WWE's 5 Strangest moments of 2016
As 2016 draws to a close, we can look back and see a year that had a number of its ups and downs in the wrestling ring. The year stood out, as there were lives lost and careers that ended. There were also a number of moments that caught fans’ attention, not necessarily because they were good or bad, but because they were simply so out of the ordinary.
What constitutes a strange moment could be occasions, where it's unclear if what fans have witnessed is on the level or scripted. The strangeness originates amidst the confusion of what fans are witnessing.
The moments selected for this list include booking decisions that the majority of fans couldn't have predicted, a match that ended prematurely, an injury that the referee wasn't aware of, and a multi-time international champion leaving fans in awe by losing.
Regardless of whatever the specifics behind these moments were, they certainly were odd moments to have witnessed. Here are the WWE's five strangest moments in 2016.
#5 Shinsuke Nakamura losing title at NXT Takeover
When Shinsuke Nakamura arrived in the WWE in April, it was with a great deal of pomp and circumstance. He was a rock star, and all the hype he came with was justified for a notable Japanese wrestling star. He has competed in front of some of the biggest crowds in the world and was part of the biggest matches in the world as well.
But though he was earning a name for himself in Japan, his notoriety wasn't gaining as much steam elsewhere in the world. Unless fans followed New Japan Pro Wrestling they may be less likely to know about this superb athlete. It wasn't until the last few years that word about Nakamura began to spread.
His WWE debut match at NXT TakeOver Dallas against Sami Zayn was incredible, and from that point on, it appeared as though the company was going to get completely behind him, all the way to the NXT Championship.
What wasn't anticipated was, despite how over he was with the crowd, the company decided to go in a different direction with the Championship. After losing the NXT championship to Samoa Joe, a look of shock appeared on fans faces, as it was one of the strangest moments of the year.