Ranking WWE's Top 10 Most Underrated Moments in 2015 Thus Far

To say 2015 has been a banner year for WWE would be an understatement considering everything that has transpired up to this point. From the rise of NXT talent to the crowning of new champions, it's been one of the more memorable years in the last decade.

When reflecting on the first half of the year, many moments of monumental significance come to mind, including the epic ending to WrestleMania 31. It saw Seth Rollins cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase and capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship during the main event, becoming the first man to do so on the grand stage.

Without question, the main roster debuts of Kevin Owens, Neville and Charlotte will be forever remembered, but the returns of Bubba Ray Dudley, Randy Orton and Sheamus were only a few of the hidden gems this year has had to offer.

Whether it was because they were tucked away on an episode of Raw or because they were outshined by something else on the same show, these elite selections weren't given the recognition they deserved.

As we pass the halfway mark of 2015, this list will look back on the year's 10 most underrated moments in WWE so far. There's also no telling what other historic happenings the WWE Universe could be in store for in the six months that remain.

10. Randy Orton Returns: WWE Fastlane

Randy Orton's heel turn at 2013's SummerSlam pay-per-view event was seen as a turning point in his career after floundering as a babyface for much of that year. But the biggest issue he encountered during his time as part of The Authority was that he was made to look weak and cowardly more often than not.

Doing very little of note following his run as WWE World Heavyweight champion, it wasn't until the fall that he had a carer resurgence of sorts when he began teasing tension with fellow Authority member Seth Rollins. An attack on Orton on the Nov. 3 edition of Raw served as his exit from the group, but it was only a matter of time before he resurfaced.

It was strongly believed he'd make his anticipated comeback to TV during the annual Royal Rumble match, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. One month later at WWE Fastlane, he finally returned after a six-man tag team match that saw The Authority emerge victorious, dishing out RKOs to each of his former stablemates.

Orton received a huge reaction from the Memphis crowd that night and has been one of most popular faces on the roster as of late. It's been wise of WWE to maintain his anti-hero persona instead of turning him into the generic babyface he was back in 2012-13.

In the months since, he's contested an excellent series of matches with Seth Rollins and will do battle with Sheamus this Sunday at Battleground.

9. Sheamus Turns Heel: Raw, March 30

Randy Orton wasn't the only one who was stale for the better part of 2014 as Sheamus was in a very similar situation. Other than a forgettable reign as United States champion, he found very little success in singles competition, so the injury that sidelined him from action late last year was a blessing in disguise.

Sheamus was miscast as a babyface from the moment he turned in July 2011 and it was only inevitable before he returned to his roots as a heel. Thankfully it came to fruition the night after WrestleMania 31 and the timing couldn't have been better.

In front of the same crowd that turned on him two years prior, Sheamus returned to a chorus of boos when it initially appeared he was coming to the aid of Dolph Ziggler. Thus, it was perfect when he instead ambushed the bleached-blonde Superstar and cemented his long-awaited villainous change in character.

Sporting a new look and attitude, Sheamus felt fresh for the first time in years. The heel turn may not have had the same impact if it didn't happen in front of such a rowdy crowd that was already anti-Sheamus.

From Daniel Bryan to Dolph Ziggler to Neville, Sheamus has decimated everyone who has stepped foot in his path of destruction. He also now has the Money in the Bank contract in his possession after capturing the opportunistic briefcase just last month.

8. Ryback Captures His First Singles Title: Elimination Chamber

WWE had a great thing going with Ryback in early 2013, but it squandered any fan following he had when it prematurely turned him heel after WrestleMania 29. In doing so, he was stripped of everything that made him special and made him just another guy on the roster.

Ryback struggled to regain the lost momentum over the next year and a half, but similar to Sheamus the time he took off due to injury in the summer of 2014 was the best thing that could have happened to his career.

On the Oct. 27 edition of Raw, Ryback returned as a babyface and immediately started working his way back up the WWE ladder. In the months that followed, his popularity with the fans gradually grew with his "Feed Me More" chants becoming too loud to ignore.

While an unfortunate injury forced Daniel Bryan to vacate his Intercontinental title, it was the perfect opportunity for Ryback to rise up as a challenger to the championship. At Elimination Chamber, he realized a dream when he outlasted five other competitors to capture the prestigious prize, his first taste of gold of any kind in WWE.

He's already instilled honor and dignity back into the belt and has done an effective job of making it matter again by not being booked to look weak like past champions.

7. New World Order Reunites: Raw Reunion, Jan. 19

Regardless of whether it's called Old School Raw or Raw Reunion, it's always one of the most fun nights of the year. It gives fans a chance to celebrate the stars of the past and see them mix it up with the stars of tomorrow.

This year's Raw Reunion on the Jan. 19 episode was no exception as it featured the exciting return of the New World Order. There was a chance of it being scrapped from the show due to Kevin Nash's legitimate run-in with the law, but after he was cleared of all charges he was confirmed to appear alongside his brethren.

While it wasn't the original trio of Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, it was still cool to see The Outsiders in addition to the returning X-Pac, who hadn't appeared on WWE TV since Raw 1000. They shared a moment with the WWE Universe before being interrupted by The Ascension.

In a segment to remember, the NWO were soon joined by The New Age Outlaws and even the APA as all three legendary factions teamed up to take out the brash duo. It didn't do anything to boost the stock of The Ascension, but the fans in attendance appreciated seeing the NWO get physical for the first time in close to a decade.

The NWO coming face-to-face with D-Generation X at WrestleMania 31 was what everyone will remember from the black-and-white faction in 2015, but this one-off comeback was short yet (too) sweet.

6. Daniel Bryan Wins the Intercontinental Championship: WrestleMania 31

It's no secret that the Intercontinental Championship hasn't been the same "stepping stone" to world title gold that it once was during the 1980s, but the belt reached an all-new low earlier this year during Bad News Barrett's reign.

The problem wasn't with Barrett holding it but rather how he was booked throughout his reign. From Dolph Ziggler to Dean Ambrose to Daniel Bryan to even R-Truth, he came up short against almost everyone he stepped in the ring with, doing significant damage to the prestige of the title.

In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 31, the six men set to challenge for the gold took turns stealing the strap from Barrett. Thrown into the mix at the last minute was Daniel Bryan, the only Superstar credible enough to make the championship mean something again.

At The Show of Shows, all seven combatants vied for the Intercontinental title in a high-risk ladder match, putting their bodies on the line all for the opportunity to call themselves champion. Although Barrett was on the verge of retaining his title, it was Bryan who ascended the ladder and gained possession of the strap hanging high above the ring to become the new champion as the crowd came to life.

One year removed from Bryan winning the WWE title in the main event of 'Mania, there was no better way to kick off the latest installment than by having him win another piece of gold. As great of a moment as that was, his reign sadly didn't live up to its full potential due to him suffering another injury that forced him to vacate it.

5. The Shield Reunites: WWE Payback

The Shield's split in June 2014 sent shock waves throughout the WWE Universe, but it wouldn't be the last time we would see them share a ring together. In fact, all three members have been intertwined with each other at one point or another over the last year through feuds and friendships.

Originally at WWE Payback, Seth Rollins was scheduled to defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a Triple Threat match against Randy Orton and Roman Reigns. On the May 4 edition of Raw, however, Dean Ambrose earned entry into the match with a non-title win over Rollins, thus making it a Fatal 4-Way.

Conspiracy theorists predicted a potential Shield reunion at the pay-per-view, and as absurd as the idea of it sounded they weren't far off.

Halfway through the bout, Orton found himself in a precarious situation, surrounded by the former Shield members on the outside of the ring. Out of instinct, Rollins, Reigns and Ambrose briefly put their differences aside to take out a common enemy in Orton and proceeded to put him through the commentary table Shield-style.

With a priceless look on his face, Rollins stuck out his fist thinking The Shield was back on the same page, but was soon ambushed by Reigns and Ambrose. It made for a memorable moment on a show that often doesn't get praised enough for being as entertaining as it was.

4. Ric Flair Confronts Triple H: Raw, Feb. 16

Say what you will about the match itself, but the feud between Triple H and Sting leading into WrestleMania 31 was extremely well done. It was among the few matches on the card that was effectively built up on a consistent basis and each week was something new.

Six days before he was set to come face-to-face with Sting at WWE Fastlane, Triple H was cutting a promo on his adversary on the Feb. 16 edition of Raw when he was interrupted by a returning Ric Flair. The live crowd popped for the unadvertised appearance of The Nature Boy and were excited to see what he had to say.

Having an illustrious history with Sting dating back to their WCW days, Flair warned his longtime friend about what he was getting into and not to take The Icon lightly. His goal was to get into the head of Triple H and rattle him before Fastlane, and if HHH's reaction was any indication he was certainly successful in doing so.

In response to Flair questioning whether he could go toe-to-toe with Sting, Triple H shoved him down to the ground in shocking fashion and shut down any doubt in the mind of Flair that he wasn't up for the challenge.

Needless to say, it was easily the best use of Flair since he came back to the company in 2012. Hopefully WWE continues to use him in segments he can sink his teeth into such as this one.

3. Sting Aids Randy Orton: Raw, March 16

As noted, Triple H vs. Sting was one of best, if not the best, feuds on the WrestleMania 31 card. While it would have improved WWE programming if Sting showed up more frequently, his appearances meant more because they were far and few between.

After challenging Triple H to a WrestleMania match at the Fastlane pay-per-view, it was believed Sting wouldn't be seen on WWE programming until the final Raw before 'Mania. Thus, his surprise appearance on the March 16 edition of Raw came as a major shock to those in attendance that night.

The entire show was built around Seth Rollins not having any backup going into his main event match against Randy Orton. However, before the bout began, it was revealed to be a "swerve" with the rest of The Authority coming down to the ring and surrounding Orton.

It appeared all hope was lost for The Apex Predator as he prepared to take on the vindictive stable by himself, but then the lights went out for a brief moment. When they came on, standing alongside Orton was none other than Sting.

It was a surreal sight with Sting not having encountered anyone with the exception of Triple H since arriving in WWE, much less a fresh face such as Orton. As the shock factor started to set in, Sting and Orton joined forces and cleared the ring of The Authority.

2. Sami Zayn Debuts Against John Cena: Raw, May 4

When looking back on the greatest matches of 2015 so far, you'll find that John Cena has been involved in more "Match of the Year" contenders than anyone else on the roster. He had a handful of exceptional matches on the road to WrestleMania, but it wasn't until he captured the United States Championship on the grand stage that he kicked off the best run of his career to date.

Every week since the night after 'Mania, Cena has come to Raw issuing an open challenge to anyone in the locker room for a shot at his U.S. title. From Dean Ambrose to Stardust, an amazing array of talent has answered the invitation thus far, making for excellent matches each time.

With the May 4 edition of Raw emanating from Montreal, there was only one individual the fans wanted to see face off against Cena that night: Sami Zayn. Not only did the NXT standout ultimately accept the challenge, he was introduced by WWE legend Bret Hart in his native Canada.

From the get-go, Zayn was established as a star, and that was made evident after he kicked out of Cena's patented Attitude Adjustment. Mind you, he injured his shoulder during his ring entrance, yet he still managed to work an above-average match against the face of the company.

Even in defeat, Zayn was made to look strong, and one can only imagine he'll pick up where he left off upon his return to the ring later this year. Kevin Owens had a grand debut against Cena two weeks later, but fans tend to forget just how stellar Zayn's debut on the flagship truly was.

1. Bubba Ray Dudley Returns to WWE: Royal Rumble

The 2015 Royal Rumble pay-per-view will be forever remembered as the night WWE went with the wrong winner for the second consecutive year. Additionally, the backlash from fans that ensued after Roman Reigns' major victory will go down as one of the biggest news stories of the year.

Even before the ending, the Rumble match wasn't anything too special and arguably among the worst in recent years. The eliminations of Dean Ambrose, Daniel Bryan, Bray Wyatt and others were poorly executed and only hindered the overall quality of the contest.

All that being said, it did have its highlights, including the annual returns of some familiar faces. The Boogeyman made a comeback and Diamond Dallas Page stepped into the ring one more time, but it was the No. 3 entrant who had everyone talking.

As The Miz and R-Truth battled in the ring, the clock counted down to zero and out came Bubba Ray Dudley as the Philadelphia crowd went into a frenzy. Making his first WWE appearance in nearly a decade, Dudley soaked in the adulation from the audience, sporting his old-school attire and all.

His time spent in the ring was short-lived, but it sent the message that anything could happen at any point during the Rumble match. While it was an extraordinarily cool moment, it's a shame it was—and continues to be—overshadowed by the match's controversial conclusion.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling. 

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