Pro Wrestling: The 25 Biggest Pops in Wrestling History

I've watched professional wrestling for nearly 15 years now and I've seen about everything there is to see. I was such a big fan that I literally would go to my local video store when I was 11 and rent old World Wrestling Federation videos from events that occurred before I was even born.

Each wrestling fan has their favorite wrestler, their favorite match, their most memorable moment, and most importantly...every fan remembers that one moment where they seen something they couldn't believe, stood up in front of their TV going crazy as if they were at the arena that night.

My favorite part about wrestling is those moments; the moments that leave you speechless. This list is the 25 biggest pops in wrestling history. For the fans who aren't up to par on their wrestling lingo, a "pop" in pro wrestling refers to the crowd reaction when something happens.

Every time something happens, there is a pop, no matter how big or how small that something was. This list is the biggest which include surprise returns, shocking upsets, and more.

Now, this is just my opinion so if you have a pop you feel I left out, please place it in the comments section below. Hope you enjoy the list!

25. The Rock Calls out Stone Cold Steve Austin on Smackdown!

Number 25 comes to us from two superstars who I promise we'll see a few times on this countdown. The Rock demands the Texas Rattlesnake to come down (start the video at 3:26) and Stone Cold does just that.

Just listen to the crowd erupt when Austin's music hits. This is what made Stone Cold the legend that he is. When that glass shattered, you knew it was about to get crazy. 

24. Scott Steiner Returns to the WWE at Survivor Series

The Steiner brothers are one of the best pair of wrestling brothers in the history of wrestling as well as one of the most beloved by the fans across the World. So after an eight-year absence from the WWE, at Survivor Series in 2002, Scott Steiner returned. (Start video at 2:36)

The crowd knew the music and the popular Big Poppa Pump catchphrase, "Holla if ya hear me" from his WCW days and went crazy when he came out and interrupted Matt Hardy and Christopher Nowinski.

Steiner didn't repeat his WCW success in the WWE, though, as he challenged for a title shortly at the beginning of his tenure only to fall to being a mid-card competitor afterwards. Steiner left the WWE in 2004.

23. Booker T and Diesel Return to the WWE at the Royal Rumble

It seems like each year the Royal Rumble offers us two things: a main event participant at WrestleMania and always a couple surprise entries.

In 2011, the Royal Rumble saw the return of both Booker T and Kevin Nash, or Diesel. Both men received huge pops, especially Booker, and came into the Rumble match to lay a few guys out.

Since their return, Booker T has been doing color commentary on Smackdown while Nash has only been seen at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony alongside Shawn Michaels, but it has been reported that he has signed a new deal with the WWE.

22. Bret Hart Returns to Monday Night Raw

He's the best there is, best there was, and best there ever will be. Bret Hart was away from the WWE for twelve years until he returned to host Monday Night Raw in 2010.

The pop was a loud one on the night he returned to host Raw, but I'd say the Monday Night Raw in 2005 was the one that had the best pop. (Start the video at 5:30)

Shawn Michaels comes out to the Canadian crowd and taunts them by talking about the Montreal Screw Job and then out of nowhere, the Bret Hart music hits.

The crowd erupts! Only to find out that it was HBK taunting them once more. Eventually, five years later, Bret would return, and he and HBK would make up.

21. Rob Van Dam Defeats John Cena for WWE Championship

Rob Van Dam was quite possibly the biggest name from ECW. The crowd loved him everywhere he went because of his charismatic attitude and the fact he took some crazy risks.

At this time he was taking on John Cena, who was WWE Champion at ECW One Night Stand. The Extreme Rules match was a great one and ended when Edge came to the ring as a masked man and speared Cena through a table.

RVD capitalized with his trademark Five-Star Frog Splash and Paul Heyman counted the one, two, three. (Start video at 8:45) The ECW crowd went nuts as one of their own now held the most coveted prize in the WWE, the WWE Championship.

20. Stone Cold Interrupts Vince McMahon and the Rock in His Beer Truck

The greatest rivalry in WWE history without question is the one between Stone Cold Steve Austin and the boss, Vince McMahon. Just a week away from WrestleMania 15, The Rock and McMahon are attempting to poke fun of Austin when Austin shows up in a beer truck.

The Rock and Austin have a short promo against one another followed by Stone Cold getting a hose and spraying beer all over The Rock, Vince and Shane McMahon. Austin would go on to defeat The Rock at WrestleMania for the WWF Championship.

19. Sting Returns to the WCW and Attacks the NWO

The NWO was running wild on the WCW in the late 90's and at Uncensored in 1997, it was no different. NWO had just defeated Team Piper and Team WCW in a Triple Elimination Match.

After the match, from the ceiling above fell Sting. After a six month layoff, Sting returned and attacked the NWO.

Sting would align himself with Lex Luger and Team WCW against the NWO in the following weeks.

18. The Rock and Stone Cold Entrance at Armageddon

The main event at Armageddon in 2000 is still one of my favorite main events of all-time. Six of the WWF's top superstars in the Hell in a Cell match.

The six superstars included WWF Champion Kurt Angle, Triple-H, Rikishi, The Undertaker, Stone Cold, and The Rock. The event took place in Birmingham, Ala., and the crowd that night was electric.

Both The Rock and Stone Cold received huge pops during their respective entrances that night. I was unable to find a video of just the entrances, but if you search a little, I'm sure they are out there.

17. John Cena Returns at 2008 Royal Rumble

You can say whatever you want about John Cena, but he gets pops. Whether good or bad, the fans always give a major reaction to today's "golden boy."

At the Royal Rumble in 2008, John Cena returned to the WWE following an injury and the crowd reaction was huge!

Cena would enter at No. 30 and actually go on to win the Royal Rumble by last eliminating Triple H.

16. The Rock Returns to Help Eugene

The Rock and Jonathan Coachman's relationship was always a...well, a rocky one to say the least. So when Coachman publicly humiliated Eugene on Monday Night Raw, The Rock would come to Eugene's aid.

As Eugene walked to the back, The People's Champ's music hit and the crowd went nuts. The Rock walked Eugene back to the ring and did what he did best: make Coach eat his words.

15. Stone Cold Returns at No Way Out to Fight Eric Bischoff

Eric Bischoff had been put on the clock by Vince McMahon to "shake things up" in the WWE and the only way to do that in Bischoff's mind was to sign Stone Cold Steve Austin.

To keep his job, Bischoff not only had to sign Austin, but also face him at No Way Out. Bischoff entered No Way Out and attempted to plea with Austin, but it wouldn't work.

The glass shattered and Montreal went crazy. Austin would go on to easily defeat Bischoff, marking his return to the WWE.

14. Dean Malenko Returns to Face Jericho at Slamboree

According to Jericho, this was the loudest crowd reaction he had ever heard. As he said in his book, A Lion's Tail, "It was unreal. Loudest I had ever heard a crowd at the time, not just in Atlanta, but in my entire tenure as a wrestler. Even my debut on Raw wasn't too far ahead of the (Slamboree) pop."

Jericho had been poking fun at Malenko while Dean was out with an injury and at an all cruiserweight battle royal, Malenko returned, dressed as a masked man (Ciclope - ED.).

After winning the battle royal, he would unmask and defeat Jericho for the Cruiserweight Championship.

13. The Rock Returns to Host WrestleMania 27

In 2011, Vince McMahon announced that WrestleMania would have a guest host. On Monday Night Raw on Feb. 14, that guest host was revealed to be none other then The Rock.

The Rock's entrance in my opinion was the best pop of the "sports entertainment" era and without question, one of the best pops The Rock ever received. 

12. The Ultimate Warrior Returns to Help Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania

In the main event at WrestleMania VIII, Hulk Hogan faced Sid Justice, but after Harvey Wippleman interfered, the match ended in a disqualification win for Hogan. After the match, Hogan was double teamed by Sid and Papa Sango.

As Sid goes to get a steel chair, the Warrior music hits. Down the aisle comes The Ultimate Warrior running full speed as the Indiana crowd goes nuts!

Many people there that night will tell you that there has never been a reaction like that in history.

11. Goldberg Defeats Hollywood Hogan to Win WCW World Championship

Hollywood Hogan runs running wild on WCW alongside his NWO pals, but at the same time, a man by the name of Goldberg was dominating every opponent placed in front of him. Therefore, something had to give and on an episode of Monday Nitro, it did.

Hogan hit Goldberg with his signature leg drop only to have Goldberg kick out. Hogan was then distracted slightly by a brawl outside the ring which left Goldberg time to recover and as Hogan would focus back in on Goldberg, Hogan would get speared.

Goldberg would then hit the Jackhammer and defeat Hogan to become WCW World Heavyweight Champion. The crowd reaction is priceless and one of the best in WCW history.

10. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8

Two icons of the sport. The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan. A match wrestling fans dreamed about for so many years finally happen at WrestleMania X8.

The pop for the this match wasn't just one pop; it lasted the entire length of the match.

For 16-plus minutes, the fans at the Skydome didn't touch their seats and led to the quite possibly the loudest pop for an entire match in wrestling history.

9. Stone Cold Joins Team WWF Against the Alliance

Stone Cold was going through a time in his career where he began to mellow out. No more beer drinking, no more flipping the bird, no more cursing excessively, no more "old Austin."

When the Alliance began their takeover, Team WWF was out-numbered and needed some help. Vince McMahon begged Stone Cold to return to his old form to help team WWF. Austin initially declined, but after watching the Alliance dominate, Austin had no choice.

As the crowd chanted, "Austin, Austin, Austin" the glass shattered and hear he came to a loud roar from the crowd. He returned and the "old Austin" was back. Stunner after stunner, right hand after right hand, Austin nearly took out the entire Alliance himself.

8. Chris Jericho Defeats Triple H for WWF Title Via "Quick Count"

Triple H was the ultimate heel in the WWF for many years and alongside his wife, Stephanie McMahon, was a dominant champion. So to open Monday Night Raw, Triple H was scheduled to face Chris Jericho for the WWF Championship.

Triple H, unhappy with a call by referee Earl Hebner, shoves the referee, and as he turns attention by to Y2J, Jericho hits him with a wheel kick followed by a lionsault.

Jericho goes for the cover and receives a very quick one, two, three from Hebner. The crowd goes absolutely crazy that night as Jericho, for a short time at least, had won the WWF Championship.

7. Hogan Slams Andre at WrestleMania

A move that now days is done basically every match will never have as much significance as this body slam right here.

Hulk Hogan slams Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III, and the rest is history.

6. Stone Cold Helps Mankind

Stone Cold has showed up on this list a lot, but none were bigger then the pop that he received on Jan. 4, 1999. As Mankind was facing The Rock, the Corporation had come out and were in the process of screwing over Mankind, but that was not to be.

Stone Cold came out to help Mankind by hitting The Rock over the head with a steel chair and placing Mankind over The Rock.

The glass shattering has always led to huge crowd reactions, but none were bigger then the one he received on this night.

5. The Undertaker Returns at Judgment Day

The first video featuring The Undertaker is pretty shocking because of all the times he's left and returned, but the fact is The Undertaker's returns are always fairly predictable unlike this one. Judgement Day 2000 featured an Iron Man Match between bitter rivals The Rock and Triple-H.

As time slowly ticked away and The Rock and Triple H tied, The McMahons attempted to get involved in the match, but special guest referee Shawn Michaels took matters into his own hands taking out both Shane and Vince.

D-X got involved as well taking out The Rock when suddenly, a strange video and voice began playing. Down the ramp came The Undertaker on a motorcycle. The fans went insane.

He began striking everything in sight. After a chokeslam and Tombstone to Triple H, Shawn Michaels was forced to disqualify The Rock and Triple H won the WWF Championship. 

4. The British Bulldog Defeats Bret Hart for Intercontinental Championship

Believe it or not, the Intercontinental Championship use to mean something. And proof of that came at Wembley Stadium in London when The British Bulldog defeated Bret "The Hitman" Hart in a match for the ages at Summerslam 1992.

It has been called one of the greatest matches of all time and also, as you can hear, one of the greatest pops of all time.

3. The Rock Defeats Triple H at Backlash 2000

Remember at the beginning where I mentioned we all have those moments where we stand up and go crazy as if we were at the arena? Well, this was that one for me.

I was a huge Rock fan and when Earl Hebner counted that three count, I went crazy.

One of the greatest crowd reactions of all-time as The Rock defeated Triple H for the WWF Championship in 2000. (Start video at 5:25)

2. The Debut of Y2J

In WCW, he had a great following, but nobody thought he would receive the reaction he did when he debuted on Raw in 1999.

The Rock was doing a promo calling out The Big Show when the Millennium countdown came onto the Jumbotron.

Suddenly, Chris Jericho appeared and showed off his great mic skills, which many have fallen in love with over his many years with the WWE.

1. Triple H Returns 2002

There has never been a pop like there was on Jan. 7, 2002 when Triple H made his return to Monday Night Raw. Triple H had suffered a complete tear to his left quad and was out for over eight months. The entire Invasion storyline came and went and fans had seemingly forgotten about The Game.

That is, until that music hit. The fans at Madison Square Garden went absolutely nuts. Nobody seemed to remember nor care that when he was injured he was the biggest heel in the WWF. Fans were just happy to see him back.

It will take a lot to ever outdo this pop and only a few number of guys could ever receive this kind of reaction. Nonetheless, wrestling will always have a loyal following, which will lead to some more great pops in the future.