The moment your favorite superstar or any wrestler jumped the shark

[Youth N Asia 0]

X-Pac killed himself by having the 100% same match over and over again. And he never wrestled cruiserweights, he managed to kill heavyweights every week...I couldn't buy it

[Youth N Asia 0]

And I couldn't bring myself to watch Booker when he pretty much forced his wife down everyone's throats. Some people liked the King Booker thing...I found it unwatchable

[cabbageboy 0]

Eh, Bulldog was a blatant placeholder challenger for Bret in late 95. Bret had just won the belt from Diesel and since Bulldog owed him a job from SS 92, he got the spot on PPV. I do agree that Davey Boy could have gotten the belt from HBK at Beware of Dog in 1996, just do the same finish except Bulldog gets his shoulder up. Then do the rematch at KOTR with Hennig as ref, Michaels regains.

 

Here's a controversial pick: I think Rob Van Dam jumped the shark in ECW when he broke his leg in March 2000. While he ended up getting over like gangbusters during the Invasion in 2001, if you take a look he really didn't do anything of note in ECW after he relinquished the TV belt. He finally jobbed to Jerry Lynn, beat down a heel turned Scotty Anton in a useless feud, jobbed to Rhino at the next PPV, and all but quit the company after that due to not being paid.

[Timmy8271 0]

King Booker was good at first when he was with Regal and Finlay. Then he had to bring his wife into it and it went all to hell.

 

Ric Flair jumped the shark in 1993 when he went back to WCW. I still feel that's the biggest mistake he ever made.

[cabbageboy 0]

Flair jumped the shark but not in 1993. I'd peg that more around the time of Halloween Havoc 1994 when he lost the career match to Hogan. Keep in mind that in 1993 he did win the (bogus) Intl. World title as well as the WCW title from Vader.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

King Booker was good at first when he was with Regal and Finlay. Then he had to bring his wife into it and it went all to hell.

 

I miss Regal shouting "All hail King Booker!" during Booker's entrances. Shame that only lasted a few weeks.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I actually liked Booker during that whole period, even with his wife around all the time. I was so sick of his generic persona before he became King Booker. He was really stale at that point and needed a new direction.

[Ed Wood Caulfield 0]

Yeah, I was a huge fan of King Booker. Even before he became King Of The Ring, he was entertaining with his wife. Booker got a huge shot in the arm when he and his wife turned heel.

Edited October 12, 2008 by Ed Wood Caulfield

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Bret and Benoit have both been mentioned.

 

I'd say Foley jumped when he became commissioner. I can't pinpoint one particular one-off appearance that ruined him. Tommy Dreamer as "just a regular guy" was absolutely his downfall.

 

I don't think Owen ever jumped the shark.

[Mos_Def 0]

Dont get the King Bookha hate at all either. Shit busted me up EVERYTIME I saw it.

 

My picks:

 

Nikita Koloff after he grew out his hair and started "appreciating" the American way of life.

 

L.O.D after "Rocco". Never taken seriously again.

 

Jerry Lawler. I thought he was hilarious at the booth before that embarrassing "kat" saga and him basically crawling back with his tail between his legs in 2001. Ol' Girl took his balls with her.

 

Bam Bam Bigelow after signing with WCW. Was awful immediately once he started getting those Turner checks.

 

Barry Windham: Never regained the momentum after his failed Widowmaker run. (Reasons why he quit, none withstanding he was never interesting after)

 

Bobby Eaton: That boring, milquetoast as fuck Mr. White bread face run in '91

 

Bobby Heenan: Game passed him by once Raw debuted.

 

Mick Foley: First retirement and going back on his word immediately after: Integrity took a hit.

 

Raven: Terrible ECW run in 99-00

 

Jesse Ventura: Was pitiful the moment he signed with WCW.

 

Ultimo Dragon: Falling on his ass at Wrestlemania summed up what had become of his career.

 

Ricky Steamboat: "the Jobber...um Dragon"

 

Rock N Roll Express" Quitting the NWA in 1987. Fantastics replaced them and the Rockers made them look old overnight.

 

 

[Boxer 0]

Some rather obvious ones:

 

Muhammed Hassan: When his ski mask "friends" helped him attack Undertaker and carry off Davari.

 

Sting: Starrcade 1997.

 

Bobby Lashley: Tapping out to Cena, it was over for me at least.

 

Rob Van Dam: Pot Bust 2006. Might have gone far with the WWE/ECW titles.

 

Goldust: Face turn in 1997. Should've stayed heel for good.

 

 

[foleyfanforever88 0]

Goldust: Face turn in 1997. Should've stayed heel for good.

 

Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Not about '97, about staying heel for good.

[CanadianChris 0]

Randy Savage - after he came back to WCW in 1997 and joined the nWo. He had the feud with Page that showed how far downhill he'd gone in the ring, injured himself and never really did anything of note after that.

[Maztinho 0]

Goldust: Face turn in 1997. Should've stayed heel for good.

 

Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Not about '97, about staying heel for good.

 

Goldust and Booker's Odd Couple tag team was awesome. Dust worked well as a face, really well.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Barry Windham: Never regained the momentum after his failed Widowmaker run. (Reasons why he quit, none withstanding he was never interesting after)

 

Bobby Heenan: Game passed him by once Raw debuted.

 

Raven: Terrible ECW run in 99-00

 

Jesse Ventura: Was pitiful the moment he signed with WCW.

 

Ricky Steamboat: "the Jobber...um Dragon"

 

Windham had a great run in WCW from 91-93. His heel run as NWA Champion was especially good.

 

Heenan was still on top of his game, well into the NWO era of WCW.

 

Raven only got the biggest pop in the history of ECW, so, no.

 

Jesse Ventura was one of the highlights of the pre-Hogan WCW era.

 

If you mean Steamboat in WWF, then yes. His last few years in WCW were exceptionally great, though.

 

Randy Savage - after he came back to WCW in 1997 and joined the nWo. He had the feud with Page that showed how far downhill he'd gone in the ring, injured himself and never really did anything of note after that.

 

Whaaa? His feud with Page was one of the best things that WCW did while they were on top.

[Papacita 0]

Exactly. I didn't really care for WCW in 97, but Savage/DDP was the shit.

 

Anti-Hogan Heenan was great in WCW from 94-96, but after the turn, he seemed a little lost, IMO.

 

Goldust lost it after he dropped the belt to Ahmed in 96. Seemed like they turned down the gay factor to groom him for a run at Michaels, but he completely lost his edge after that and hasn't been the same since.

 

As for Bam Bam, I could never take him seriously after the loss to L.T. Even with all the bad ass booking in ECW, the idea of him going over somebody like Taz was laughable to me.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Raven only got the biggest pop in the history of ECW, so, no.

 

Which? I agreed with the shark-jump. One of the best moments in the history of ECW was his return and handing Dreamer the belt. Nine months later, he was tapping out (pretty anti-climatically) to the Clap Trap.

 

You and I might be thinking of different moments though, which throws my case for a loop.

 

And absolutely yes to LoD and RVD.

[RepoMan 0]

Do I even need an explanation if it's Chris Benoit?

In wrestling terms, I'd say it would be when he won the WWE US Title. It was obvious his World title reign was more of a life time achievment award from the WWE and that they didn't have faith in Benoit being a real main eventer. He'd never move past the upper mid card again.

[cabbageboy 0]

If we're talking in ring I'd say that Benoit jumped the shark when MVP waxed him in 2 straight falls for the US title. He really looked like a shot fighter in that match.

 

As far as RVD goes, where exactly was he going to go with the WWE title? If he didn't lose it to Edge that next night on Raw, he would have lost it at some point in the next month anyway (SNME was the plan I think). In terms of the new ECW though, his pot arrest caused that entire project to jump the shark more than his actual career. I would say RVD did jump the shark in the new ECW but that happened a bit later, when he didn't ever regain the title.

 

RVD has actually jumped the shark a bunch of times now that I think about it: 2000 in ECW after breaking his leg. The Elimination Chamber in 2002 where he nearly killed HHH and was buried. Being jobbed totally out to Kane and being humiliated every week of that feud on Raw. And of course the new ECW circa 2006-07. And you know what's wild? If he showed up tomorrow on Raw he'd be the most over guy on the show.

[Timmy8271 0]

Benoit jumped the shark during the Orlando Jordan feud.

[King Kamala 0]

Yeah, Savage's feud with DDP was the last great hurrah of his career wrestling-wise. You have to credit it to both guys' similar style of working (intricately choreographing the match before hand). He started going downhill fast after that. His return in '99 was particularly depressing.

 

I also disagree with whoever said Bobby Heenan went downhill after RAW started. Heenan was at the top of his game until the end of his WWF run and I'd say the first two years or so of his WCW stint were pretty good as well. After a while though, Heenan got tired of no-selling his jokes and just kind of half assed it until he got canned.

[Ed Wood Caulfield 0]

I'd say Foley jumped when he became commissioner.

 

I LOVED Commissioner Foley! I thought he was great in that role!

[rezinda 0]

Admittedly I don't watch TNA all that much, but it seems to me that Angle has lost alot of his credibility over there. Feuds with Christian & AJ Styles are questionable. Both are good wrestlers, but he should have no problem taking those guys out.

[Ed Wood Caulfield 0]

Anti-Hogan Heenan was great in WCW from 94-96, but after the turn, he seemed a little lost, IMO.

 

Heenan still hated Hogan after the formation of the nWo.

Edited October 13, 2008 by Ed Wood Caulfield

[haws bah gawd 0]

I'd say Foley jumped when he became commissioner.

 

I LOVED Commissioner Foley! I thought he was great in that role!

 

Nothing beats Foley and HHH's interaction during HHH's kinda-face run in mid 2000, where HHH and Foley would make fun of Kurt crying at the Olympics. Funny shit.

[CanadianChris 0]

Randy Savage - after he came back to WCW in 1997 and joined the nWo. He had the feud with Page that showed how far downhill he'd gone in the ring, injured himself and never really did anything of note after that.

 

Whaaa? His feud with Page was one of the best things that WCW did while they were on top.

I dunno, I was never really into it at all. Personal preference, I guess. If not the feud with Page, then pretty much right after when he blew out his knee.

[Mos_Def 0]

I also disagree with whoever said Bobby Heenan went downhill after RAW started. Heenan was at the top of his game until the end of his WWF run and I'd say the first two years or so of his WCW stint were pretty good as well. After a while though, Heenan got tired of no-selling his jokes and just kind of half assed it until he got canned.

 

He had his moments, but to me he seemed to be an '80s manager and personality that had a hard time adjusting to the '90s. I thought the advent of RAW was the turning point, as he seemed out of place at times as opposed to the '80s when he and Jesse were the gold standards.

[Papacita 0]

Anti-Hogan Heenan was great in WCW from 94-96, but after the turn, he seemed a little lost, IMO.

 

Heenan still hated Hogan after the formation of the nWo.

Yeah, but it lost all of its appeal when everybody else was supposed to hate him as well. Also, WCW seemed to take a more serious turn around this time, and what was funny before really didn't fit in with what they were trying to present, thus my saying he seemed lost.

[The Truthiness 0]

Heenan was at his best in WCW calling the cruiserweight division, it seemed like he really enjoyed those matches.

[Mos_Def 0]

Windham had a great run in WCW from 91-93. His heel run as NWA Champion was especially good.

 

Heenan was still on top of his game, well into the NWO era of WCW.

 

Raven only got the biggest pop in the history of ECW, so, no.

 

Jesse Ventura was one of the highlights of the pre-Hogan WCW era.

 

If you mean Steamboat in WWF, then yes. His last few years in WCW were exceptionally great, though.

 

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but I think you're a little off. Windham was considered one of the top 5 workers in the U.S, or at least in the discussion in the late-80's. He was a shell of himself by the '90s and pretty much considered an also ran. Same with Steamboat, as he was no longer considered elite by that point. Its not to say that they were terrible by any stretch, but they had definitely seen their better days by that point. I think you need to re-evaluate how you assign "great" to things.

 

As far as Jesse goes, Foley said it best, when he said that he was there to basically tell Verne Gagne stories. He added nothing.

 

Even Raven admits he was terrible in ECW and he completely flopped in the WWF. That pop that you speak of was probably one of his last career highlights. All downhill.