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If you're a long time fan of wrestling, you can probably guess where storyline angles are going, who is going to go over, and even who might end up champion. This is true in any entertainment, from nighttime soap operas to action movies.
However, sometimes the pro wrestling writers come up with something truly special, shocking, or just plain devious that take the fans completely unawares. Some of these shocking, surprising moments are fondly remembered by fans. Others, not so much.
Here are ten times that wrestling fans were taken totally by surprise.
1. Rikishi confesses to running over Steve Austin.
In the year 2000, WWE was on a roll. They were finally defeating WCW in the ratings war, had a stacked roster from top to bottom, and were on the mainstream cultural map thanks to the Rock's acting roles.
One of the mid-card acts receiving a lot of attention and love from the fans during this era was Too Cool. The dancing fools Brian Christopher--Jerry Lawler's son--and Scotty Too Hotty added veteran big man Rikishi to their post-match dance routines. The fans loved every minute of it, and it soon became a highlight of RAW.
Rikishi started palling around with fellow Samoan the Rock, steadily moved up the card and was one of the top babyfaces of the era. That's why what happened next was so shocking.
Months earlier, Stone Cold Steve Austin had been kayfabe run over by a car (in reality it was a stuntman who took the bump) because he needed time off for surgery. When Austin returned, he was full of rage and attacking the whole locker room. Raw GM Mick Foley pleaded with Austin to allow him to conduct an investigation. Reluctantly, Austin agreed.
During Foley's investigation, he learned that the driver of the car had been blonde, larger than average, and had to be one of the performers on the show the night Austin was run down. Most fans suspected Triple H--a long time Austin foe--or Billy Gunn, as both men fit the criteria.
However, the wrestling world was shocked when Rikishi revealed that he had been the one to run down Austin. And he'd done it for the people...
2. The Road Warriors attack their brother in paint, Sting.
During the 1980s, no team was more beloved by the fans than the Road Warriors. Hawk and Animal were nearly the perfect pro wrestlers, mixing strength and speed with uncanny timing and delivery on the microphone.
Also beloved by the fans was the up and coming young lion Sting. Fans saw many similarities in the Warriors and Sting and practically begged for them to team up. That time came when the Brothers in Paint took on the villainous Varsity Club.
However, when Sting picked up the win for his team, the Warriors felt insulted, since they had just devastated their opponent. The babyfaces turned full heel by beating Sting senseless. Later they would attempt to gouge out Dusty Rhodes's eye with their armor spikes, leading to a tag team match between all four men. Fans never thought the Warriors would turn on their Brother in paint.
3. Shane McMahon turns on Stone Cold.
After the Montreal Screwjob, Vince McMahon became the biggest villain the WWE had ever seen, using his power to hold down wrestlers he didn't like.
Of course, the most despised man on McMahon's radar was Steve Austin. McMahon schemed against Austin and tormented him for months when an unlikely ally showed up; Vince's son, Shane.
Shane seemed to be the polar opposite of his father. He was kind where Vince was cruel, and seemed poised to try and take down his own kin. When he was named the special referee for a title match at Survivor Series, everyone assumed that Shane would have Austin's back.
The reality couldn't have been more different...
4. Vince hires his greatest rival
The Monday Night war still evokes strong emotions in those fans who lived through it. Mired in controversy, alliance switching, and dirty politics, the ratings war between WCW and WWE mixed reality and kayfabe in ways it had never done before.
Vince was furious in real life with Eric Bischoff because Bischoff was so ruthless. He did things like announce the results of taped Raw shows (He (HBK) beats the big guy (Sid Vicious) with three superkicks) and had Madusa dump the WWE women's title belt in the trash on Monday Nitro. Fans believed that Bischoff would never, in a million years, be hired by the man he nearly put out of business.
Then this happened...
5. And the Academy Award for outstanding actor goes to Mark Henry
In 2013, perennial mid-carder World's Strongest Man Mark Henry had been wrestling in the WWE for over sixteen years. So when he came out to the ring dressed in a suit to announce his retirement, most fans were ready to believe it was legitimate.
Henry went on to deliver a devastatingly emotional speech to the audience about his life, career, and regrets. Bit by bit, he dropped hints of being a tad bit angry at never having held the WWE's big belt. Still, he seemed sincere and his performance was so good, he actually made wrestlers backstage cry because they thought it was real and not a storyline!
Then Mark Henry shook John Cena's hand, raised his arm, and...well, watch the video...
6. Frankie Kazarian joins, then betrays, Bullet Club
Fans know that Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels are best friends in real life. In fact, Daniels has referred to Kazarian as his brother in all but blood and his hetero lifemate.
So, no one was expecting Kazarian to turn on his longtime partner and trusted friend to join the villainous Bullet Club.
But wait! This is a DOUBLE SWERVE. Because then Kazarian would turn on his new allies and reveal it had all been a trick to get revenge on Bullet Club. Fans were truly swerved on this one.
7. Vince McMahon revealed as Undertaker's Greater Power
During the Attitude era, there were two feuding heel factions that seemed more intent on destroying each other than defeating Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin; The Corporation, run by Vince McMahon, and the Ministry of Darkness, ruled by the Undertaker.
Bit by bit, it seemed as if the Corporation was going to cooperate with Steve Austin, as the Ministry was troubling them both. Austin had been crucified by the Undertaker, and so was Stephanie McMahon. All the while, Taker continued to refer to a 'higher power,' someone he answered who was far more evil and powerful.
Fans speculated as to who it could be – the smart money, as it were, was on Jake the Snake Roberts or Paul Bearer – but when the Higher power was revealed, it took many fans by total surprise.
8. Triple H turns on Shawn Michaels, spoiling a DX reunion
When Shawn Michaels announced his return to the squared circle, fans were ecstatic. They were even more so when it appeared that fan favorite faction Degeneration X was about to reform, right before their very eyes!
And as they watched, with bated breath, as Triple H did his usual shtick, this happened, catching them unaware...
9. Goldberg DESTROYS Brock Lesnar in under three minutes.
With the advent of social media and pro wrestling news sites, fans were well aware of the fact that Brock Lesnar was under WWE contract for at least a year, and Goldberg working on a temporary date by date contract, when the two were slated to meet at Survivor Series for the world title.
Fans expected that, while Goldberg would probably put up a good fight, the man under a long-term contract would surely prevail. And even if Goldberg somehow managed to win, there was no way the match would play out like the jobber squashes of yesteryear on WCW Monday Nitro.
WRONG! That's exactly how it played out!
10. David Arquette wins the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
In the year 2000, David Arquette may not have been a Hollywood A lister, but he was certainly well known to the general public due to his roles in the popular Scream franchise, and his more famous spouse, actress Courtney Cox.
In order to promote the movie Ready to Rumble, Arquette was booked to compete in a match on WCW Thunder. While fans were tickled at the idea of a skinny actor competing for the prestigious WCW championship, absolutely no one expected him to actually win it.
You know what they say about expectations...
Thanks for reading about the ten times fans were totally surprised. If you have comments or suggestions, please leave them below!
