This week in WWE history: Popular wrestling personality passes away, former world champion retires (February 27-March 5)
WWE is moving full-steam ahead towards the big-time WrestleMania 39 two-night special event. As such, most of the key happenings on-screen are building up toward the big show. Still, there's plenty of can't-miss programming taking place each week.
RAW, for example, featured plenty of build toward WrestleMania Hollywood, but the red brand also held a WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match where Lita and Becky Lynch won gold.
NXT built up the Roadblock special set to air next week and featured the return of Nathan Frazer. Friday Night SmackDown had a major face-to-face meeting with Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, and more of The Bloodline's drama and intrigue. It was a busy week for the titanic promotion.
With so much happening, fans can start craving more and more WWE content. Thankfully, Sportskeeda has you covered. Key matches and moments from World Wrestling Entertainment's illustrious past will be highlighted, including two controversial title changes, a retirement, and the unfortunate passing of a legendary manager.
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. Mick Foley retired at No Way Out on February 27th, 2000
23 years ago today, WWF No Way Out was headlined by the memorable Triple H vs. Cactus Jack Hell in a Cell match that sent Mick Foley into retirement, briefly anyway. https://t.co/txezh4YXG1
WWF No Way Out 2000 aired on February 27th. The event, held in Hartford, Connecticut, featured numerous top stars from WWE in the era, including Triple H, Cactus Jack, Big Show, Kurt Angle, The Rock, and Chris Jericho.
The main event of No Way Out 2000 saw Triple H and Cactus Jack clash inside the Hell in a Cell structure. The stipulation of the bout was Title vs. Career, with The Game defending his WWE Championship belt and the legendary Mick Foley putting his career on the line.
After an incredible match that lasted about 24 minutes, Triple H defeated Cactus Jack. Foley then officially retired from the ring. He did so for at least a few weeks before returning for a match at WrestleMania. The Hardcore Legend did retire after that match, however, for a few years.
#4. NXT Arrival took place on February 27th, 2014
#ONTHISDAYINWWE: 2014 - ‘NXT ArRIVAL’ took place at Full Sail University in Florida. It was the first ever live event to be broadcast on the WWE Network. In the main event, Adrian Neville (PAC) defeated Bo Dallas in a ladder match to win the #WWENXT Championship. https://t.co/sCWyaX70p6
February 27th, 2014, was a big day for WWE and especially for NXT. The first-ever NXT special event took place on that date, which was also the first-ever Premium Live Event to air on the WWE Network.
In many ways, the event served as a stress test for the streaming platform ahead of WrestleMania. NXT Arrival took place at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, and featured six matches.
The opening bout saw Sami Zayn battle main roster star, Cesaro. The second match was between Mojo Rawley and CJ Parker. The third contest for the evening featured The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) battling former WWF Tag Team Champions Too Cool.
The fourth match on the card featured Paige and Emma battling to become the first-ever NXT Divas Champion. The match was followed by Tyler Breeze vs. Xavier Woods, which was interrupted by Rusev.
Lastly, Adrian Neville defeated Bo Dallas to win the NXT Championship in a Ladder Match held in the main event.
#3. Goldberg defeated The Fiend at Super ShowDown on February 27th, 2020
WWE Super ShowDown aired on February 27th, 2020, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event had nine main card matches and was the final Premium Live Event before the Covid-19-related shutdowns took place.
The main event of the program featured The Fiend, Bray Wyatt's alter ego, defending the Universal Championship against Goldberg. In a shocking conclusion that infuriated fans, Da Man defeated the beloved Fiend character in just three minutes.
The critically panned show also saw Brock Lesnar defeat Ricochet in a little over a minute, a Gauntlet Match with a brief return of The Undertaker, and a Steel Cage Match featuring Roman Reigns and King Corbin clashing. Despite fans not loving the show at the time, it certainly had memorable moments.
#2. Paul Bearer passed away on March 5th, 2013
On March 5th 2013 WWE Hall Of Famer Paul Bearer passed away, he was 58 years old. RIP. #WWE https://t.co/lmLU4Alm21
March 5th, 2013, was a tragic day for pro wrestling fans. William Moody, best known as Paul Bearer, passed away at the age of 58. He was also well known as Percy Pringle.
Bearer was an iconic wrestling manager. While he had success in various territories, including World Class Championship Wrestling, his greatest claim to fame came upon joining WWE, where he took over as The Undertaker's manager. He replaced Brother Love, best known to fans today as Bruce Prichard.
The Undertaker and Paul Bearer were an iconic duo, but the legendary manager also worked with the likes of Vader, Kane, and Mankind. While his passing was unfortunate, he built a legacy that will last forever.
#1. Goldberg defeated Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship at WWE Fastlane on March 5th, 2017
WWE Fastlane took place on March 5th, 2017, from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The event was a RAW-exclusive show that featured nine bouts on the main card, along with one match on the WWE Fastlane 2017 Kickoff.
The main event of the evening featured Kevin Owens, fresh off betraying Chris Jericho at The Festival of Friendship, defending the Universal Championship against Goldberg. Just as he'd do three years later at Super ShowDown, Da Man made short work of his opponent.
The Prizefighter was immediately distracted by the return of Chris Jericho, who took Owens' attention away from his opponent. From there, Goldberg finished off KO with a Spear and Jackhammer. The bout lasted for only about 30 seconds from bell to bell.