xavier Woods won a Gauntlet match of their own, he would face Bryan at WrestleMania 35 for his title. His friends did exactly that, and Kingston went on to dethrone The Planet's Champion, which is known as KofiMania.
#1. Daniel Bryan becomes the Miracle Kid
A Miracle on Bourbon Street, as Michael Cole called it. After being screwed over by The Authority countless times, even non-wrestling fans wanted to see Daniel Bryan become world champion. The road was long and hard, but he proved it.
Bryan's immense popularity resulted in the Yes! Movement, which saw him leave no stone unturned to become champion. This led to iconic moments like the occupation of RAW with fans by his side and his legendary brawl with Triple H. The stage was set for him to become champion. All he had to do was beat HHH and then after Randy Orton and Batista in a triple-threat match.
Despite The Authority and a crooked referee, Orton and Batista tried to keep him down but Bryan achieved what everyone wanted him to. The image of him holding both titles up and celebrating as fans chanted 'Yes!' will never be topped.