November 17 in Pro Wrestling history saw a legend debut, another legend fall and a third legend return to glory.
What does November 17 hold in pro-wrestling folklore?
Those fans who are good with dates would know that November 17 saw a legend debut, another legend fall and a third legend return to glory. The Rock, Shawn Michaels and Brock Lesnar are the superstars mentioned above. Care to guess which category each one fit into?
#1 The Rock makes his debut – November 17, 1996
Sycho Sid would win the WWF Championship from Shawn Michaels in the main event of Survivor Series 1996 at Madison Square Garden, but the event would take its place in WWE history owing to the debut of the first third-generation wrestler in the company.
Rocky Maivia would make his company debut and would lead his team to victory in a traditional Survivor Series elimination match by becoming the sole survivor. The event also saw Stone Cold Steve Austin take on Bret Hart and the inexplicable appearances by Fake Razor and Fake Diesel.
Maivia would capture the Intercontinental title soon after, before adopting the persona of the Rock and becoming a WWE legend in the process.
Brock Lesnar would debut in the WWE in 2002 and would leave a path of destruction in the wake of his actions, manhandling his opponents and getting pushed to the stars. Lesnar would beat established stars like Rob Van Dam, The Hardy Boyz, The Undertaker and managed to capture the WWE Championship from the Rock.
Coming into Survivor Series, Lesnar was yet to concede a pinfall in the WWE – but all that changed at the hands of the 500-pounder Big Show. Big Show would dominate the match but still required assistance from Lesnar’s manager Paul Heyman to hook Lesnar in the Chokeslam.
Show would capture the WWE Championship and Lesnar would make a face turn, culminating in the legendary Kurt Angle vs Lesnar WWE title match at the main event of Wrestlemania XIX.
At the same event that Brock Lesnar lost his invincibility, Shawn Michaels completed the ultimate fairy tale by capturing the World Heavyweight Championship – his first after returning to the ring, having been away for four years owing to back problems.
Everyone had thought that Michaels’ career was over after his 1998 retirement, but HBK returned better than ever and would capture the World title in the first ever Elimination Chamber match. The bout also featured Triple H, Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho, Kane and Booker.T.
Michaels would lose the title to Triple H soon after, but the short sojourn to the ring would turn out to be the new phase of his career. Michaels would remain an active wrestler for the better part of the decade, delivering five-star matches with the likes of Chris Jericho, Ric Flair, John Cena and the Undertaker.
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