5 Times WWE rehashed their own storylines

When it comes to professional wrestling, there's no dearth of ideas. Over the course of the past several decades, promotions like WWE, WCW, ECW, and TNA have come up with some incredibly revolutionary storylines and segments that the fans still talk to this day. Storylines like an underdog Sting going against the monster in Vader, Austin vs Vince, and Broken Matt are testaments to the fact that wrestling has given us a plethora of memorable stories over the years.

But there are some occasions when Creative tried to take a shortcut and got away with it. There have been multiple instances in the past when WWE has copied their own storylines. Let's take a look at five of these instances.

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#5. The original screwjob

The original

screwjob

Let's kick off this list with a 'storyline' that was far from fiction.

Vince McMahon cheated Bret Hart out of the WWE championship at Survivor Series 1997. The planned finish was to have Bret win the title, but Vince had other things in mind. Shawn Michaels put Hart into the Sharpshooter and Earl Hebner told the timekeeper to ring the bell. As a confused Hart tried to understand what was happening, Hebner sprinted out of the arena and so did Michaels.

In 1985, WWE Hall of Famer Wendi Richter wrestled a masked woman named The Spider, in MSG. Vince McMahon had been having disagreements with Richter over her compensation. The ending saw The Spider, (The Fabulous Moolah) pin Richter and win the title, despite Wendi kicking out at one. Vince had concocted this ending without informing her, in order to get rid of her as the champion.

When she realized what had happened, Wendi Richter left the arena without confronting Vince, took a plane and never came back. She never talked to Moolah after the incident.

#4. John Cena vs. Eric Bischoff

A poor man's Austin vs McMahon

Although the Vince McMahon vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin storyline has been copied to death, the version fans remember the most is the one with John Cena and Eric Bischoff in 2005.

Cena had come to Raw as the #1 draft pick, and Raw GM Eric Bischoff didn't seem too thrilled with Cena's attitude. For months on end, the evil boss tried his best to dethrone Cena and take away his WWE title.

First, Bischoff appointed Chris Jericho to do the job and fired him upon failing. Next, Kurt Angle was thrown in as Cena's opponent, but he couldn't get the job done either. Bischoff kept trying, pitting Cena against terrible odds, but the WWE champion managed to keep his title every single time. By this point, Cena was being booed out of the building everywhere WWE went. Judging by the reaction Cena was getting, the attempt to create a new Austin vs McMahon didn't work with Cena vs. Bischoff.

#3. Angle's Milk-O-Mania

Austin's beer bash

The go home show of Monday Night Raw for WrestleMania 15 witnessed one of the greatest moments in professional wrestling history, as Austin came out in a beer truck and gave a beer bath to the McMahons and The Rock.

2 years later, as the war between The WWE and The Alliance was heating up, the fans witnessed a 'healthier' version of the beer bath segment.

As the traitor Austin was celebrated with the WCW and ECW Superstars in the middle of the ring, Kurt Angle came out in a mini truck. As Austin and the others watched in confusion, Angle poured gallons upon gallons of milk on them. After Angle was done, he took two packets of milk and drank them while sitting on top of the truck, mocking Austin's beer-can breaking ritual.

Just like Austin in 1999, Angle instantly became the knight in shining armor who was going to save WWE from Austin and his band of dastardly villains.

#2. The Undertaker vs. The Great Khali

Khali staring down at The Undertaker

The Undertaker's feud against Mark Henry came to an end on an episode of SmackDown, after WrestleMania 22.

As The Phenom prepared to dispose of Henry, a 7-foot giant came strutting to the ring and attacked The Undertaker. The giant was revealed to be the Great Khali, who was discovered by Daivari in the jungles of India, in kayfabe.

The duo battled at Judgment Day, with Khali standing tall in the end. The Undertaker would go on to eliminate Khali in the Royal Rumble match next year. This storyline was an exact copy of Undertaker's rivalry with Giant Gonzalez in 1993.

Taker was in a feud with Kamala in 1992, which ended with a Casket match at Survivor Series 1992. At the Royal Rumble, Giant Gonazlez came out with Harvey Whippleman and attacked The Undertaker, leading to a match at WrestleMania which Taker won by disqualification.

The Undertaker was the only constant in these two storylines, with Daivari replacing Harvey Whippleman, Mark Henry replacing Kamala, and Khali taking in for Gonzalez.

#1. The 2nd screwjob

Taker and Punk in action at Breaking Point

At Breaking Point 2009, The Undertaker faced CM Punk in a submission match. The match ended in controversial fashion, and the fans realized that the finish was similar to the Montreal Screwjob, that took place in the same venue 12 years ago.

CM Punk locked in the Anaconda Vice on The Undertaker, and the crooked referee Scott Armstrong signaled the timekeeper to ring the bell.

As an enraged Undertaker looked at Punk posing with the title, SmackDown GM Theodore Long came out to the ramp and stared at The Deadman without uttering a word. The storyline later saw The Undertaker hounding and harassing Teddy Long for weeks on end.

The Montreal Screwjob had ended the exact same way, with the only difference being that Bret Hart ended up leaving WWE and burning all bridges with Vince McMahon.