Every year, there are moments on WWE television that make us feel happy inside, and they make all the awful storylines and angles we have to sit through worth it.
What makes professional wrestling so special – among other things – is the fact that the audience develops a very real and visceral connection to the characters. Whether it’s feelings of nostalgia or an ability to relate to the on-screen characters, emotions radiate to us, and we latch onto them as viewers.
In 2017, both on-screen storylines and off-screen storylines contributed to memorable, feel-good moments. Some of these were returns, but others were simply superstars overcoming odds in real life to achieve something of importance in the context of a WWE storyline.
Regardless of the type of moment, fans everywhere felt joy at these ten moments. Of course, there were several more that just missed this list, but it’s always hard to narrow things down to ten, especially given how subjective the nature of this list is. I mean, one person’s feel-good moment is another person’s reason to head onto social media to complain about the product (Jinder Mahal’s title win at Backlash comes to mind as an example).
Click on ahead for the ten biggest feel-good moments in WWE in 2017.
10. Asuka Says Goodbye To NXT
Finn Balor, Bayley, Sasha Banks, and Samoa Joe are just four of the wrestlers who helped make NXT a special brand, but you could argue that Asuka meant as much as anybody to WWE’s third (and arguably best) brand.
Asuka’s undefeated streak is one of the most sacred feats in all of wrestling, and it’s a big reason why she was ranked No. 1 in the PWI 50 for women’s wrestlers. That streak was never beaten in NXT, because she defeated Ember Moon at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, kicking out of the Eclipse and vacating the title.
On Aug. 24, Asuka ended her reign by vacating the title to NXT general manager William Regal, and this also ended one of the greatest runs in NXT history. Thanks to Asuka, the NXT Women’s Championship became the most prestigious title in the company to some fans, because it was always defended with class. It also always felt like a big deal on every TakeOver Special, and that’s a lot more than you can say for some of the other titles WWE has.
In her farewell, Asuka said, “Nobody is ready for Asuka!”, and no truer words could have been spoken. Moon and the rest of the NXT roster sent her off in heart-warming fashion, and the WWE Universe gave her the send-off to the main roster that she deserved.
9. Bayley Wins The Raw Women’s Championship
In NXT, Bayley’s underdog story was one for the ages, and her two TakeOver wins over Sasha Banks will be remembered by wrestling fans for years to come. Although the WWE couldn’t quite replicate that success on the main roster, her Raw Women’s Championship victory on a Feb. 13 episode of Monday Night Raw was still a big deal.
As anyone who has followed her career would tell you, Bayley put on an excellent match that night with Charlotte Flair, who had just concluded a feud with Sasha Banks over that title that included equally exceptional bouts. Bayley and Charlotte left it all in that ring, and Bayley showed the WWE Universe that she is indeed as excellent in that ring as any woman in the company.
After the win, Bayley celebrated with the rest of the WWE Universe, and it was a moment that her fans won’t forget any time soon. Although the WWE has damaged her character since then by destroying its nuances during her feud before Alexa Bliss.
But before Vince McMahon got in the way, Bayley had her moment under the sun, and you couldn’t help but feel happy for a wrestler who fulfilled her childhood dream and has always been there for her fans as someone who wants to take on the responsibility of being a role model to young girls and boys.
8. Nikki Bella, John Cena Marry At WrestleMania
Nikki Bella and John Cena have their fair share of detractors, but they also have considerably more fans than haters and have earned the respect of the WWE Universe. These are two wrestlers who work their tails off to make storylines work, and it was awesome for Cena and Nikki to share an incredibly important moment in their lives with the WWE Universe.
Many speculated that when the Cena and Nikki Bella vs. Maryse and The Miz feud started, they were setting up some sort of proposal at WrestleMania 33. But even for those who predicted the proposal, the event itself was still special. It was cool watching Nikki Bella and John Cena fighting side-by-side, especially since so many women whom Nikki had feuded with would bring up her relationship with Cena in a negative way.
That moment received a lot of mainstream attention, and it’s because it isn’t everyday you see a performer proposing on live TV after their performance. To some, it may have seemed hokey, but to me, it was perfect. It was two people sharing a moment, and it’s two people who are in love and are willing to commit to spend the rest of their lives together.
7. AJ Styles Defeats Jinder Mahal
When AJ Styles defeated Dean Ambrose for the WWE Championship at Backlash 2016, he started a memorable run with the title that would have seemed implausible years earlier. But Styles quickly became one of Vince McMahon’s trusted favorites ever since he joined the company at the Royal Rumble. We all knew Styles would put on incredible matches, but he also fit the WWE’s style by cutting compelling promos and getting all the little details of working live TV matches perfectly.
When Styles dropped the title to John Cena at the 2017 Royal Rumble, fans grew restless in the months afterwards. Styles had to face Shane McMahon at WrestleMania, and while it was a much better match than it had any business being, it was disappointing that he wasn’t in the WWE Championship picture at ‘Mania. And when Jinder Mahal’s reign rolled forward with boring title defenses against Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura, people were starting to lose hope.
Many believed Mahal would be facing Brock Lesnar in a champion vs. champion match at Survivor Series, but Styles defeated Mahal for the WWE Championship on a pre-taped episode of SmackDown Live in Manchester, England.
It was an unprecedented title change outside of the United States, and the fans went absolutely bonkers for it. People in Manchester were going crazy, and people all over the world were going crazy. That night showed every wrestling fan just how big of a deal Styles is, and he and Mahal put together the Modern Day Maharaja’s best match to date. The two told an incredible story, which was made all the more impactful by the fan’s reaction to Styles’s second WWE Championship win.
6. Naomi Re-Captures The Title At WrestleMania
WrestleMania 33 emanated from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, and it featured two women’s title matches. Bayley retained the title successfully in a Fatal Four-Way match for the Raw Women’s Championship, and that was a pretty big deal. However, Naomi’s SmackDown Women’s Championship victory in a Six-Pack Challenge was an even bigger deal.
Not only did Naomi win the title in her own hometown by submitting Alexa Bliss, but she also re-captured the title after relinquishing it due to a sudden injury over a month ago. And you know who won the title after she relinquished it? Bliss, who showed absolutely no empathy for Naomi’s injury.
The WrestleMania moment was also a big deal, because it was the WWE showing everyone that they would indeed give Naomi a real run at the top. Naomi has been with the company for so many years, and she’s worked incredibly hard to get to the point where she’d be a champion. The WWE showed faith in her, and she rewarded them by going on to be one of the most improved superstars in 2017.
Naomi’s first title win at the Elimination Chamber was awesome, but after watching how heart-breaking it was for her to lose the title due to injury, her second win at WrestleMania in Orlando meant that much more to those watching.
5. Hardy Boyz Return At WrestleMania
Naomi’s WrestleMania victory was actually topped by another memorable WrestleMania moment, and that was the return of the Hardy Boyz to WWE. People went absolutely bonkers in attendance and on social media, and it was surreal when their classic theme hit. When the New Day announced that there would be another team competing for the Raw Tag Team Titles, many assumed that the iconic trio would insert themselves into the match. However, they were merely announcing the return of the Hardyz, and the pop was boisterous.
Matt Hardy became one of the biggest stars in wrestling in Impact, thanks to his “Broken” gimmick, which also involved his brother Jeff. Now, Jeff Hardy has always been immensely popular, and he was arguably the most well-liked superstar in the WWE at one point in his career, which led Triple H to put him over.
The Hardy Boyz return was even more than just a nostalgia pop or a nostalgia return. It was something more, because we were all excited to see what “Broken Matt” could do in WWE. We are now starting to get a glimpse of “Woken Matt”, but it all began with a return at WrestleMania 33 that was kept secret to everyone.
4. Women’s Rumble Is Announced
It might seem a bit weird to put a Royal Rumble announcement so high on this list, but a big part of it is the reactions the women in the ring had. Stephanie McMahon announced the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble for 2018, but the WWE kept this announcement a secret from its wrestlers. While many fans and wrestlers, such as Sasha Banks, had a hunch that this was coming, we still got some very genuine reactions from the wrestlers, such as Paige’s.
This is a huge deal, because the fact that we are finally getting a women’s Rumble is a huge step in the advancement of women’s wrestling. The WWE hasn’t done right by its female talent for most of its history, but Vince McMahon, perhaps the behest of the fans and his family members, is finally making strides when it comes to bridging the gap in how female talent is portrayed in comparison to the men.
There are so many female wrestlers and wrestling fans who have wanted this to happen for years, because it’s an important step in fighting for the one word we all have strived to be achieved in wrestling – equality.
For a reaction to the announcement from a female wrestler, check out this piece by TWM News’s Kymberly Jaimeson.
3. Dean Ambrose And Seth Rollins Win Tag Titles
The Shield’s first entrance as a unit was awesome, and it was awesome to see Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins enter through the crowd together again. But the moment before then when Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins won the Raw Tag Team Titles together was an even more emotional moment for fans.
That victory was a story years in the making, because Rollins and Ambrose were finally babyfaces on the same brand after Ambrose was traded to Raw in the “Superstar Shakeup”. Months after the shakeup, Rollins started helping Ambrose, who resented “The Architect’s” desire to mend the fence with his former “Shield” brother. Ambrose helped Rollins and Reigns out at Survivor Series in 2016, but this was different; Rollins wanted Ambrose to finally trust him after he committed the ultimate betrayal years ago by stabbing his brothers in the back.
When Ambrose and Rollins finally exchanged a fist-bump after months of going back and forth, you knew we were headed for an even bigger and more heart-warming conclusion to a story that every fan was invested in. Ambrose and Rollins always bring out the best in each other, and their fiery promos in the build to this reunion were well-worth the price of admission.
The duo teamed up and won the Raw Tag Titles at SummerSlam by defeating The Bar in an excellent match. They reminded everyone of their incredible chemistry together as a tag team, and they gave the WWE Universe an awesome moment to remember, which also foreshadowed their reunion with Reigns just months later.
2. Paige Returns
“I’m baaaaccckkk”
Paige’s return to the WWE main roster couldn’t have gone any better, and she didn’t miss a beat when she emerged from the curtains and announced her return to the WWE Universe. The fans’ reaction was extremely positive towards Paige, who came along with former “Tough Enough” competitors Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose.
The new leader of “Absolution”, Paige fought back from a career-threatening injury, drug issues, and other personal issues outside of the wrestling ring. Her family was worried about her health and mental well-being, but she was able to fight through it all and make a triumphant return to WWE television.
There is only one story more heart-warming than this one, and Paige’s return is all the more incredible if you listen to her on Lilian Garcia’s podcast “Chasing Glory”.
Not only was Paige as brilliant as ever on the mic, but she was also solid in the ring, performing well in her debut match against Sasha Banks.
Paige is easily one of the most popular superstars in the WWE today, especially when it comes to her star power online. When her screech hit, many fans lost it, and we all can’t wait to see what Paige does. It seems like the WWE is fully behind her, and she was indeed born to wrestle in the womb. Oh, and she has a movie coming out soon, which is pretty cool, too.
1. Ric Flair Surprises Charlotte
The year 2017 almost became a year of tragedy in the wrestling world, because Ric Flair was almost taken away from us. But the man himself kicked out of two, and he’s been on a mission to try to spread important information to those involved in the wrestling business.
Flair has also been busy putting over his daughter Charlotte Flair, who is building a legendary legacy of her own. She added to that legacy in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, defeating Natalya for the SmackDown Women’s Championship with the “Figure Eight”.
The win made Charlotte the first woman to secure the NXT, Raw, Divas and SmackDown Women’s Championships. Basically, she’s a “Grand Slam” champion, and the win was a story that started with her babyface turn in a quest to win that SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Next: Ranking The Top 10 Female Superstars Of 2017
The win itself was awesome, but real tears were shed by her, her father, and the fans when he emerged from the back to congratulate her on the historic championship win. Charlotte was visibly surprised, and there wasn’t a more meaningful moment in the WWE this year. Both of them went through a lot this year, as Charlotte missed a large chunk of action in order to be with her father, whose health issues were life-threatening.