This week in WWE history: Former champion retires after tough loss, controversial match outcome infuriates fans (February 26-March 3)
WWE continues to shake things up. Business is booming and it seems like almost every episode of RAW and SmackDown as of late features sold-out crowds. This comes after two stadium shows in a row in January and February.
As if two stadium shows in a row weren't impressive enough, the company will soon make it four. Both Night 1 and Night 2 of WrestleMania 40 will also be held in a massive stadium. Needless to say, it is an exciting time for the biggest wrestling company in the world.
As exciting as the modern product and the business numbers the company is pulling off these days may be, some still prefer to look back at the past. For those fans, Sportskeeda offers a weekly look back at some of the biggest events, matches, and moments in the company's history.
This week's article will look back at a few historic moments. This includes NXT's first-ever Premium Live Event, a short-lived retirement, and a major title change. What went down this week in the company's past?
Here are five key events that took place this week in WWE history:
#5. Cactus Jack "retired" at No Way Out on February 27, 2000
Our first entry this week looks back at WWE's pay-per-view ahead of WrestleMania 2000. This show was No Way Out, which aired live from the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 27, 2000. Around 12,000 fans were in attendance at the live event.
The main event saw Triple H defend his Undisputed WWE Title against Cactus Jack in a Hell in a Cell Match. There was an added stipulation that if Cactus were to lose, he would be forced to retire.
In the end, Jack lost to The Game in around 24 minutes. He then retired, but only for about a month before returning to the ring at WrestleMania 2000 as Mick Foley. Foley would then compete periodically for the next decade.
#4. NXT ArRIVAL aired on February 27, 2014
The next entry on this week's list is WWE NXT ArRival. The big Premium Live Event was the first to ever take place on the WWE Network. It aired on February 27, 2014, live from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Over 400 fans were in attendance.
The show featured six main card bouts, although one lasted only about 30 seconds. While the best match of the night was Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn, the most notable attraction was the ladder match between Bo Dallas and Neville. Following an epic battle, the latter emerged victorious, ending Bo's reign as NXT Champion.
While NXT has established itself as an exciting brand with multiple big Premium Live Events each year, this wasn't the case in 2014. ArRIVAL was the brand's first-ever major event. The following show was NXT TakeOver, a theme that continued until the brand shifted to 2.0.
#3. Goldberg won in a controversial match at Super ShowDown on February 27, 2020
WWE aired Super ShowDown on February 27, 2020. This big event was held live from the Mohammed Abdu Arena on the Boulevard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This was the second to last premium live event before COVID-19-related lockdowns changed the wrestling industry for over a year.
The show featured nine main card matches. Stars such as Bayley, Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, and Naomi were in action. The main event saw Goldberg defeat The Fiend for the WWE Universal Championship in just about 3 minutes. Fans were shocked to see Bray Wyatt lose so quickly.
This match is one of the most controversial in company history. The Field took over the promotion after officially debuting at SummerSlam, but the gimmick lost momentum following an embarrassing defeat to Goldberg.
#2. Johnny Curtis won a season of WWE NXT on March 1, 2011
While fans adore NXT as a developmental brand, WWE didn't treat it that way back then. There was a time when WWE presented NXT as a competition show of sorts.
The fourth season concluded on March 1, 2011. This episode of NXT was held at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. It took place alongside the tapings of WWE SmackDown.
The final two men in the fourth season of NXT were Brodus Clay and Johnny Curtis. Curtis ultimately won thanks to a combination of votes from fans and pros. Curtis didn't end up doing much despite his victory, but he later became Fandango and found success in the Stamford-based promotion.
#1. The Usos won big on Monday Night RAW on March 3, 2014
The final entry on this week's list is from an episode of WWE Monday Night RAW. The show was held on March 3, 2014. It took place live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. This came just weeks after CM Punk walked out of the company.
A lot went down on this show, including Paul Heyman mocking Punk for leaving, plus Daniel Bryan vs. Batista and The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family. One of the most memorable parts, however, was a WWE Tag Team Championship between reigning champions Billy Gunn and Road Dogg and The Usos.
Jimmy and Jey Uso were upcoming superstars at the time, but they managed to defeat the veteran duo to claim the coveted title.
Ten years later, it appears the twins will clash at WrestleMania. It has been a successful run, to say the least.
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