Top 10 Worst WWE Events Ever
Battleground 2013
10. In Your House 4: Great White North (1995)
This event is largely remembered as one of the dullest pay-per-views of the mid-90s "New Generation" era. The card was weak, lacking star power and memorable matches. The main event featured WWF Champion Diesel defending his title against "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, ending in a messy disqualification due to interference from Bret Hart. This non-finish frustrated fans and contributed to a general sense of disappointment that characterized much of the WWF's product during this challenging period. The low buyrate reflected the general apathy towards the programming at the time.
9. Backlash (2018)
Held during a time of widespread fan frustration with WWE's booking, Backlash 2018 is notorious for its poor execution and apathetic crowd. The show suffered from multiple match finishes that made little sense, particularly Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles' WWE Championship match, which ended in a double countout and a collective groan from the arena. The main event, a non-title match between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe, was heavily criticized for being a generic, slow-paced affair. This event became a symbol of creative stagnation and a disconnect between the company's direction and fan desires.
8. In Your House: D-Generation X (1997)
While the Attitude Era was beginning to bloom, this specific In Your House event missed the mark. The controversial finish to the main event saw Shawn Michaels retain his WWF Championship against Ken Shamrock after the referee was knocked out, leading to a confusing and unsatisfying result for fans. The card felt underwhelming despite the star power of the era, and critics often point to a general lack of cohesive storytelling throughout the night. It's often cited as one of the weaker efforts during a period otherwise celebrated for its high energy and compelling narratives.
7. Battleground (2013)
Battleground 2013 is primarily infamous for its infuriating main event finish. The show was headlined by Randy Orton versus Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship. Fans were heavily invested in Bryan's "Yes Movement," but the match ended in a disappointing non-finish when The Big Show interfered and knocked out both competitors. The result was a chorus of boos from the live audience who felt cheated out of a conclusion. This event highlighted WWE's reluctance to fully commit to Daniel Bryan as their top champion at the time, angering fans who demanded a clean resolution.
6. WrestleMania IX (1993)
Often dubbed the worst WrestleMania ever, this event is ridiculed for its bizarre Roman toga theme and poor booking decisions. The event concluded with a highly criticized main event: Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart for the WWF Championship, only for Hulk Hogan to spontaneously challenge and defeat Yokozuna in an impromptu, 22-second match to win the title. This ending overshadowed the entire event and was seen as a move that undermined Hart. The outdoor setting and daylight matches also took away from the spectacle that WrestleMania usually provides.
5. King of the Ring (1999)
The 1999 King of the Ring is frequently cited as one of the Attitude Era's worst pay-per-views due to its poor in-ring quality and questionable booking. The tournament felt like an afterthought, culminating in a heavily criticized victory for Billy Gunn. The main event which was a Handicap Ladder Match for control of the WWF featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin versus Vince and Shane McMahon was slow, awkward, and received low marks. Overall, the show suffered from a lack of compelling action and felt forgettable in the grand scheme of the WWF's biggest storylines at the time.
4. Rock Bottom: In Your House (1998)
Despite the star power of the Attitude Era, Rock Bottom suffered from a lackluster main event and a weak overall card. The main event was a Buried Alive match between Steve Austin and The Undertaker. Although the premise was exciting, the execution was slow and ended with Austin winning with significant outside interference, leading to an anticlimactic conclusion. The event lacked depth beyond the main event, and the quality of the matches across the board was considered subpar for a company at the height of its popularity.
3. The Great American Bash (2004)
This pay-per-view is primarily remembered for its notorious and bizarre main event stipulation. The Undertaker faced the Dudley Boyz in a handicap match where Paul Bearer was placed in a "Concrete Crypt" at ringside, with The Undertaker threatening to "bury" him in cement if he lost. The match itself was poor, and the post-match angle, where The Undertaker buried Bearer anyway despite winning was widely panned as nonsensical and a dark relic of poor 2000s booking. The rest of the card offered little to redeem the event.
2. December to Dismember (2006)
Widely considered one of the worst events in WWE history, this was the first and only ECW-branded pay-per-view after the brand's revival. It was plagued by minimal effort and poor creative decisions. The main event, an Extreme Elimination Chamber match, was heavily criticized for the early eliminations of popular stars like CM Punk and Rob Van Dam. The unpopular Bobby Lashley won the ECW Championship, and the show felt like a cynical cash grab that alienated the core ECW fanbase.
1. King of the Ring (1995)
Generally regarded as the worst pay-per-view the WWF/E has ever produced. The entire tournament was a display of the company's creative nadir during the mid-90s. The winner of the tournament was the massive, unpopular wrestler Mabel (later Viscera). The in-ring quality was universally low, and the overall execution was dreadful. The main event featured Mabel versus Savio Vega in the tournament final, a match that symbolized the poor direction of the product. This event is the consensus pick for the worst pay-per-view of all time.
