Legendary family member of Roman Reigns passes away, top female star's first title win - This week in WWE history (November 28-December 4)
Fans of WWE continue to be fed some of the tastiest and most enjoyable pro wrestling there is. Every single week the company offers seven hours of prime time programming from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT along with other shows such as Main Event and Level Up.
This week was particularly exciting as there was fallout from Survivor Series WarGames. Becky Lynch and Bayley had a memorable brawl on Monday Night RAW, the same night Candice LeRae made her red brand return. Speaking of returns, the Welsh superstar Tegan Nox made her exciting return on the latest episode of Friday Night SmackDown.
While there's plenty of programming offered throughout the week, the weekend can be bare for content. For fans who can't get enough WWE action, Saturdays and Sundays are often spent reliving the past and feeling the sweet sensation of nostalgia.
This article will take fans down memory lane and remind them of some of the most memorable moments in wrestling history. This includes the passing of a legendary member of Roman Reigns' Bloodline, a "wedding" gone awry. Also there was a major championship win that helped kickstart a successful main roster career for a top female superstar.
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. Triple H revealed that he married Stephanie McMahon during WWE RAW on November 29th, 1999
On This Day in Wrestling History - Triple H interrupted the wedding of Test and Stephanie McMahon 23 years ago today on Monday Night Raw and a new era was forever born (11/29/99) https://t.co/TQElm2PLkh
Professional wrestling weddings often go awry and the one scheduled for the November 29th, 1999 edition of Monday Night RAW was no different. The special celebration was meant to feature Stephanie McMahon marrying Andrew "Test" Martin, but things went off the rails thanks to Triple H.
The Game interrupted the wedding and revealed that Stephanie and Test can't get married because she's already somebody else's wife. Fans were confused until Triple H showed a video of himself and an unconscious Stephanie McMahon getting married in Las Vegas, officially ruining Test and The Billion Dollar Princess' night.
While the angle was controversial, it was later revealed that Stephanie and Triple H actually set the entire thing up and she was never passed out. The two would go on to have an on-screen renewal of vows a few years later and that too ended in chaos.
#4. Sheamus won the King of the Ring Tournament on the November 29th, 2010 edition of WWE RAW
At one point in time, the King of the Ring was an annual pay-per-view event held by WWE. The special event was eventually discontinued and the company only began doing tournaments periodically on free television. One such time was on November 29th, 2010 on Monday Night RAW.
The initial qualifying matches were done a week prior, with the final eight stars including Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Drew McIntyre, Ezekiel Jackson, John Morrison, Cody Rhodes, Alberto Del Rio, and Daniel Bryan. While both RAW and SmackDown were represented, the final two stars in the tournament were part of the red brand.
Sheamus and John Morrison clashed in the finals. The Celtic Warrior was fresher thanks to receiving a bye in a previous round and ultimately defeated The Monday Night Delight to become King of the Ring. While King Sheamus didn't have the greatest run as royalty, it was a very successful night for the Irishman.
#3. The heavily panned ECW December To Dismember event took place on December 3rd, 2006
One of WWE's most derided events took place on December 3rd, 2006. The show was ECW's December To Dismember, in what was meant to be the brand's first official pay-per-view after launching as the third brand for the company. In part due to how it was received, the show was ECW's final pay-per-view.
Only a handful of matches were announced before the event took place. One bout was the Extreme Elimination Chamber, although popular babyface Sabu was substituted out last minute. The other match announced ahead of time was The Hardys vs. MNM, featuring stars from other brands.
While the show was notable for Bobby Lashley winning his first world title, it was ultimately panned by those in and out of the industry. The event went so poorly that Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon parted ways afterwards and didn't reconcile for several years.
#2. Umaga passed away on December 4th, 2009
It has been ten years since Umaga passed away. One of the most gifted big men we've seen in the ring.
1973-2009 https://t.co/fyiU33boht
The Anoa'i Family is one of the most impressive in pro wrestling history. Be it through blood or through marriage, the family tree features the likes of Yokozuna, The Wild Samoans, Naomi, Tamina, Rikishi, The Usos, and Roman Reigns, among others.
Umaga was one of the most talented and impressive members of the family. The Samoan Bulldozer devastated WWE throughout much of the 2000s with how power, athleticism, and aggression. His rivalry with John Cena was particularly memorable. He also held the Intercontinental Championship during his time with the company.
Unfortunately, the legendary Samoan passed away on December 4th, 2009 due to heart failure. He was only thirty-six years old. While his passing was devastating, his memory is kept alive by The Usos, Solo Sikoa, Roman Reigns, and the rest of his family who compete in WWE and pro wrestling as a whole.
#1. Alexa Bliss won her first title at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs on December 4th, 2016
The second-ever brand extension was launched in 2016. As part of the new initiative, RAW and SmackDown had separate Premium Live Events. One such special brought to the fans by the brand was TLC: Tables, Ladder, & Chairs on December 4th, 2016.
The event was headlined by AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose battling for the WWE Championship in a TLC Match, but perhaps the most memorable moment of the night came from the women's division. Inaugural SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch defended her belt against main roster newcomer Alexa Bliss in a Tables Match.
While The Lasskicker lived up to her moniker throughout most of the match, Little Miss Bliss ultimately pulled off the win by powerbombing Becky Lynch through a table set up next to the ring. This was Bliss' first title in WWE. Alexa went on to win numerous other championships while with the company, including recently on Monday Night RAW alongside Asuka.