Published: 5 seconds ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 5 seconds ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
Over the years, WWE has delivered many moments that would get even the most stone-hearted fan a touch emotional.
Whether it was the sight of Brock Lesnar defeating The Undertaker to break his legendary WrestleMania streak, John Cena bringing his in-ring career to an end at the hands of GUNTHER, or any of the occasions when “thank you” has been chanted at a star about to make a major choice, WWE fans have a good reason to embrace their emotions.
But, let’s forget shock and adoration for a moment and look at the more emotion of sadness and WWE moments that have left us with that feeling:
“Take me with you”
Paul Heyman is an undeniable master of the craft, and this was exemplified when he went from the revered Wiseman under Roman Reigns to the belittled victim of bullying under Solo Sikoa in The Bloodline.
The breaking point came on June 21, 2024, with CM Punk asking what the favor would be if he did was to do Heyman a favor.
The advocate would step forward, looking momentarily unsure, before speaking into the mic and saying, in possibly the more pleading way possible:
“Take me with you”
Gone was the braggadocious representative of The Bloodline, a man who could be at once obsequious and manipulative, and in his place was a broken man desperate to be rescued from a situation in which he had no control.
“I Picked That Up From All the Times You Guys Talked About Me Behind My Back”
The leader of Damage CTRL, Bayley had it made only to find her authority diminished by the arrival of Asuka, who rapidly brought Kairi Sane and IYO SKY into her confidence, excluding the veteran WWE star.
It all came to a head on the February 2 episode of WWE SmackDown, with Bayley confront Asuka, Sane and SKY in the ring and revealing that she knew what they had been saying about her.
A face turn for Bayley, she went from being a star comfortable with mocking anyone and everyone to the victim of a beatdown, with things made worse when Dakota Kai also betrayed the veteran star.
“I’m Sorry. I Love You”
WrestleMania 24 in 2008 saw Shawn Michaels defeat Ric Flair in a career-threatening match, with The Nature Boy retiring as a WWE star (although that retirement wouldn’t go on to have quite the impact of this moment).
A weaked Ric Flair would still attempt to rise to his feet to continue the fight as Shawn Michaels lined up Sweet Chin Music to deliver the killer blow. The Heartbreak Kid would hesitate, however, deliver a line that was at once heartwarming and filled with sadness, stating:
“I’m sorry. I love you.”
The delivery wasn’t over the top. Michaels didn’t shout it loud enough to hear what was said. It was a line that looked personal, because it really felt like it was.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet in September of last year, Michaels would say, “it was real that day”, with the emotions that Flair was going through and the circumstances of the retirement match.
It’s A Personal Thing
What one person may find emotional, others may watch without even the slightest reaction. Whether it’s love or loathing, tears of sadness or of joy, each of us has a pressure point that triggers the reaction, and to pretend otherwise is to deny who we are.
We may not all laugh and cry at the same things, but chances are there are things that elicit those reactions, and each of us knows what they are, even if we don’t talk about them. Perhaps we should.
To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on Threads by clicking this link!
mailing list