WWE/Tear Jerker

• RAW is Owen. That is all.

Vince McMahon: "If the legacy of a man's life is measured by the lives he's touched and how much he is loved, then a big piece of Owen Hart will live on in all of us..."

• The RAW and SmackDown! tribute episodes to Eddie Guerrero after his sudden and tragic passing in 2005.
  • The one for Chris Benoit? Not so much.
• In 1990, to build up the Hulk Hogan/Earthquake feud, a week after Hogan was (in Kayfabe) severely injured by Earthquake in a sneak attack on The Brother Love Show, a highlight video – featuring a Dark Reprise of Hogan's "Real American" entrance music over clips of his entire WWE career that ended with a shot of a locker containing the Hulkster's ring gear being closed – was played on the WWE's syndicated programs and WWE Prime Time Wrestling. At the end, "Mean" Gene Okerlund began choking up as the segment came to a close. Fred "Tugboat" Ottman, who was being billed as one of Hogan's "close friends", was also shown breaking down in tears and praying for his friend's quick recovery.
• Ric Flair's retirement match at Wrestlemania XXIV. At the end, it became clear to Shawn Michaels that he was facing a Shoot the Dog situation. A crying Flair coaxing Shawn to finish it, knowing it was time. Shawn was so overcome, he couldn't even "tune up the band" for his patented "Sweet Chin Music". Instead, he said "I'm sorry. I love you." and then KO'd Flair to finish the match. After the pin, Shawn hugged Ric, and was in tears all the way up the ramp. And given they were at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, that was a looooooong ramp.
  • Flair's retirement ceremony on the RAW after 'Mania made maybe even more tears than the match itself: Ric got a huge This Is Your Life-style send-off, with many of his old friends and foes from the NWA and WCW coming out to greet him, followed by the entire roster of WWE - both face and heel alike - coming out to the ring to applaud him as "Leave the Memories Alone" played on the PA.
• The ending to Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI. Michaels did everything he possibly could to put down the Deadman, but he just couldn't win. What really brings chills is that, unlike Flair, who accepted his retirement at the hands of HBK, just before Taker could finish off Michaels with a final devastating Tombstone, Michaels taunted Taker with his signature thumb across the throat and slapped Taker, showing that Michaels would NEVER stop fighting. Then after the pinfall, Taker shook HBK's hand, acknowledging Michaels once and for all as one of the best to ever set foot in the ring.
• April 11, 2011 - Edge announcing his retirement. He came out on RAW and gave a kayfabe-breaking, heartfelt speech about how this life was all he'd ever wanted. From when he was a little kid named Adam Joseph Copeland watching WrestleMania VI, to when he and his best friend were training in Canada as wrestlers, Edge dreamed of becoming a professional wrestler. He went from that awestruck little kid to a twenty-seven-time champion (11 world title reigns among them), the most championships anyone in the WWE has ever held. His final match in the WWE was a successful title defense of the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXVII, and he was so grateful to have been able to go out in the pinnacle of his career. Unfortunately, as a result of his surgically-repaired neck, he risked total paralysis if he continued to compete. The fans gave him multiple standing ovations, many Superstars tweeted their support of him, and "#ThankYouEdge" and "Adam Copeland" (his real name) trended on Twitter for almost 24 hours straight.
• Jerry Lawler suffering a (legitimate) near-fatal heart attack during a 2012 episode of RAW. He survived, thankfully, but hearing Michael Cole report on what had just happened was absolutely heartbreaking.
• April 7, 2014: The Ultimate Warrior returning to a WWE ring for the first time in 22 years... and it would prove to be the last time as he passed away the very next day, but not without giving a send-off speech to his fans. Godspeed, Warrior.

The Ultimate Warrior: "No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own. Every man’s heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life what makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them bleed deeper and something larger than life then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized. By the story tellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever. You, you, you, you, you, you are the legend makers of Ultimate Warrior. In the back I see many potential legends. Some of them with warrior spirits. And you will do the same for them. You will decide if they lived with the passion and intensity. So much so that you will tell your stories and you will make them legends, as well. I am The Ultimate Warrior. You are the Ultimate Warrior fans and the spirit of The Ultimate Warrior will run... FOREVER!!!"

• April 15, 2020: Multiple WWE superstars and personnel (among them being referee Mike Chioda, who had been with the company since 1989) were fired in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • History would repeat itself the following year when more WWE talents would be released, including Braun Strowman, Aleister Black and Samoa Joe (though Joe would later be rehired in June, reportedly due to Triple H being unhappy over his release).
• April 16, 2020: Legendary ring announcer Howard "The Fink" Finkel, the first employee signed by Vince McMahon and a constant presence throughout WWE's golden years, passed away at the age of 69.
• May 17, 2020: Former WWE superstar and Cryme Tyme member Shad Gaspard drowned whilst saving his son from a rip current in Venice Beach, with his body being found three days later. On a bittersweet note, Shad was hailed as a hero for saving his son, Aryeh, sacrificing his life to ensure his son's survival. A Papa Wolf to the very end. Godspeed, Shad.
• The Undertaker's retirement ceremony at Survivor Series 2020, with the late Paul Bearer making one final appearance in hologram form to see the Deadman off.