6 WWE legends and the stars they put over
To make it big in WWE, you more often than not need to be put over by a more established name. It's an unspoken rule of the business that veterans will lose to younger talents in order to create a new star for the future.
Despite some instances when this isn't done (John Cena vs. The Nexus, anyone?), a number of today's stars have only become household names thanks to some WWE legends who decided to give them a helping hand along the way.
History is littered with such instances, of course, but today we focus on five established stars who are amongst the greatest of their generation. So, you won't be seeing names from 1980s and 1990s - we are disregarding the Attitude Era, the Golden Age of Wrestling, and everything that came prior to that.
It's all about the stars who were made in the Ruthless Aggression Era. So, without further ado, here is our list of six WWE legends and the stars they put over:
#6 John Cena putting over multiple WWE superstars
The faces of shock as @FightOwensFight defeated @JohnCena at #WWEChamber! #CenaVsOwens @WWENXT http://t.co/7v8xUpvqhY
If we criticize John Cena for burying talents, we should give him credit where it's due for putting over superstars in a way only he can.
One of the biggest shockers came in 2015 when Kevin Owens, the then-NXT champion, defeated John Cena in the former's first pay-per-view match. While Owens was an indie legend, this match made the casual WWE fans recognize The Prizefighter's worth. The same was the case with AJ Styles, who was put over massively by Cena in their SummerSlam 2016 encounter.
"That match MADE AJ Styles." - @AJStylesOrg on his classic @SummerSlam match with @JohnCena.
#SummerSlam 2016 airs tonight, at 9e/6p, on @FS1! https://t.co/6Nojgwd4qL
While he did defeat upcoming superstars like Sami Zayn, Cesaro, and Neville in his United States Championship Open Challenges, those defeats elevated these stars more than any victory could.
With rumors of Super Cena making his return to WWE doing the rounds, we can only wonder which superstar will be getting the rub from him this time.
#5 Shawn Michaels putting over Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho has made a name for himself for putting over young talent and helping them become main event players. But he himself was the beneficiary of an older legend, giving him a boost back in 2000s. The legend was Shawn Michaels, who gave him a leg up not once but twice.
The first instance was back in 2003 when the two feuded briefly. Jericho might have lost, but he was put on the map as a serious member of the roster due to that feud.
But the kicker was in 2008 when he had the Wrestling Observer's Feud of the Year against Michaels. Returning from a hiatus, Jericho and Michaels engaged in a nasty rivalry that eventually saw Y2J triumph over The Heartbreak Kid.
This led to Jericho capturing three World Championships during that single run with the company. Who says Shawn Michaels can't put talent over?
#4 The Undertaker putting over Jeff Hardy
Losing to a younger superstar isn't the only way to put them over. Sure, The Undertaker has done a lot of that to the likes of Maven, The Great Khali, and Vladimir Kozlov, but one of the best instances of The Deadman putting someone over came on a random episode of Monday Night RAW.
Taker - then under his heel Big Evil gimmick - was the WWE Champion and faced off against a young Jeff Hardy for the title in a Ladder match. The Phenom was constantly surprised by the younger Hardy brother, with the latter coming agonizingly close to winning the belt.
While it was never going to happen realistically, it still engrossed audiences, and they were left heartbroken when Jeff lost the bout. But it was after the match that Taker really put Jeff over.
He administered an epic beatdown of Hardy, and when The Charismatic Enigma refused to stay down, he earned the legend's respect. Taker, who was a heel back then, raised the young man's hand and gave him a seal of approval for the ages.
#3 Triple H putting over Batista
When Batista got himself a gig with Triple H's all-dominating faction, Evolution, he was still a green worker with barely any experience to his name. He had the look and the physique, but he didn't have the mic or the technical skills.
Under the tutelage of The Game and 'The Nature Boy' Ric Flair, The Animal grew into the main event powerhouse we know today. The pinnacle of the process came after Batista's Royal Rumble victory.
He decided to face his mentor for the World Heavyweight Championship, and Triple H laid down for his protege, and this created a star for the ages. The Animal dominated the WWE landscape before departing for Hollywood.
#2 Mick Foley putting over Randy Orton
Keeping with the Evolution theme here, the next entry on our list is Randy Orton - the fourth and final member of that legendary faction. While Orton did win his World Heavyweight Championship before Batista, it was even earlier that he was put over by a legend.
It was during his Legend Killer phase - where, as the name implies, he was destroying legends - that he came up against a certain Mick Foley. Foley and Orton would have a destructive feud that helped The Viper shed his chocolate boy image for something grittier.
He was put through the wringer in a hardcore match against The Hardcore Legend, and after a bloody war filled with chairs, barbed wire baseball bats, and thumbtacks, he came out on the other side commanding new-found respect from the WWE Universe.
#1 The Rock putting over Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar's first run in WWE saw him tear through the entire roster as 'The Next Big Thing'. He beat people up left, right, and center. He won the King of the Ring tournament and then set his sights on the WWE Championship, which The Rock held at the time.
The People's Champ was more than willing to eat a pinfall from The Beast Incarnate at SummerSlam, which allowed Lesnar to become the then-youngest WWE Champion of all time; at just 25 years of age.
We all know what Brock Lesnar has managed to do in the years since that first major championship as he has gone on to become the most dominant combat athlete the world has ever seen.