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With WWE shows being so heavily produced, most of them take place exactly as planned. However, there have been a few instances in 2021 where this hasn't been the case.
Superstars rarely ever deviate from the script but when they do, it becomes an instant talking point among fans and viewers. Some of them happened during matches, either as a necessity or a reaction to the crowd. Various other segments have delved into madness and confusion too.
The spontaneous addition of chaos did help a few of these segments while hindering the others. It is a case-by-case basis, as we will get to. This listicle will take a look at five times WWE Superstars went off script in 2021.
#5 Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax turns into a shoot fight - WWE RAW (August 30th)
Charlotte Flair has been at the forefront of a few controversial moments on WWE TV in 2021. One of them came right in the middle of a match between her and Nia Jax during a late August episode of RAW. The bout did not go to plan, with things breaking down quickly.
Flair and Jax engaged in an awkward tussle, involving some real punches and kicks. Both women seemed to sabotage each other's offense before order was restored. The match ended as intended, with Nia Jax pinning the then-RAW Women's Champion.
The Queen still holds a title in WWE, although it is a different one. We will get to that story shortly.
#4 Riddle forgets his line and leaves - WWE RAW (March 29th)
Riddle had a standout year on RAW, during which he won the United States Championship and the Tag Team Titles alongside Randy Orton. The Original Bro's US Title reign is most memorable for his backstage segment with Asuka.
He asked The Empress of Tomorrow if scooters were big in Japan before admitting he forgot what he was supposed to say and scooting off. This left a confused Asuka alone, while Tom Phillips on commentary claimed that Riddle lives in a world of his own.
Despite the sudden change in output, the segment turned out better than intended. It fit Riddle's character to a tee.
#3 Charlotte Flair flips off the fans - WWE Money in the Bank
WWE welcomed fans back permanently in July, with Money in the Bank being the first pay-per-view to host a full crowd. This led to one of the most explosive moments all year, as Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley took to the ring for their RAW Women's Championship match.
Fans loudly chanted "We want Becky" as it began. The Queen did not take kindly to them and flipped off the crowd. This instantly fired them up in the right way, leading to an excellent bout between Flair and Ripley.
The former won the RAW Women's Title and fans continued to chant for Becky Lynch the following night. She once again went off script and acknowledged the chants, saying that Lynch was busy at home breastfeeding.
#2 A handcuffed Roman Reigns pulls the referee - WWE Royal Rumble
Roman Reigns has had a near-perfect list of WWE pay-per-view matches in 2021. Every single one of them was great, although some of them did have their issues. One of the most glaring ones came during The Tribal Chief's Last Man Standing Match against Kevin Owens at Royal Rumble.
Paul Heyman struggled to unlock a handcuffed Reigns, who was stuck on the floor and being counted. This led to a quick moment of improvisation from the Universal Champion, who used his free hand to attack the referee and stop his count at nine.
Roman Reigns had no choice but to go off script to cover for the botch. However, it took much longer for him to be unlocked, which led to a messy finish to the match.
#1 Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair's title exchange - WWE SmackDown
In terms of WWE stars going off script, there is no bigger example in 2021 than the awkward belt exchange between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. This idea was doomed from the start, with a swap being a lazy way to switch the titles following the WWE Draft.
Anyway, Flair was supposed to hand over her RAW Women's Championship before receiving Lynch's SmackDown belt. The Man was reportedly planned to hold both titles and tease becoming 'Becky Two Belts,' but that did not happen.
As Big Time Becks reached out to grab it, Flair pulled it away and threw it to the mat. Sonya Deville, who was moderating the segment, tried to maintain some control to no avail. Becky Lynch proceeded to throw the SmackDown Women's Championship at Charlotte Flair.
Before the segment could go further off the rails, Sasha Banks came out and targeted The Queen. However, this remains one of the more infamous moments in recent WWE history. The two of them had a heated confrontation at the back afterward.
This formed the basis for the feud between Flair and Lynch heading into Survivor Series, which culminated in a brilliant match. So, rather fortunately, this segment diverting from the script ended up in WWE's favor.
