Over the years, the worlds of professional wrestling and sports entertainment have delivered a host of unforgettable moments, and that tradition continues to this day. Regardless of whether that moment takes place in WWE, AEW, TNA, or elsewhere, these moments live rent-free in wrestling fans’ brains for any number of reasons, though one major contributing factor is always the reception from the live crowd when those moments take place. That moment is referred to as a pop in wrestling, and while it was immensely challenging, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 greatest wrestling pops ever, and you might be surprised which moment took the top spot.
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I say challenging because there has been no shortage of massive pops from the crowd over the past year, let alone over the past few decades. It’s always difficult to push some long-standing moments for more recent ones, as you don’t want recency bias to set in, and yet it’s also important for a list to evolve and bring those newer moments in and not just stick to the same 10 moments from 10 years ago. It’s a balancing act, but hopefully we’ve struck that a bit, so let’s get started with the first entry.
10. Rated-R Return
The Royal Rumble is often a place for unexpected returns and surprises, and this won’t be the last time it will make an appearance on this list. A few different returns come to mind regarding the fan-favorite event, but few received as big a pop from the crowd as the one that took place at the 2020 Royal Rumble.
Number 21 was revealed to be none other than the Rated-R Superstar Edge, and it was easily one of the biggest Rumble surprises ever. That’s because Edge had retired in 2011 because of a neck injury, and while he had appeared on WWE TV in various programs over the years, he had never returned to in-ring competition. That all changed at the Rumble, and Edge has continued to compete in the ring ever since, eventually debuting in AEW. The crowd gave him a hero’s welcome in 2020, and that made the moment even more special.
9. The Ultimate Cash-In
The Money in the Bank briefcase always has a chance to deliver spectacular moments, and we even got a great one this year when Naomi cashed in on Iyo Sky to become the new Women’s World Champion. There is one, however, that seems to take up shop in most fans’ minds, and the reaction it received in the moment certainly justifies that.
That moment was when Dolph Ziggler cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Alberto Del Rio in 2013 to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. Del Rio had just finished a match to retain his Title and was trying to figure out an injury to his leg when Ziggler’s music came on, and the fans’ response in the arena was huge. The pop got even louder when Ziggler actually officially cashed in the briefcase, and while Ziggler had some close calls before finally taking Del Rio down, his long-awaited victory drew quite the response.
8. The Goddess Returns to Rumble
Edge isn’t the only major surprise to enter the Royal Rumble at number 21, as earlier this year, fans got another huge return at the very same spot. At the 2025 Royal Rumble, Alexa Bliss made her long-awaited return to WWE, and after around two years away, the crowd clearly had not lost any love or appreciation.
The pop hit the second Bliss’ titantron lit up, but it hit fever pitch when she walked onto the ramp. This reaction was a prolonged one as well, lasting until she made her way to the ring and entered the fray. At the time, there were a myriad of reports regarding her contract status with WWE and cancelled plans for her return, and Michael Cole even referenced this on commentary. Fans were thrilled to finally see her back in WWE and in the ring, and while this is recent, it still, without a doubt, deserves a spot on this list.
7. This Is My House
Fans who attended the Grand Slam edition of AEW Dynamite in September of 2022 had no idea what they were in for, as in a time where surprises are hard to actually make happen, AEW delivered one of the biggest. After Britt Baker attacked Toni Storm, a never-before-heard theme played, though once the name hit the screen, the reaction was through the roof.
That’s when the name Saraya hit the screen, causing the crowd to lose their minds, and the reaction was only amplified when she walked out. As with many of the pops from here on out, it’s not just the initial reaction, but the sustained reaction that makes it so impressive, and the crowd didn’t lower their voices in the slightest as Saraya made her way to the ring and celebrated a return many thought might not ever happen due to injury. That turned out not to be the case, and it made for one of the most unforgettable moments in AEW to date.
6. The Champ Is Here (Earlier Than Expected)
John Cena has delivered a number of big returns over the course of his career, though it’s challenging to top the sheer surprise of his return in 2008. Cena had suffered an injury to his pectoral muscle and was pretty much ruled out of any chance to appear at the Royal Rumble, but Cena wasn’t planning on missing out.
When it was time for number 30 to come out to the ring, the crowd was ready for just about anyone other than Cena to emerge, but the Champ was back much earlier than expected. He was met with a huge reaction from the crowd, and then went on a tear in the ring, eliminating three superstars from the ring in succession, including Mark Henry. The crowd might have been divided on Cena in this era, but they were still thrilled to see him back in the mix at the Rumble.
5. The Eater of Worlds Has Returned
Few superstars have captivated fans like the late Bray Wyatt, and that couldn’t have been more apparent in Wyatt’s grand return to WWE. After being released in a series of talent cuts the year before, numerous teases and QR codes on Raw and SmackDown indicated a return was happening, and it would ultimately happen at WWE Extreme Rules in 2022 in truly unforgettable fashion.
As the lights dimmed, fans were introduced to live-action versions of the Firefly Funhouse characters, as well as The Fiend watching from the audience. Everything would build to a single door with lights swirling around it, and when it opened and the first sign of Wyatt’s lantern appeared, the crowd started to lose it. Wyatt inched closer and closer to the screen in a mask, and after holy s*** chants broke out, he removed the mask to an electric reaction from the crowd. Wyatt was finally back, and it will be a moment fans will never forget.
4. The Reunion No One Expected
There have been a number of unexpected WWE returns on this list already, but there’s one that many fans had relegated to the back of their minds after so many years. That would be the possibility of CM Punk ever returning to WWE, and even with some of the other unexpected falling outs that had managed to be fixed in the years since Punk left, this one felt like it was never going to be reconciled.
And yet, that all changed at Survivor Series: WarGames in 2023. After a thrilling WarGames match and even the closing credits for the show, WWE shocked everyone when Punk’s music hit, and the reaction from the crowd was something to behold. It managed to get even louder when Punk actually emerged and walked up the ramp, with chants of CM Punk ringing out to close the show. This was truly a reunion that seemed impossible at many times in the past, but the pop let everyone know that all anyone cared about was that it was finally happening now.
3. The Stone Cold Effect
In terms of pops throughout a career, Stone Cold Steve Austin could truly have an entire top 10 to himself with ease. That said, there is one that stands above the rest in terms of sheer volume and energy, and it took place back in 1999 during a classic episode of Monday Night Raw.
Two of the Attitude Era’s biggest stars were vying for the WWE Championship on that night, but it wasn’t really a fair match-up. That’s because The Rock had the help of the McMahons, who took advantage of the numbers game in order for The Rock to retain. That’s when Stone Cold entered the building, receiving one of the loudest pops ever from the crowd as he evened the odds and helped Mankind not only survive the match but actually win the WWE Championship in the process. There are some truly impressive pops throughout Stone Cold’s career, but this one truly stands on its own.
2. The Second City Saint Has Returned
Truth be told, I swapped the no. 2 and no. 1 entries on this list several times before locking things in, and I’m frankly still a bit conflicted, though I did arrive at a result. While CM Punk’s WWE return received an impressive reception, the reaction to Punk’s return to wrestling in AEW was something else entirely.
After weeks of rumors and reports swirling around a possible AEW debut for Punk, it finally happened at a packed Chicago arena on AEW Rampage in 2021. After 8 years away from wrestling, the Best in the World made his grand return in his hometown to an arena that was ready to greet him with open arms from the get-go. The chants for Punk were going before his music even hit, and once he came out, you could tell the moment was having an impact on the Second City Saint.
The pop never died down either, and fans chanted all the way to the ring as he hugged friends at ringside. This is easily the most unforgettable moment in AEW’s history to date, and it still holds weight as one of the biggest pops ever.
1. Finishing the Story
While it was difficult to top CM Punk’s return to wrestling in terms of pop level, there was one moment that managed to move past it just enough to take the number 1 spot. That moment was actually a series of moments collected into one epic WrestleMania main event, as the only way to top one massive pop is to have four of them in the span of 10 minutes.
That brings us to the main event of WrestleMania XL, which was the anticipated rematch between the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns and the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes. The hype was already in full effect given the Tag Team match during the night before, and while the entrance pops for both Superstars were big, they paled in comparison to what would happen in the match’s final stretch.
Jey Uso running to make the save against Jimmy Uso got things started, but then things entered overdrive when Solo Sikoa got involved, as the arrival of John Cena lit up the crowd and delivered the first mega pop of the match. An Attitude Adjustment to both Reigns and Sikoa later, and the second massive pop of the match occurred with the arrival of The Rock.
That would already be epic, especially as it was followed by the return of Seth Rollins in full Shield gear, but it only got better from there. After Rock took down Cena and Reigns took out Rollins, the gong hit, and the crowd understandably lost their minds. That signaled the arrival of The Undertaker, who took out The Rock and paved the way for what might have been the biggest pop of the night when Rhodes finally dethroned Reigns as the new Undisputed WWE Champion. It was one of the all-time great moments, and when 3 to 4 of the pops in one match could make the list on their own, you have to tip the hat and give it the top spot.
Alright, that’s our list, but let us know what made your list (and what didn’t) in the comments or on the ComicBook forums!
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
