Professional wrestling is often known for its extravagance, while the performers are known for their showmanship. For years, promoters such as the recently deceased Verne Gagne and Jim Crockett worked hard to ensure that the fans and media take professional wrestling seriously, although it confined the boundaries for growth of the sport. Vince McMahon Jr., with his innovate ideas and the ambition to transcend the sports genre and enter into Hollywood, globalized the WWE, and in the process, played a pivotal role in the evolution of the industry.One of the important ingredients of professional wrestling is delivering a good script, and ensuring that the performers stick to the basics and do the little things right. However, with professional wrestling going live with live PPVs and live shows/events, there have been instances when the scripted segments and matches turned into a colossal mess.In this article, we take a look at the five greatest script disasters in the history of professional wrestling.
#5 The debut of The Shockmaster
“They put me in a Storm Trooper mask which they painted and covered in glitter, I couldn't see a thing. I got to the wall and put my hands up like a double axe handle and bust through. The top broke perfectly, but the bottom didn't give. The momentum took me through the wall and to the floor.” – Ottman on The Shockmaster’s debut
One of the most infamous incidents that is still talked about in the professional wrestling circuit was the debut of The Shockmaster in WCW. Shockmaster was supposed to make a grand entrance, to team up with Sting, Dustin Rhodes and Davey Boy Smith to take on the villainous team of Sid Vicious, Big Van Vader and Harlem Heat at Fall Brawl.
When Sting announced to the world that their partner would “shock the world”, and called out The Shockmaster, Ottman, who was wearing a Storm Trooper’s helmet with glitter burst through a wall. It was then that everything went wrong for The Shockmaster, as he stumbled and fell down, with his helmet falling off. As the performers were visibly chuckling, Davey Boy was heard saying, “He fell flat on his arse!”
Although Shockmaster was supposed to be the new big babyface, after the incident, WCW gave him the gimmick of being a klutz before writing off the character. The debut of The Shockmaster, to this day is one of the biggest script disasters in professional wrestling history!
#4 Triple H and Katie Vick segment
Back in 2002, Kane and Hurricane were supposed to team up in the main event for the tag team titles, but Triple H attacked The Hurricane, leaving Kane all by himself to participate in the match. Kane however won the match and the titles, and that was when Triple H made his way out and announced to the world that Kane had a secret, and that he was a murderer!
In the following weeks, Triple H continued to taunt Kane, as Kane told the world his side of the story. Kane told the WWE fans that Katie was his girlfriend, and one night, when they had too much to drink, Kane got behind the wheel and consequently got into an accident. Kane said that while he escaped with injuries, Katie Vick didn’t.
Triple H was then involved in a segment which to this day is considered to be one of the worst scripted segments in professional wrestling history. Triple H, with Kane’s mask on proceeded to attend a mock funeral of Katie Vick, who was portrayed by a mannequin. Triple H proceeded to imply that Kane was a necrophiliac, as the announcers and the entire crowd were disgusted by the act. Needless to say, it has been regarded as one of the biggest script disasters in the business – one which has made a lasting impact on the fans.
#3 Pillmans got a gun segment
Brian Pillman was one of the most entertaining superstars in professional wrestling, and would back it up in the ring with his high risk offensive style of wrestling. Pillman was one of the first American wrestlers to have adopted a high flying style, and his promo skills placed him in the elite list of performers who were considered to be well rounded professional wrestlers.
After teaming with Steve Austin in WCW as the Hollywood Blondes, Pillman and Austin once again came face to face in the WWE, where Pillman adopted the “Loose cannon” gimmick. Austin attacked Pillman after Pillman started favoring Austin’s nemesis, Bret Hart, thus initiating their feud. After several weeks of sneak attacks, Austin finally decided to confront Pillman at his home, where he was recuperating from a broken ankle.
As the WWE crew and cameramen showed Pillman and his friends waiting for Austin, Steve Austin attacked Pillman’s friends outside his house. He then confronted Pillman inside the house, who proceeded to draw a 9 mm gun, pointing it at Austin, as Pillman’s wife and WWE employee Kevin Kelly started screaming for help. As the feed faded, the on – screen director contacted Vince McMahon, telling him that he had heard a “couple of explosions”. The feed then came back at the end of the episode, during which Austin was being dragged by Pillman’s friends.
Pillman continued to point the gun at Austin, claiming to kill that “son of a b*tch”, and also uttered the words, “get out of my f*cking way” on live TV! This created a huge uproar among the fanbase and the management, as the WWE and Pillman himself apologized profusely for the slip up.
#2 Jeff Hardy Sting Victory Road debacle
Jeff Hardy’s addiction to drugs and alcohol has been well documented, as the WWE even acknowledged it on – air during Jeff Hardy’s feud with CM Punk for the World title. Jeff then decided to go back to TNA, and was immediately pushed as the company’s top star. When Hogan and Bischoff arrived, they backed Jeff Hardy to become the John Cena of the company.
However, in 2011, Jeff Hardy’s demons came back to haunt him during TNA’s Victory Road PPV. Jeff was scheduled to compete for the TNA World Heavyweight title against Sting, but during the entrance, Jeff looked incoherent and almost stumbled twice. When The Stinger made his way out, Eric Bischoff intervened and whispered something to Sting, which visibly upset the WCW legend. Sting then quickly finished the match and pinned Jeff to retain the title.
However, it looked like Jeff was trying to kick out, as it later came to light that Jeff was intoxicated, and was in no condition to perform during the PPV. The main event was heavily criticized by the fans and those within the industry, and Jeff was taken off TV for a while. While TNA and Jeff Hardy himself apologized profusely to the fans, it took more than a year for the charismatic enigma to win back the fans’ trust and adulation, but not before the main event was shot down as one of the biggest script disasters in professional wrestling history.
#1 Vince Russo Hulk Hogan blow up at Bash At The Beach
In 2000, WCW was visibly going through financial troubles, and the company was in shambles when it came down to the booking side of things. Vince Russo was the head booker, while Hulk Hogan was still trying to hold on to the top spot; the company wanted to go in a different direction by making Booker T the champion, who was selected to be the next top guy by the performers and the entire locker room.
At the Bash At The Beach PPV, Jeff Jarrett, the then WCW World champion was originally scheduled to defend the title against Booker T, but Hogan managed to replace Booker in the main event, and also used his creative control clause to book himself to win the title from Jarrett. Russo and Hogan then came up with an elaborate plan, where Russo would ask Jeff to lay down for Hogan and Hogan would then leave WCW, eventually returning after a few months to feud with the new World Heavyweight champion, Booker T.
As per the plan, Jeff laid down for Hogan, who pinned Jarrett and left with the title after ripping on Vince Russo. Russo then came out and cut a scathing promo, burying Hogan and aired the dirty laundry for the world to know. Although it has been debated by many that the entire angle was a work, Hogan filed a lawsuit against Russo, and the two were at odds for years before finally agreeing to work with each other in TNA.
Although no one can confirm whether the entire angle was scripted or not, the manner in which Russo broke kayfabe and the fallout of the angle ranks it at number one on our list of the greatest script disasters in professional wrestling.
