Help can sometimes come from the most unlikely of places. From an unexpected source that suddenly appears to lend a helping hand along the way. Daily life is filled with mystery and misunderstanding and sometimes you just have to roll with it; not fully aware of the final destination but going along for the ride anyhow.
We now live in a world of “ frenemies.” Nobody likes each other anymore but we smile anyway and pretend that everything is good when beneath our breaths we curse and conspire. Your once greatest rival has now provided you with a crutch but beware: for your new ally may hold you up in support momentarily but they will not hesitate when push comes to shove to kick that crutch and watch you fall to your doom.
In professional wrestling, the unlikely alliance is a very common occurrence. The past is forgotten or at least placed on hold while enemies join forces and create a new sense of havoc that is often difficult to phantom and contain as the newly formed union has bucked the system. The angles are shifted and new trails are blazed. The fans are given a new storyline to follow; one which they never dreamed would happen … a new beginning emerging from what is at least a temporary end.
In this article we are going to take a look at the unconventional unions that have been formed over the years in WWE. The strange bedfellows who have awoke in a half-hazed morning stupor to find themselves beside the one person with whom they swore they would never lay. The pairings and allegiances that have stunned, shocked, and entertained millions of WWE fans worldwide. The one's who helped twist the story and invent an entirely different tale.
These are the top 15 most unlikely alliances in WWE history:
15 15. The Godfather Joining Right to Censor
Right to Censor were an interesting faction that existed during the controversial Attitude Era. The group was essentially a mockery of the "Parents Television Council" which pissed off some and entertained many.
The Godfather - who served as WWE's resident pimp during this period - had run his gimmick into the ground and was due for a new direction. Hence, The Goodfather was born as the crude opposite of The Godfather character.
14 14. Daniel Bryan Joins The Wyatt Family
It will be interesting to see if Daniel Bryan has the same effect on the WWE Universe if/when he returns to action. However, there was no denying that Bryan was the most over Superstar on the roster prior to his injury.
During his rise, Daniel Bryan would find himself at odds with The Wyatt Family; eventually "joining" the cult-like group much to the joy of Bray Wyatt. The new member of the family was to be known as Daniel Wyatt.
This of course was merely a plot as Daniel Bryan would seek retribution on Bray Wyatt for all of his caused torment. The moment Bryan left the family was a scene from the past when Bryan sat atop a steel cage and led an entire arena in a massive "Yes" chant.
13 13. Cesaro is a Real American?
Cesaro has been placed in a number of different roles throughout his WWE career; none of which have really stuck. Perhaps his strangest association came when Cesaro aligned himself with Zeb Colter - a red, white, and blue through-and-through character.
Cesaro would then form a tag team along with Jack Swagger known as The Real Americans ... but how did "The Swiss Superman" find himself in cahoots with two anti-immigration nuts?
The explanation provided was that Ceasro was a legal immigrant to America and upheld its values.
12 12. Andre the Giant Sides with Bobby Heenan
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan managed a number of Superstars during his WWE career and is noted as one of - possibly the greatest - wrestling manager of all time. Heenan played the hard heel and played it well.
For a long period of time, Bobby Heenan did all that he could to cause distress to Andre the Giant; placing opponents in the ring against the massive man in an attempt to finally take Andre down.
In 1987 on "Piper's Pit," the wrestling world was shocked when Andre the Giant walked out on stage with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, leading to the legendary WrestleMania III match against WWE Champion, Hulk Hogan.
11 11. Mike Tyson Gets Down with DX
WrestleMania XIV was a monumental event for WWE. Stone Cold Steve Austin would defeat Shawn Michaels in the main event for the WWE Championship on a night where the torched was official passed.
With personalities as big as Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels, Mr. McMahon felt a "special enforcer" was needed to keep watch outside the ring. This enforcer was revealed to be none other than Mike Tyson.
In the weeks leading up to this history-making match, Mike Tyson would side with D-Generation X; a move that seemed to doom Stone Cold Steve Austin on his quest for the WWE Championship. However, it would be Tyson himself who counted Shawn Michaels' shoulder to the mat before knocking out HBK in the middle of the ring.
10 10. The Mega Powers
The Mega Powers were once a tag team which consisted of Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage, managed by Miss Elizabeth. The two biggest babyfaces of the time had joined forces and the crowd stood behind this allegiance.
The payoff to this team would come at WrestleMania V when Hogan and Savage went one-on-one in the main event. However, the pairing of Hogan and Savage was in fact an unlikely alliance from the beginning.
9 9. Kane Goes Corporate
"The Big Red Machine" hasn't really been much of a monster in recent years. The days of the demented Kane are seemingly gone. Perhaps due to age, perhaps due to the confines of the new WWE system.
Either way, nobody ever expected to see Kane walking out from the back in a suit and tie ... but that is exactly what happened when Kane was named the "Director of Operations" by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.
Kane went corporate and joined The Authority.
8 8. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Alliance Member
The 2001 "Invasion" angle has been criticized a lot about its execution. The angle could have been bigger and better than it actually was but a number of factors were at play. The biggest problem was the lack of WCW star power.
Following the purchase of WCW, guaranteed contracts kept the promotion's biggest stars away from WWE until the money ran out and they finally needed to call Vince McMahon in order to keep making bread.
The WWE solution to this problem was to have some of its own top-tier stars join the WCW/ECW Alliance and who better to join The Alliance than Stone Cold Steve Austin?
7 7. Mick Foley Makes Peace with Edge
The image of Edge spearing Mick Foley through a flaming table at WrestleMania 22 remains one of the most iconic and hardcore pieces of WWE imagery one can find ... intense and insane.
Mick Foley and Edge clearly didn't like each other until they found a common ground: hatred for ECW. During the relaunch of the renegade promotion, Foley and Edge would join forces in an effort to help eradicate WWE of anything Extreme.
While an unlikely alliance, Mick Foley and Edge proved to be an effective force.
6 6. Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon
There was always something magical about the on-screen chemistry between Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon. When looking back on Stephanie's greatest rival, it will most likely be Jericho.
The constant lambasting of Stephanie McMahon was over huge with the audience and provided some great comedic promos. Which is why it seemed highly unlikely for Jericho and Stephanie to ever make amends.
When Stephanie McMahon stepped in to manage Chris Jericho during his reign as Undisputed WWE Champion, it was certainly an unexpected twist.
5 5. Owen Hart, Nation Member
Everybody knows the tragic tale of Owen Hart. Therefore, we tell the stories that make the fans smile and think back fondly on the career of a great professional wrestler whose life burned out in a flash.
In 1998, Owen Hart would join The Nation and embark on his "enough is enough; it's time for a change" campaign. Owen siding with The Nation was definitely strange but oddly spectacular.
4 4. Sgt. Slaughter Flies a New Flag
Sgt. Slaughter was an All-American character who loved his country and would die before betraying his flag ... at least that was the idea. Then one day - amid the Gulf War - a drastic change was made to the Sgt. Slaughter character.
Sgt. Slaughter was suddenly an Iraqi sympathizer and walked along side General Adnan in an Arab headdress as he made his way to the ring in what is considered to be one of the most controversial turns in professional wrestling.
The idea of Sgt. Slaughter betraying America was enough to have enraged fans send death threats to Slaughter. Now that's heat.
3 3. The Undertaker and the "Higher Power"
The Ministry of Darkness were not around for very long but still managed to leave a lasting impression on WWE history as the darkest and most demonic stable ever assembled. Obviously, only one man could have led this faction: The Undertaker.
During this angle The Under would speak of a "Higher Power." The Ministry of Darkness would also merge with The Corporation (sans Mr. McMahon) to form The Corporate Ministry.
When it came time to unveil this "Higher Power," it seemed as though a big surprise lie in wait. Of course, the "Higher Power" was Mr. McMahon. Surprising?
2 2. The Rock Leaves the People Behind
The Rock may have been a heel while with The Nation but one look and one listen would prove that the fans were eventually going to love The Rock; which they did, helping create "The People's Champion" in the process.
Survivor Series 1998 was different from most years. The event would feature one night tournament for the vacant WWE Championship with the finals coming down to The Rock and Mankind.
In an ironic ode to the year prior and the infamous "Montreal Screwjob," The Rock would apply the Sharp Shooter on Mankind causing Mr. McMahon to call for the bell and created a brand new and completely unlikely alliance.
1 1. Stone Cold Steve Austin Does the Unimaginable
WrestleMania X-Seven concludes with a handshake between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mr. McMahon and now nothing in the wrestling world makes sense. Stone Cold stated that he "needed" to beat The Rock that night for the WWE Championship at the price of his soul.
The following night on Raw everybody was waiting for Stone Cold Steve Austin to open up a can of whoop-ass on Mr. McMahon; hoping that the events that transpired at WrestleMania were a simple lack of judgement or the plea of a desperate man in need of that championship glory ... but the can remained sealed.