As much as we all love professional wrestling, over the years, there have been more than a few matches that many of us regretted sitting through once said and done. This countdown is not about us, however, but about the charismatic professionals whom grace our viewing screens. They were unable to trail-blaze their way through all of their matches, leaving these superstars (and we the viewers) in a big pile of unfortunate wrestling regret over a select few "flops".

I want to clarify as to what will qualify as a “regrettable” match on this list. Just because we, the casual viewer, so to speak, regretted seeing the match, certainly doesn’t mean the superstars in the ring did! I’m talking about the heavy negative backlash following a match, which potentially ruined a superstar’s reputation as a performer, or perhaps the viewing enjoyment of our weekly wrestling programs. I’m talking about instances of regret that have documented from both parties involved, or regret of the outcome booking in a match. Regret in no longer having a full-time job, or simply, regret in having a high profile match that just valued to be the absolute pits. Horrible.

Now that the credentials for this list have been laid out, most of the entries on this list come from some, if not the, all-time greats in the business, and also include some of the most notable matches of all-time; for good reasons, and bad. Without further-a-do!

Here’s 10 WWE (and 10 WCW) matches that both wrestlers wanted nothing to do with.

20 WWE: Dean Ambrose Vs. Brock Lesnar At WrestleMania 32

Dean Ambrose spoke candidly about this match, stating he was “met with laziness” from Brock Lesnar on Steve Austin’s podcast special with Ambrose on the WWE Network. When you look back at the match, and some of the build headed towards it into WrestleMania, most fans were disappointed with the match. It was one of the three featured matches headed into that year’s WrestleMania!

As a fan, the match did seem “lazy”, and wasn’t the prototypical main-event match Lesnar is used for in the WWE. Not hard to see that this match was one that neither men truly loved putting on, and might have some sort of regret about it. Or if reputation says anything, namely in Lesnar’s case, regret that it just didn’t end sooner. Next.

19 WCW: Hulk Hogan Vs. Ric Flair, “Yapapi Strap Match” At Uncensored 2000

For two of the greatest-of-all-time, they were certainly involved in a lot of strange matches over the years, namely in WCW. This one is kind of notorious amongst wrestling fans for Hogan’s promos leading up to this typical strap match, with just a different moniker above it. Hogan is remembered for aggressively saying “yapapi” over and over, in regards to the match.

Hogan, and Flair have gone on record about the strange match concepts they attempted in WCW, and how the company mismanaged several parts of their operations, in this case, their creative direction. Having that said, this concept was considered another dud in what was a lacklustre time in both men’s career at this point in WCW. Neither one of their most memorable bouts, nor certainly one to be proud of.

18 WWE: Triple H Vs. Scott Steiner At No Way Out 2003

This one has gone down in history as a match that was just odd. Scott Steiner just hit belly-to-belly suplex after belly-to-belly suplex on Triple H, followed by some interference, and that was most of the entire match. Crazy to think that with all of the hype towards this match, the WWE didn’t even include “Big Poppa Pump” at the following month’s WrestleMania that year.

Over the years, Steiner hasn’t used the kindest of words in describing Triple H, insinuating “The Game” had a sabotaging performance, and placed Steiner out of favour with the WWE office at the time. That is not withstanding Triple H, and Steiner himself, both reportedly being injured at the time. Considering the awful performance on Triple H’s record, and Steiner’s position with the WWE following this match, you could say both wrestlers regret this match, start to finish.

17 WCW: Hollywood Hogan Vs. The Ultimate Warrior At Halloween Havoc 1998

From having a classic, all-time memorable showdown at WrestleMania VI, and arguably being the match of the year in 1990, to being perhaps the worst match of the year, eight years later. There was a lot of weird build-up to this one, including Warrior scarring Hogan behind a mirror on an episode of Nitro, and the match itself having a slow pace, botched move attempts, and even included Hogan burning a fireball in his own face when he trying to hit the Warrior for the finish, just sent this match pretty much to hell where it came from.

Longtime fans speculate that this match even happening, was a stroke of Hogan’s ego, attempting to get his “win” back from the Warrior from years prior, despite how poor the performance turned out. Warrior would also express his lacklustre run in WCW being attributed to the result of this match.

16 WWE: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin Vs. Scott Hall At WrestleMania X8

Both superstars have been candid in speaking on this match, even sharing so together on Steve Austin’s podcast, the two men were not in the best mental or physical state at the time, both being frustrated with the WWE’s creative direction at the time. The match was, okay. Not bad, but just okay. Considering the build-up, and finally having the original three NWO members in the WWE for a WrestleMania, the fans, and even the two superstars involved, were left with a lot to be desired.

Hall being frustrated with the NWO members being positioned to lose, while Austin holding frustrations for not being placed in the main event, despite being the WWE’s hottest commodity up to that point. Creative directions can be argued, one thing that is for sure, these two superstars would have loved another outcome for this one, and certainly regret where it did end.

15 WCW: Dustin Rhodes Vs Blacktop Bully, “King Of The Road” Match At Uncensored 1995

So, there might be a few regrets involved with this match. Long after the days as one half, or eventually one-third, of the legendary Demolition tag-team, Barry Darsow, formerly “Smash”, now as the “Blacktop Bully”, fought the second-generation “Dustin Rhodes”, just months prior from debuting as “Goldust” in the WWE, and beginning a 20-plus year career, these two were involved in the never-done-again-ever, “King Of The Road” match.

Looking past the awkward match concept, these two were fired after the whole ordeal! As if the match wasn’t enough! They were fired for “getting colour”, both shedding blood in the match, which upset officials with Turner Broadcasting, the owners of WCW, and was not up to par with their negotiations with Disney, at the time. Not only did the match come off a little oddly, but they lost their jobs over it. Regrettable? Very.

14 WWE: Shawn Michaels Vs. Vader At SummerSlam 1996

This match has become notorious for one of Shawn Michael’s outburst, occurring in the middle of this main event match, IN THE MIDDLE of an elbow-drop from the top rope by Shawn Michaels, “HBK” would stop in the mid-offense, land on his feet, and kick Vader, telling him to “Move!”, with further insults included. Michaels reportedly did not like working with Vader for his rather “stiff” offense in the ring, which certainly didn’t make this main event match for the “Showstopper’s” WWE Hall of Fame career a match to revisit.

Michael’s regret aside, Vader, all the while, was never placed on as high a main event level again with the WWE, many attributing his performance here with Shawn Michaels as the “final straw” in his push to the top of the WWE. I think this is one either parties regret for one reason, or another.

13 WCW: Kevin Nash Vs. Hulk Hogan, “The Finger Poke Of Doom”, WCW Nitro 1/4/99

Just imagine, on the same night that the then WWF aired Mick Foley’s first world title victory against The Rock on RAW, WCW Nitro was highlighted by their world championship match, where for the time ever one-on-one, Hogan and Nash, the leaders of the NWO “Hollywood”, and NWO “Wolfpac” respectively, would square off in WCW, and instead of a match, there was the infamous “finger poke of doom”, a literal finger poke by Hogan to Nash, followed by a pin fall, a world title change, and the reformation of a single NWO.

The plan was to create a heel entity for a babyface in Goldberg to face in WCW, however, the “finger poke of doom” just put many viewers off to WCW’s product for a lacklustre encounter, and ultimately, WCW Nitro never won a ratings week against the WWF RAW again. Nash, Hogan, and the whole company can regret that.

12 WWE: Eddie Guerrero Vs. Chris Benoit At ECW One Night Stand 2005

Ironically, a WWE listed match under an ECW showcase pay-per-view involving all former ECW talent. Perhaps the two best performers on the card, and two of the best performers ever, despite the sad outcomes that would follow both men’s lives, these two had a less than stellar performance at this event, where Guerrero can be seen mouthing to Benoit “I owe you one.” This could have been innuendo for anything, but considering how slow paced the match was from THESE TWO, and Guerrero reportedly not being pleased with the ECW crowd, and their chants not revolving around the match, this match was not their best work together in the WWE.

That goes without mentioning how proud these two performers were in working very strongly for their matches. In unfortunate hindsight, Guerrero was in pain, working injured in the WWE at the time, and was sadly a few months away from his tragic passing, one which wrestling fans still mourn to this day.

11 WCW: Kevin Nash Vs. Goldberg Vs. Scott Steiner At New Blood Rising 2000

I cheated with this entry! So it is a triple threat, I think everyone involved can regret the outcome of this match, especially the two involved with the finish. As Nash was posing for his signature power bomb on Goldberg, Goldberg himself stood up to a vertical level, looked at Nash, and walked out on the match, telling off the man who wrote this finish, Vince Russo, while Nash stood there looking like an idiot.

In hindsight, I don’t think the character that Goldberg had up to that point in WCW, and how popular he became under that premise, would want to be remembered for “not following the script”, and walking out on a pay-per-view main event. It made no sense! And WCW even advertised it as Goldberg “not following the script.” Although this was the epitome of WCW in 2000, it’s still not a match that any participant would be proud of.

10 WWE: CM Punk Vs Triple H At Night Of Champions 2011

This match’s result might still bother and confuse fans to this day. Triple H defeated CM Punk following his rise in popularity after the infamous “pipe bomb” promo on RAW in 2011. CM Punk would recall his final day in WWE on his close friend, Colt Cabana’s “Art of Wrestling” podcast where he stated he told Triple H personally, “I seriously resent you for not putting me over three years ago, like you should have".

Yikes, and consider that the result of this match was a frustration Punk carried up until he quit the WWE altogether. Punk certainly regret being placed in that manner, while as Triple H stated on Steve Austin’s podcast, “It’s my regret that we couldn’t get passed it”, in reference to Punk being upset about constantly being booked to lose in the WWE. Well, now Punk’s WWE career is over, and the wrestling business lost a superstar.

9 WCW: John Tenta Vs Big Bubba Rogers, “Carson City Silver Dollar” Match At Bash At The Beach 1996

The same night wrestling business changed forever with Hulk Hogan finally turning heel, and forming the NWO, this match occurred. Long after their days in the WWF as “Earthquake”, and the “Big Bossman” working main event matches with the likes of Hulk Hogan, these two were to culminate their feud in essentially, and “item” on a pole match, where both men, were kind of too big to even climb to the top of the pole.

This wasn’t exactly the style of match neither one of the two big men were used to, while to their credit, both being great “big man” performers in the ring. Luckily, the two resurfaced their careers in the WWF during the popular “Attitude Era”, and aren’t too remembered for this match. Safe to say, both men had better days, before and after them in their careers.

8 WWE: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin Vs Shawn Michaels At WrestleMania 14

One is considered to be the most popular superstar to ever be in the business, while the other is considered to be the greatest performer to ever be in the business. They bother certainly argue for those titles based on their body of work, however, both men have gone on record in holding regret in regards to this match. Michaels has admitted to not being in the best mental, nor physical health leading up to this match.

Michaels had just sustained a back injury two months prior that ultimately, put a four year hiatus on his career, while Austin received his infamous neck injury less than a year prior, which ultimately lead to the end of his career. Sheesh! In the end, this is a memorable match, and officially launched the “Attitude Era,” yet both men have openly informed the wrestling public about regretting not being able to perform a more athletic performance that they were both capable of having prior.

7 WCW: Billy Kidman Vs Shane Douglas, “Viagra On A Pole” Match, WCW Nitro 7/31/00

Wrestling fans during and after the Monday Night Wars will remember this outrageous wrestling stipulation, and not outrageous in that great comedy kind of way, either. Still not the most visually displeasing affair to watch, however. I mean, Viagra on a pole! The two wrestlers were fighting over Torrie Wilson in storyline, and as a result, fought over a product on national television, that helps with their dysfunction.

Probably not the proudest moment in either one of their careers, and probably a match they regret being a part of looking back on their careers as a whole. I may have been wrong earlier in one of my statements, earlier. THIS might be the epitome of WCW in the year 2000. Vince Russo booking to a tee.

6 WWE: Edge Vs Matt Hardy At SummerSlam 2005

This feud, as most of us know, was based on a real life issue the two had involving Matt Hardy’s then girlfriend, WWE Hall of Famer, Lita. The program began as a blood feud, and kicked off on pay-per-view with a short near four-minute match at SummerSlam that ended due to blood stoppage, and a loss for the positioned babyface, Matt Hardy.

This made for a disappointing result in the match, in result, and in match quality, despite the personal animosity that still aired between the two at the time. Regardless of their legitimate issues, Edge has spoken openly about the feud, and said that the two agreed that it was not exactly the best result, or start in their series of matches that year. Passed the regretful situation, it also started with a regretful match.

5 WCW: Booker T Vs. Jeff Jarrett, “San Francisco 49ers Match”, WCW Nitro 10/2/00

Ready for some more WCW during the year 2000. A lot of wrestling fans might put the entire year of 2000 for WCW as something to regret. Nonetheless, this of course strange concept, of course from the mind of Vince Russo, came one of Booker T’s famous five WCW Championship victories. At least we got a hilarious expression from Booker T once he opened one of the four hanging crates to find a portrait of Scott Hall. Freakin’ great. Another crate had a blow-up sex doll, while the final crate was opened by Booker T, with the WCW World Championship falling to the grown from the crate, ever so graciously. I laughed writing about this match. Not a match either hall of famer is exactly proud of having.

4 WWE: CM Punk Vs. Ryback At Hell In A Cell 2012

The WWE should regret turning Punk heel at the time when no one wanted to boo him. They might also regret not capitalizing on Ryback when they should have. For sure, CM Punk has been candid on speaking about his dislike of working with Ryback, whom Punk reported, hurt him several times during their programs together. There’s a regret from Punk. All the while, Ryback has openly spoke about WWE’s choice in having him lose often, and not capitalizing on his rising popularity with more significant victories. Some fans might argue that it should have happened here, while many fans were glad that Punk continued his notable reign as WWE Champion. Regardless, it probably shouldn’t have been to either one of their detriment, and certainly makes for a pairing both men regretted having.

3 WCW: Hulk Hogan Vs. The Giant, “Monster Truck Sumo Match” At Halloween Havoc 1995

This this match concept was a little goofy in hindsight, but it was an attempt at something new, I guess? The site of that Hogan-themed monster truck, with the huge biceps, a cool looking monster truck, I’ve got to say, still makes me chuckle. May that was the end game, but it was just again, a goofy concept to have! Followed by a young Big Show, as “The Giant”, apparently falling off the top of the building they were having this monster truck sumo match on, while Hogan looked down in distraught. If I could simply write the acronym of “laugh out loud”, I would. Not one to fondly look back on successfully on either one of their careers. NEXT!

2 WWE: Goldberg Vs Brock Lesnar At WrestleMania XX

The first match that actually happened! After all of the hype, good hype at that, this was a match a lot of fans wanted to see at the time, including myself, and it just turned out to be—boring. Fans might agree, it was the biggest featured match in WrestleMania history to turn out to be a disappointment bell-to-bell. Both superstars were on their way out of the WWE, and weren’t mentally in place, to perform well. Goldberg spoke about how much he regretted his initial run with the WWE in 2003-2004, as Lesnar regretted the final match he had as a performer in the company. Luckily, the two made up for it with there recent business from late 2016, into early 2017. Short matches or not, their recent work together far better worked opposed to the match they had then, which became big disappointment for the two men, and fans alike.

1 WCW: Bret Hart Vs Goldberg At Starrcade 1999

This match has been infamously remembered as the match that ended Bret “Hitman” Hart’s career, namely, a mule-kick to the head from Goldberg that left Bret Hart suffering from an apparent undiagnosed concussion. Hart has spoken about the incident through wrestling interviews, as well as through his autobiography. He mentioned how caring Goldberg was, however, felt Goldberg was a “reckless” performer in the ring, still young in the business.

Hart has stated that he apparently told Goldberg “Just don’t hurt me” prior to their match, which unfortunately, resulted in the “Hitman” suffering a horrible catalyst into an early retirement. Considering that it was the beginning of the end of Hart’s career, while Goldberg suffered the flack of hurting Hart over the years, this is a match that neither men would mention on their best matches, and only wish that Bret could have continued a healthy career, for some time longer.