An undefeated streak can make or break a star. It is a familiar template, yet one that if done right can be so pivotal for a wrestling star. This is not to say all the stars who ended these streaks are bad wrestlers, just bad choices in this scenario. Most of these wrestlers turned out just fine, but if their streaks hadn’t ended so poorly, who knows just how much bigger their careers could have been?

Related: 9 Wrestlers That Broke Undefeated Streaks

In WWE and elsewhere, amazing streaks were ended at seemingly the wrong time and by the wrong wrestler. Some of these wrestlers may even call themselves "The Best In The World," but they were still the wrong choice to end another star's hot streak.

10 CM Punk (Ryback 2012)

Ryback V. CM Punk Hell in a Cell 2012

When Skip Sheffield failed as a member of the Nexus in 2010, Ryback was born soon after WrestleMania 28 in 2012.

The Big Guy got off to a fast start with dominant squash match victories from April-October of that year.

When John Cena was injured during his program with WWE Champion CM Punk, Ryback was thrust into the main event picture at Hell in a Cell.

This is where Ryback suffered his first loss, and the person who handed him this loss (CM Punk) is not the problem, it’s the nature in which he lost. Punk retained his title via screwy referee hijinks when Brad Maddox hit Ryback with a low blow and quickly counted the roll-up.

Ryback only was fed less from there.

9 The Big Show (Brock Lesnar 2002)

Brock Lesnar v Big Show

In 2002, Brock Lesnar perhaps made a more immediate impact on the WWE than any wrestler ever has. Debuting right after WrestleMania 18, Lesnar quickly became WWE Champion, defeating The Rock in the main event of SummerSlam.

Becoming the youngest ever WWE Champion and never being pinned, Lesnar looked like the face of the WWE for years to come. Then, Survivor Series 2002 happened.

Related: Brock Lesnar's First 10 PPV Matches, Ranked From Worst To Best

The execution of Lesnar’s first pinfall loss was spot on, however, the man who beat him could have been so much more. Lesnar’s advocate, Paul Heyman, turned on The Beast and sided with The Big Show, helping The World’s Largest Athlete defeat Lesnar and capture the WWE Championship.

Not that The Big Show is a bad wrestler, but a new Lesnar could have been made by choosing a more suitable person to defeat him for the first time.

8 JBL (Bobby Lashley 2005-2006)

Lashley v JBL 2006

Bobby Lashley burst onto the scene on SmackDown in late 2005. The same treatment as Ryback, Lashley was dominant going into 2006.

He was pushed as an upcoming top star for WWE and developed a winning streak. This all changed at No Way Out 2006.

Related: 10 Things About Bobby Lashley's Career That Make No Sense

At the event, Lashley suffered his first loss to JBL, a veteran who would have lost nothing and would have really benefited The Dominator if Lashley won. This is a baffling move just one PPV away from WrestleMania 22.

7 Tito Santana (The Undertaker 1990-1991)

The Undertaker with Paul Bearer 1991
via wwe.com

The Undertaker’s debut at Survivor Series 1990 is one of the most iconic in the history of professional wrestling. From then on until almost a year later, The Deadman was not pinned.

It may be surprising that Tito Santana was the first man in the WWE to pin The Phenom.

During a televised event in Barcelona, Santana actually cheated to win, using The Undertaker’s urn to defeat him. It was an odd choice for the first televised pinfall loss and an odd method for a babyface to break the rules to do so.

6 Ludvig Borga (Tatanka 1991-1993)

Borga defeats Tatanka 1993
via wwe.com

Tatanka first made his way onto WWF programming in 1991, picking up steam quickly, going on an undefeated run that would span over the course of three calendar years.

When the run finally ended, the star that beat him would seemingly be a made man. Tatanka never won any championships, but his title seemed to be that of an undefeated wrestler.

The time came, and Ludvig Borga of all people defeated Tatanka for the first time on Monday Night Raw in late 1993. After Borga pinned him with one finger, not only would Tatanka rapidly decline in popularity, but Borga would never even become anything of note.

5 Charlotte Flair (Asuka 2015-2018)

Asuka V. Charlotte

Going into WrestleMania 34 in 2018, Asuka was unstoppable. Since arriving in NXT in late 2015, she had never been defeated. Called up to the main roster in late 2017, Asuka got off to a hot start and won the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble in 2018.

Related: 8 Random Wrestlers You Forgot Asuka Faced During Her Undefeated Streak

She would choose SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte for her opponent at WrestleMania. The two had a very solid match, but Asuka was finally defeated and it was via submission.

In hindsight, it seems this decision was made in order to not have her first loss come courtesy of Carmella because just two days later, Mella cashed in her Women’s Money In The Bank on Charlotte to win the title. From this point on, Asuka has never felt like as big of a deal as she did with the winning streak, and with a win over Charlotte at WrestleMania, The Empress of Tomorrow could have become the top women’s wrestler in the WWE.

4 John Cena (Rusev 2014-2015)

Rusev vs John Cena (WrestleMania 31) Cropped

Rusev came to the main roster via the Royal Rumble in 2014. From that point on, he would be a force to be reckoned with, winning the United States Championship in October of that same year.

Going into WrestleMania 31, Rusev began a top program with John Cena, even defeating Cena at Fastlane just a month before The Show of Shows. However, when it came time for 'Mania, Rusev’s streak would come to an end.

Predictably, The Leader of the Cenation conquered Rusev to win the U.S. Title, beginning an admittedly great run with the strap but permanently halting Rusev’s rise to megastardom. Had Rusev defeated Cena, he likely would still be in WWE’s main event scene today.

3 Brock Lesnar (The Undertaker 21-0 at WrestleMania)

Lesnar breaks The Streak
via quirkybyte.com

The Undertaker’s WrestleMania undefeated streak will never be topped. The longevity to even participate in 21 WrestleMania matches (not to mention the six more matches after the last win) is astounding, let alone winning every one of them.

For years, The Streak grew in prestige and the man who eventually would end The Streak would forever be in wrestling history. The best option would have been giving the honor to a young star to elevate them to the upper echelon of the wrestling world, instead, it was given to a part-timer.

Related: 10 Current Superstars Who Could Have Broken The Undertaker's Streak Besides Brock Lesnar

To be fair, Brock Lesnar has been elevated even higher ever since breaking The Streak at WrestleMania 30 in 2014, but he was already a made man before this historic win.

2 Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake (Mr. Perfect 1988-1990)

Mr. Perfect

This is not as long of an undefeated streak as The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak or even Asuka’s, but the man who ended it on national television is by far the worst on this list.

Mr. Perfect was a gimmick that seemingly could only be pulled off by Curt Hennig, and when he made his WWE debut in late 1988, he stuck with the Perfect moniker in-ring as well. Perfect made his way up the card by 1990 and was working many TV and house show loops with The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan. His career would be stunted after WrestleMania 6 that same year.

Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake was the first man to pin Mr. Perfect on national television. Of all the incredible performers on WWE’s hands in 1990, Beefcake was the one to end such a great streak, and what more even needs to be said?

1 Kevin Nash (Goldberg 1997-1998)

Scott Hall Attacks Goldberg to help Kevin Nash

Goldberg’s 173-0 win streak helped keep WCW as the top wrestling company in the world in 1997 and early 1998. Although the tide had turned in WWF’s favor by the time Starrcade 1998 came around in December of that year, Goldberg’s loss may have made sure the company would stay in second place.

Related: The 10 Biggest Wins Of Goldberg's Undefeated Streak

Goldberg’s streak only lasted two calendar years, but wrestling fans the world over knew they were witnessing a truly special star being made. That’s why when Kevin Nash defeated Goldberg for the very first time with the assistance of a taser gun, many fans permanently soured on WCW.

To end such an important and great streak on such a sour note shows just how bad this dropping of the ball was by Turner’s company. Try as WCW and WWE might, Goldberg would never feel as special after this loss as he had from June 1997-December 1998.