Over the years, so many wrestlers have found success in WWE thanks to securing love from the audience. At times this can be due to their hard work, finding ways to get over outside of WWE programming, or sometimes there can just be a random spark out of nowhere that creates a wave of momentum and a huge amount of love from fans.
Related
Bron Breakker’s Most Devastating Spears That Broke The Internet
Bron Breakker’s spears are so brutal that even the audience at home can feel the pain.
Karrion Kross is the latest example of someone who has caught fire in the world of WWE despite not getting many opportunities to showcase his talents or get much TV time on weekly programming. Regardless, he is someone who gained popularity all of a sudden, and this provides us with a chance to look at some of the others who experienced something similar.
Karrion Kross
WWE Fans Started Rallying Behind Kross
- For months, Kross got a few seconds on weekly TV
- WWE fans wanted to see more of Kross on Raw
- WWE listened and Kross’ momentum grew
Through 2022, 2023, and 2024, Karrion Kross was getting near crickets in his reactions from the fans. There was little interest in his storylines, a lack of attention to his character, and he simply was not connecting. In 2025, out of absolutely nowhere, fans began wanting more of Kross. There were some minor changes to his character and some TV time in backstage segments, but arguably not enough to see such a random change in heart from the WWE fans.
Either way, there was growing buzz around him and bigger reactions when he competed in dark matches and on WWE Main Event. Eventually, Kross cut a fiery promo online that led to him really bursting into life. As of this writing, Kross is currently a popular name despite being a heel, and it really came from nothing.
Tatanka
Tatanka’s Random Return Got A Massive Ovation
- Tatanka returned for a Raw match in 2005
- The fans gave Tatanka a big pop for his comeback
- Tatanka was arguably more over than he ever was in the past
Tatanka had a fair amount of popularity during his first WWE run, but he never ended up getting anywhere substantial, eventually dropping out of favor and leaving the company. On a random episode of RAW in 2005, Tatanka returned to the ring to face Eugene, getting a massive pop and a random major reaction so big that WWE actually rehired him.
Related
5 Ways WWE’s First Evolution PPV Has Aged Badly
WWE Evolution, an all women’s Premium Live Event, is returning soon, but as historic as the first was, it didn’t have a lasting impact.
Tatanka’s random wave of popularity was fairly fleeting, and fans eventually calmed down in their response to the veteran, who would leave two years later.
Damien Sandow
Sandow Got Over By Doing Silly Gimmicks
- WWE fans often latch on to an unserious gimmick
- Sandow got over by being The Miz’s stunt double
- He became one of the most over names in WWE
Damien Sandow was one of WWE’s resident jobbers in 2014, undertaking a variety of embarrassing and awful gimmicks. He then stepped into the role of The Miz’s stunt double, and whether it be through Sandow’s commitment to the bit or the mood of the crowd on the day, the act caught fire.
From there, Sandow’s “Mizdow” persona gained traction and momentum week on week, becoming one of the most over parts of WWE programming at the time, leading the pair to tag team gold and a massive breakup spot on the WrestleMania 31 kickoff show. Unfortunately, the moment Sandow dropped the stunt double gimmick, both WWE and the audience stopped showing interest in him.
Tamina
WWE Fans Started Giving The Veteran Respect
- Tamina had been at the bottom of the card for years
- Post-2020, Tamina got some momentum
- Fans wanted to see her actually win a world title
Tamina had been on the WWE main roster for a decade, competing under various roles and alongside many different wrestlers in tag teams, stables, and as a bodyguard. However, she failed to ever truly connect with the WWE audience… until 2020 rolled around. For whatever reason, the WWE Universe began showing some love for Tamina both in the arena and online (when the pandemic started). There was even a push to see Tamina win the SmackDown Women’s Title at WrestleMania 36 and at Money in the Bank 2020, though she was unsuccessful both times.
Related
WWE’s Relationship With Saudi Arabia Has Changed A Lot In 7 Years
WWE is back in Saudi Arabia for Night of Champions, but the show will be a lot different from the early PLEs.
When fans returned at WrestleMania 37, the audience were right behind her as she pursued the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles alongside Natalya, but they were once again unable to get the job done (instead winning the titles a month later). However, as quickly as her wave of popularity began, it subsided, and she fell back into the lower depths of the card with the crowd not caring to cheer her.
