10 Wrestlers Who Main Evented Just One WWE PPV

From Ahmed Johnson and Scott Steiner to Jerry Lawler and Sting, these are 10 Wrestlers Who Main Evented Just One WWE PPV.
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[@joepod]

Even though you're not counting Royal Rumble appearances, Ric Flair going an hour and winning the WWF World Title in 1992 sure feels like a main event to me.

[@faizansiddiqui3841]

and every Zack Ryder feels like a Main Event to me but that doesn’t make hum a Legit Main Eventer

[@joepod]

@@faizansiddiqui3841 He wrestled on WWE Main Event all the time.

[@faizansiddiqui3841]

haha l stand corrected

[@GinkgoPete]

​@@faizansiddiqui3841but there is only 1 Zack Ryder

[@faizansiddiqui3841]

@@GinkgoPete woo woo woo you know it !

[@BrynHarding]

The very first person I thought of was R-Truth from Capitol Punishment in 2011

[@MastaMS21]

Survivor Series 2011 too (with Miz against Cena and Rock)

[@BrynHarding]

@@MastaMS21 you're absolutely right, I stand corrected!

[@TheRealAhoy]

Same One day we'll get to celebrate R-Truth properly 🎉

[@zanethind]

Oh yeah I completely forgot about that

[@aaronhurst4379]

@@MastaMS21 Ahh of course!

[@SomeDumbKid1]

Ric Flair only main eventing one WWE ppv feels like a mandela effect thing

[@HellNation]

He just went to WWF cause of Jim Herd's terrible management

[@titanironwolf7986]

Fun Fact: did you know Sting was in contact with Vince and was planning to join WWE in 2001. however when the WCW Invasion storyline was getting under way and a segment involving The Rock tearing into the then WCW champion Booker T. Sting, who felt that WWE buried all their stars from that one segment, decided to opt out and went to TNA

[@pushon10]

Sting is a smart guy

[@XBeatmymeatX1990]

That's common knowledge

[@stevegallo8483]

Sting wasn't wrong about that. Aside from a very few (like Goldberg and Booker T who got pushes a few years later) Vince did bury virtually every top guy from WCW after buying the company for pennies on the dollar.

[@richardhoward4272]

@@stevegallo8483 and for that reason, sting lost in wrestling WM31

[@night6724]

@@stevegallo8483No he didn’t. There weren’t any top guys from WCW in 2001. DDP and Booker T were the only guys who came over in 2001. Goldberg wasn’t around in 2001. When top WCW guys did show up, most were pushed extremely quickly like Steiner and Goldberg. Even DDP was honestly pretty washed by 2001 and it’s pretty telling a top rope suplex essentially ended his career shortly after Hell need i remind you McMahon booked Jericho a WCW cruiserweight guy to defeat BOTH his top two stars on the same night? Or Eddie Guerrero defeating Lesnar at No Way Out? Or Benoit making Triple H tap out at WM? Even though it was a missed opportunity to give Booker T a WM victory against Hunter, Booker eventually won KotR which revived his career and won a sixth world title. Yeah the real reason Sting went to TNA was because he got paid a ton of money to show up twice a year for a match.

[@RetroTube1982]

I think Rick Rude only got one PPV main event in WWE - SummerSlam 1990 in a cage match against Warrior.

[@scottfitzgerald5309]

Rick rude was in the main event of Andre the giants team in the inaugural survivor series

[@ReinEngel]

Hogan/Earthquake was the real main event, brother!

[@marcuspuckett6843]

87 survivor series

[@djray369]

JYD? Wrestling Classic.

[@bigjoeofthe707]

And technically Royal Rumble ‘90 since the Rumble was the main event.

[@AxelDc99]

Savio Vega did also main Evented one PPV. He was on THAT Huge 8 man Tag Team match at No Way Out 1998.

[@darthnowlan]

Yeah as a replacement for HBK.

[@AxelDc99]

@@darthnowlan yeah.

[@KegOfMeat]

The big disappointing replacement of HBK

[@AxelDc99]

@@KegOfMeat I know that part. But Savio Is a great wrestler too.

[@theinsufferablebutthole8923]

@@darthnowlan They had to replace HBK cause Pat Patterson was mad at him. Apparently Shawn has eaten a couple of burritos on a night that Patterson wanted to get laid so Vince had to give him a BJ. The whole affair left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

[@moishescheinfeld2464]

Savio was one of Austin's biggest rivals on his way up.

[@AxelDc99]

Ron Simmons as part of The Nation Of Domination Main Evented King Of The Ring 1997 Againts The Undertaker.

[@mann3ify]

Imagine a Diamond Cutter and got hit by Rhino's Gore. It would have been an awesome double finisher.

[@TheJDKX]

I feel like that would be great but be so dangerous due to the speed while head being held.

[@j4sir]

it couldve been done plenty of times with many different tag teams 😂 rated rko couldve done it aswell

[@tibora13]

You talking about simultaneously? Physically Impossible....

[@MarkieDood]

By extension, Bayley is the only one of WWE's "Four Horsewomen" to have not yet main evented WrestleMania. I would really like to see her get that someday.

[@ravinraven6913]

horse what? f that chit. I would like her to never wrestle again. Horsemen was the dumbest name since they didn't actually follow its story. They were more like ted dibiase millionaire club. And for anyone to "copy" someone elses group isn't just moronic its reatarded. none of them were part of the old one. None of the women come close to being a single horsemen they suck

[@3verlong]

:D

[@zanethind]

Man Scott's second WWE run would've been good if only he wasn't injured 😢

[@JHazard1000]

To be fair Scotts 2nd World Title Shot at Triple H was called CO Main Event even tho it didnt end the show.

[@zanethind]

It's astonishing how Bayley never main evented any other ppv besides 1 in her heel run

[@jodawa2504]

Another unfortunate idea is that as popular as Bayley had become since her August 2019 heel turn & October 2019 image transformation, it still seemingly remains that Becky Lynch is A LOT more popular than Bayley & will main event other WWE Premium Live Events before Bayley even gets to main event a single Wrestlemania. Bayley's only PPV/PLE main event match was Survivor Series 2019, which is arguably the best Survivor Series event of the 2010s, with Survivor Series 2011 & 2014 close to being as good as the other Survivor Series events of the decade? Let all of that sink in.

[@zanethind]

@@jodawa2504 I hate SS 2019 personally lol

[@jodawa2504]

@@zanethind why?

[@dylanogg347]

If only Piper and Lawler had feuded 10 years earlier. It would have been legendary. Two of the best talkers, workers and Heels of the 80s. Just imagine how nuts it would have been in Memphis.

[@lukelee7967]

If I remember right, which it's very possible that I'm wrong. But I think Savio Vega was a solid in ring worker.

[@ravinraven6913]

he was, he was what ya call a Jobber.

[@jabberwock6]

job squad 4 ever

[@ironfortress151]

Red Rooster, Koko B. Ware and Hillbilly Jim all main evented the second Survivor Series.

[@Brian25174]

Fun fact cesaro main evented two pvp which was backlash in 2021 and elimination chamber 2014

[@mringram]

Nice

[@thecodester6669]

*2021

[@Brian25174]

@@thecodester6669 my bad

[@deepakcr7774]

Elimination Chamber 2014 also

[@Brian25174]

@@deepakcr7774 damn I didn't know thanks for the knowledge

[@ismailkhan_v3820]

I am shocked about Bayley only main eventing one PPV . While Sasha headlined HIAC and Wrestlemania yet quit

[@KegOfMeat]

I am but not. Banks on the other hand acted a bit like a spoilt brat getting pushed hard and still cracking the shits and quitting

[@breazy832]

Doesn’t work for her brother

[@JorgeConkle]

​@@breazy832 "Doesn't work for me Sister" -Banks Sasha

[@btf_flotsam478]

@@KegOfMeat Would you rather be head of a crap promotion or mid-carding a decent one? She has morals, and I approve of her decision regardless of how much Vinnie Mac Junior re-releases "The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Hugger".

[@codymcguire189]

I'm probably the only one but I would much rather watch a Sid match over a Flair match anyday.

[@ericseitzler81]

You speak the truth my friend.

[@jimlahey3919]

No doubt about it

[@breazy832]

Really why that’s really interesting I’ve never heard that take before

[@Dr_1212]

Vince needs to main event a Retirement home 😂

[@lasbotasdevegeta5224]

Fr

[@Dr_1212]

@@lasbotasdevegeta5224 👍

[@TheIllustriouBlueJay]

That won't work for him, brother.

[@KevdogNHarmony]

That's a PPV I would buy even though I'm quite a lapsed fan.

[@daltonpinell6251]

That old bastard’s gonna outlive all of us just to be a prick

[@Mr_Oggie]

Ric Flair is kind of surprising... the rest of these not so much.

[@snbks4ever]

I mean Flair did main event the 1992 Royal Rumble for all context and purpose but they weren't using the Royal Rumbles so it's why Flair works.

[@serg924]

The video didn't separate the idea of main event from closing the show or maybe it did and I missed it. Flair at Mania 8 was part of an advertised double main event. At Survivor Series 92, Flair and Razor were featured as the main event on the poster versus the Ultimate Manaics but Mr. Warrior was let go a week before hand. Strange but HBK and Hitman closed the show at 92 Series so this later became the main event. If Brett only knew what would have happened five years later.

[@Molson-xg9hs]

Didn’t know at the time that was in the audience for Flair’s one and only PPV headliner! And sadly that was only the headliner because Shawn Michaels won the fan vote to face HHH for the title, but he had just injured himself right before the show. Shawn wrestled on one leg and still put up a decent showing, but in case he couldn’t go I think they took it out of the main event.

[@Scottish-Danny]

Mike Knox - WWE No Way Out 2009.

[@ImagineABear]

Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Mikey, David Otunga, Michael Tarver, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Darren Young, Kairi Sane, Otis, Aleister Black, Lacey Evans, Carmella, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, Ridge Holland, Butch, John Laurinaitis are all some pretty surprising ones that didn't make the list.

[@DarkwingDann]

The Sheik and Ric Flair ones surprised me

[@jerranspearman3369]

good video

[@hiddensword9387]

I still class the scheduled main event like Carlito being in the chamber. In those instances you can say there are two main events. Like Bret v Yoko and Hogan v Yoko.

[@spoonyluv19]

I would say flair vs HBK was a main event in its own right.

[@mikeroagreschen5350]

There are a lot of PPVs that had "double main events" or even "triple main events". Wrestlemania 25 was main evented by Triple H and Randy Orton... but everyone remembers that night for Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels.

[@robertclark2253]

Main event one time appearance for Bobby Heenan and Arn Anderson . Survivor Series 1989 one of their opponents also haf a one time main event appearance Marty Jannetty . Survivor Series 1990 saw 4 men with a one time main event appearance they were Rick Martel , Paul Roma , Warlord and one of their opponents Tito Santana .

[@liamneville3673]

Try redo this Adam with no Survior Series multi matches or tag teams only singles would be interesting!!!

[@lilpoetat]

thanks!

[@Sickness2310]

“Ladies and gentlemen boys and girls children of all ages….” Insert Bret Hart as video game character here “Shut up”

[@yadielenielbellecolon982]

Thank For The Top 10 Video🙊🤯😁💗🤩👌💐🌟🥇🏆

[@JamesMcClarron]

Kairi Sane should be on here too for TLC 2019

[@fawazaqeel907]

Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t the Royal Rumble match the main even in 1992 which means that technically Ric Flair main evented that ppv especially since he won?

[@12345678901011213]

They explained that they weren't counting Royal Rumble matches.

[@rayzor5289]

It would also mean the other 29 guys main evented the match as well

[@MrMr-fo8st]

I've never agreed with Money in the bank contracts. Quick way to the top. Definitely not how things used to be, nor, in my opinion, how things should be.

[@skeetervalentine2471]

Honorable mentions: R-Truth: Capital Punishment 2011 Ken Patera: Survivor series 1987 Test: December to Dismember 2006

[@tomg6220]

R truth main evented summerslam 2010 and survivor series 2011 so nope

[@LoweyRovers7]

@@tomg6220and also Elimination Chamber in 2010 & 2011

[@skeetervalentine2471]

@@tomg6220 yeah, you right. My bad.

[@ganglabesh]

and john Laurenitis over the limit 2012

[@robertclark2253]

Don Muraco and Butch Reed Survivor Series 1987 .

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Heath Slater, David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Michael Tarver, and Darren Young Summerslam 2010

[@pauldavis6232]

I know you got the Royal Rumble rule but not counting Ric Flair's iconic 1992 Royal Rumble win which is considered his peak in the WWF is madness. I was slack jawed at that.

[@joaquindelossantos7140]

THE REAL MAIN EVENTER AT KOR ‘94 WASN’T LAWLER OR DIESEL, IT WAS ART ODONNELL/DONOVAN

[@robertclark2253]

One time main event appearance for Crush , Jaque Rogeau , Ludvig Borga and both Steiners .

[@saywhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat]

Flair is only #1 on a technicality. Winning a main event royal rumble should count as main eventing that show

[@tomg6220]

Literally said there not counting royal rumbles

[@saywhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat]

@@tomg6220 Yep. I literally heard them say that and yet I literally disagree with their assessment. Wild concept

[@CobaltT9]

5:37 - 5:40 "Shut Up!" - Bret Hart

[@JT-xp8hx]

Respect - Booker T

[@tinotica]

Booker Ts main evented many times 2001-2006

[@ReinEngel]

REEESSSSPECT.

[@SomeOfTheJuice]

That Ric Flair's first retirement match against Shawn Michaels not only didn't close out Wrestlemania 24 but also was in the middle of the card is crazy to me. Undertaker vs. Edge is great, but god damn, with how much of a build up they had over four months of not having Ric lose any singles matches, you'd have thought they would at least put it second last. Or at the very least not surrounded by a 11 second joke between Kane and Chavo and a Playboy Lumberjill match.

[@KNVisual]

Steve Austin’s first match as “Stone Cold” was against Savio Vega. It was a nice little callback imo

[@robertclark2253]

Koko B Ware , Red Rooster and Hill Billy Jim Survivor Series 1988 .

[@rawjones6849]

Would R Truth qualify for this list? Capital punishment 2011?

[@flclfan85]

No, he and Miz (as The Awesome Truth) headlined Survivor Series 2011 against Cena and The Rock

[@claymathewselevator8121]

@@flclfan85I wish The Awesome Truth would’ve been tag champs

[@rawjones6849]

@@flclfan85 gotcha! 👍 Probably his best year 2011. At least one of his best years

[@rawjones6849]

@@claymathewselevator8121 same! They were just thrown away instead of being used to their full potential. They were great heels

[@JagerLange]

'kin ell, Sting in WWE was nearly ten years ago already?!

[@BigG11082]

Terry Funk(as Chainsaw Charlie) also only main evented 1 ppv at No Way Out 1998

[@robertclark2253]

Also New Age Outlaws .

[@acciow4998]

Is Kairi sane at tlc also one ?

[@jipsumies3435]

Who

[@elijahoder3667]

​@jipsumies3435 The Kabuki Warriors? Former Stardom champion? Had a banger with Shayna Baszler in the Mae Young Classic?

[@AxelDc99]

Yes. That was her Only Main Event.

[@breazy832]

Miss ‘er

[@jipsumies3435]

@@elijahoder3667 Oh some chick

[@tibora13]

Ahmed Johnson shouldve been in the WWE Hall of Fame a long time ago

[@gestaltdude]

I was never been able to buy into The Iron Sheik being Col Mustafa, mostly due to knowing his Iranian heritage would very much clash with being on board with Saddam. I know it's a small detail (just the minor matter of an 8 year war between the two countries), but these things are important if you want to build a decent character.

[@breazy832]

Don’t act like any Americans know anything about the middle east

[@gestaltdude]

@@breazy832 They seemed pretty involved in the 70's and 80's, when most of the conflict between Iran and Iraq flared into full blown war. Between the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 and the hostage crisis that kept the attention on the country for a further 444 days, most people at the time were generally aware of the political goings on of the time. Not so much these days, I agree, but at the time of the events mentioned in my first comment, these events would have been relatively fresh in the minds of most of the audience.

[@belindarubino8991]

Knowing that baron corbin has main evented 2 ppv and ric flair has main evented 1 makes me sad

[@tinotica]

Hmmm 🤔 Viscera Maven Hardcore Holly

[@tafua_a]

I consider the Elimination Chamber the main event of New Year's Revolution 2005. If the last match isn't advertised, it doesn't count as the main event in my book.

[@mcj88]

5:38 - "...Shaddap!" -Bret Hart

[@mspacely6521]

Ahmed Johnson rules

[@jipsumies3435]

Fr

[@mattschabel4423]

Fr

[@davidlandry3487]

He was my absolute favorite for the year or so they pushed him.

[@Phoenixbrand95]

I dont consider impromptu matches to be Main events.

[@NikandClare]

Don’t think you should include multi man gimmick matches or survivor series elimination personally

[@kumodohaizi7234]

I thought he was talking about solely one on one main evented,not a multi type matches

[@NicholasPruner]

Ridge Holland...Survivor Series 2022 WarGames? Did he have any others?

[@pedrolantyer]

Just to remind you all that Baron Corbin has main evented 7 PPVs (obviously including Multi man matches)

[@kizarto]

8:46 This is how I found out he passed away 😭😭. RIP to the legend.

[@WRESTLINGWRITESITSELF]

Hëyyyy we want some more BAYLEY 🙌🙌🙌

[@muditgupta4556]

Has Rey mysterio ever main evented in a one on one scenario?

[@tomg6220]

at judgment day 06 vs Jbl and great american bash vs King booker

[@nickmontoya3001]

So the Outlaws AND Savio Vega should be in the same rank

[@AdamPembrey]

I like this channel so not digging anybody out but I’m not sure this list makes a lot of sense. It’s not simply a list of people to main event one ppv because then you’d have Rick Steiner, Savio Vega and others from matches listed on this video, not to mention Bigelow, LT and others who have maybe appeared in Chamber/Bragging Rights matches. If it’s supposed to be people you are surprised only main evented one then I’m not sure Sting, Carlito, DDP, Lawler and Ahmed fit. Like I say not trying to hate I just don’t quite get this one

[@aceofspade3728]

I think ric flair main evented the 92 royal rumble. If so, that's 2 main events.

[@tomg6220]

They literally said at the start they are not counting royal rumbles

[@aceofspade3728]

@@tomg6220 👍

[@MrSeahawk113]

I miss the Sheik 😢😢😢😢

[@adambradshaw4442]

Cain Velasquez against Brock?

[@DeeJayPark]

That was the opener.

[@eshep71]

Does the 1992 rumble count for flair? Was that even the last match? I'd assume so since Hogan was involved.

[@mringram]

He's not counting RR matches

[@JLove2000swrestling]

Man i remember sting night of champions 2015 honestly I believe cena and Seth should have gone last their it would have been the first time in a long time the US title main eventing a WWE event the US title in 2015 had prestige to it and that’s because of John cena.

[@ramblingRJ]

Did Kong Kong Bundy ever main event a WWF/E PPV after Wrestlemania 2? Did Bam Bam Bigelow ever have another main event in WWE other than Wrestlemania 11?

[@robertclark2253]

Bundy was in the main event of Survivor Series 1987 as was Bigelow . Bundy was on Andre's team while Bigelow was on Hogan's team .

[@pillsburidoughboi]

Shinsuke Nakamura has only main evented 1 PPV and thats crazy He should of main evented Wrestlemania 34 Backlash 2018 Even his Royal Rumble win wasn't the mIn event SMH

[@anniewilliams250]

Nikki Bella? She was in main event against Ronda Rousey at Evolution in 2018. I don’t think she’s been in a main event again

[@krisgallardo1011]

Wouldn’t Carlito and Chris master be the same? They were In both the same matches

[@mikeroagreschen5350]

Ric Flair not main-eventing Wrestlemania VIII was criminal. I was there; Flair and Savage stole the show along with Piper vs. Bret. Hogan vs. Sid was absolute garbage other than the return of the Ultimate Warrior.

[@namikstudios]

No surprise that 1 and 2 on this list are WCW's two greatest stars. Even the true WCW legends like Ric and Sting get buried by WWE.

[@tomg6220]

Ric flair buried 😂😂

[@multiyapples]

Not including the Royal Rumble some members of The Nexus only main evented one pay per view.

[@jimmyplenderleith9471]

You can't use Survivor Series matches to count as a main event for a guy the same way you cant use Royal Rumbles. You cant use big 10 man matches either. Either Tag match or singles match main event should count. Your picks wouldnt be in the main events you listed if it werent for the other guys in those multi-man matches.

[@jimlahey3919]

When you make a video you can choose the criteria. Until then, zip your lip

[@kumodohaizi7234]

​@jimlahey3919 nah dude u zip it,he can say whatever he wants especially when the dude is speaking facts,the list is garbage

[@joeyfarris2543]

Nobody wants the WW E, I,E, I,O except maybe old McDonald and his farm😂😂😂

[@criticgoon1014]

Also you since you’re here.

[@alienicreator]

johnny ace? mabel?

[@user-gh9ie6cv3c]

Carlito main evented two ppv's

[@tanaka7341]

What defines a main event star guys?

[@nikhil-225]

Where is R Truth in this list? He also mainevented one PPV (Capitol Punishment 2011)

[@amtraklover]

Had the tag match with Miz vs. Cena and the Rock

[@Lil_Romeo999]

Didn't Ric Flair main event a Mainia with Randy Savage or am I wrong?

[@alienlife7754]

What ever happened to Ahmed Johnson anyway? He just kind of disappeared after the WWF.

[@amtraklover]

Wrestled, and I say that very loosely, in WCW in 2000. After that kinda faded away though I doubt too many people cared.

[@kumodohaizi7234]

I thought he was gonna have solely one on one main event matches,not chambers/series matches or even tag teams,where's bam bam,king kong bundy,ron simmons,riddle,nikki bella,utuber guy

[@WRESTLINGWRITESITSELF]

Pretty Shocking considering that most of this are maineventetrs

[@Rambo-lv9hu]

Tito Santana only main event was Survivor Series 1990's Grand Finale yeah?

[@robertclark2253]

Also the only pay per view main event for Rick Martel , Paul Roma and Warlord . I would've included Roma's partner Hercules in this but he was in the main event at Survivor Series 1988 .

[@shinjodun]

So are you just not counting Royal Rumble 1992 for Flair? Main event of the show, he was in the match for an hour, won it. That seems like a pretty big miss on your end.

[@jays447]

You forgot Michael Tarver, Darren Young & David Otunga from Summerslam 2010.

[@cnotes1790]

King also faced Miz for the WWE title in 2010/2011??

[@ajk]

2011 Elimination Chamber I think.......but it didn't headline, Chamber match did.

[@robertshay9235]

Did Mabel have more than 1 main event march?

[@Avatar1977]

Sarah Logan.

[@amirelrafie4287]

Why are you guys using Rememi for your thumbnails now? It looks so strange lmao

[@Jerry-zc5qt]

Didn't Lawler main event elimination chamber 2011 against The Miz?

[@tomcampbell1887]

Flair literally won a royal Rumble, he shouldn't be on the list. I know you're not counting rumbles to avoid 5 minute guest appearances but winning one to close a show feels so silly to ignore

[@ganglabesh]

what about john Laurenitis

[@AxelDc99]

Make another video. Many where left behine.

[@The-Brute-Squad]

That definitely isn't fair to Flair.