10 Instances when WWE Superstars went off-script due to crowd reaction

In the scripted world of WWE, a little spontaneity is needed. Over the years, WWE has done this, especially in this day and age where we have extremely vocal fans and sponsors to answer to. Going off-script also gives fans a glimpse of the man (or woman) behind the character. It makes them a little more human, and most Superstars use the chance to their advantage. Sometimes they feed off the crowd reaction and thus go off-script.

It makes for a good story, but for some, it doesn’t. Off-script doesn’t mean just words – it can lead to real blows. Think Daniel Puder almost breaking Kurt Angle’s arm. Or how about the Brawl for All that took place 22 years ago?

There are various scenarios that may call for a Superstar to go off script, but in this article, we are going to focus on promo work and antics.

Perhaps one of the most notorious off-script moments came from TNA’s Victory Road PPV in 2011, when an intoxicated Jeff Hardy was to take on Sting for the TNA Championship. Fans knew something was up due to Hardy’s irrational behavior, and Sting had to take matters into his own hands. Sting forcefully pinned Hardy and the look on his face said it all. He shouted that he agreed with the angry fans in attendance afterwards and TNA was left to clean up the mess.

While some off-script moments are classic, others may jolt your memory. These moments happened because of the crowd reaction.

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#10 WWE CBO Stephanie McMahon

After Punk’s notorious exit from WWE, fans reacted not for weeks, not months, but years. Whenever fans get bored or want to antagonize superstars, they will obnoxiously chant for the Voice of the Voiceless. It was almost like a subtle but annoying protest.

While the incidents have reduced ever since Punk returned to the wrestling world, there have been many instances of superstars responding to those chants.

The December 26, 2016 edition of WWE RAW was held in CM Punk's hometown of Chicago. As expected, chants broke out while Stephanie McMahon was in the ring. However, the former SmackDown GM was quick to respond:

If you could keep that up for 2 minutes and 15 seconds, you’d last one second longer than Punk did.

The comment was a jibe at CM Punk's debut loss in the UFC, which saw him being defeated by Mickey Gall in two minutes and fourteen seconds.

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#9 The Rock v/s Hulk Hogan WrestleMania XVIII

These two icons had to flip the script at WrestleMania XVIII

With this Icon v/s Icon matchup, Hulk Hogan and The Rock had to switch their roles for the match to live up to its potential. The Hulkster was in his heel Hollywood Hogan persona, and it was just not going to work for the fans. Fans were cheering him on so much, a double turn had to happen for the match to work out.

In a time where there were some loose holds on talent, this was definitely an instance and the right call to make on a moment’s notice.

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#8 Triple H

Triple H consoled a crying child during an episode of Raw

In January 2015, Triple H was in the midst of cutting a promo during the main event on WWE RAW. While he was talking, a fan kept chanting his name over and over again. Triple H took the liberty to tell the fan to stop messing with him, and that he was trying to do his job.

In response, the little boy started to cry, not knowing better that it was nothing more than a show. As the main event continued, Triple H went and consoled the little boy. The pictures above were taken and went viral in addition to making headlines.

The little boy and his father also got to go backstage after the show was over. Triple H, after all, has a heart.

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#7 Roman Reigns

Reigns felt the wrath and he snapped back

On the June 20th episode of WWE RAW, fans were chanting loudly at Roman Reigns, stating “You can’t wrestle!” It went on for a couple of moments before Reigns took the microphone and told the crowd to shut up. In this instance, Reigns gave the crowd a reason to boo him and the chants stopped.

This isn’t his first time going off script. Numerous reports surfaced that after the broadcast stopped for Payback, Reigns would yell at the fans angrily, followed with him giving the finger. Another time, the hostile Chicago crowd got a dose of sassy Reigns when he responded to their “What!?” chants.

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#6 Vince McMahon

Even the Chairman likes to have fun sometimes

If anyone gets free leeway to go off script anytime he wants to, it’s the Chairman of the company. This particular instance, though, happened in 2012 when Vince McMahon made an appearance on WWE RAW to fire then-General Manager John Laurinaitis.

It’s been a long time coming, and McMahon knew it. McMahon fed off the crowd that night, deciding later to ride out onto the stage in the “People Power” scooter. If that wasn’t enough, he then threw the small vehicle off the stage and permanently damaged it. Good riddance to People Power.

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#5 The Rock

This spontaneous moment made the night of these fans

The Rock is one of the very few Superstars who can go off-script and get away with it, pretty much like getting away with murder. When The Rock made a surprise appearance on WWE RAW in 2016, The Brahma Bull went completely off-script with fans, much to Vince McMahon’s disbelief.

A group of fans were cosplaying as WWE Legends (including The Rock). What made this even more surprising was the fact that the group was escorted out by security earlier in the evening for being 'disruptive'. When The Rock came out for his promo, he noticed the fans, followed it by making his way to them and talking with the group.

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#4 Seth Rollins

Rollins is no stranger to going off-script

There have been so many instances of 'CM Punk' chants that we had to mention yet another entry of a superstar reacting to it.

During a WWE RAW commercial break in 2014, Seth Rollins got irritated with the crowd that night, resulting in him taking the microphone and going off on the crowd. He put over Dean Ambrose, who was wrestling in the match, leaving Roman Reigns unable to hold his laughter in.

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#3 Mick Foley

It took an off-script moment for these two to click

Wasn’t The Rock n’ Sock Connection fun all those years ago? It started off on shaky ground as the two men struggled to find chemistry for their team. In a hilarious instance, during a promo on WWE SmackDown with the men, The Rock’s sunglasses had flown off his face and onto the mat.

Fans began laughing, seeing that The Rock was completely caught off guard by it. Mick Foley knew The Rock wasn’t going to pick them up, so he took the initiative to do so. The Rock thanked him and continued on with his promo like a boss. The two clicked after that awkward but funny moment.

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#2 Daniel Bryan

Forget Triple H, Daniel Bryan was the main event that night

During the Championship Ascension Ceremony on WWE RAW in December 2013, the crowd began to chant rather loudly for Daniel Bryan. It was a big moment, as WWE had gathered almost all the current talent and legends who had held both the WWE Championship and/or the World Heavyweight Championship.

Triple H had to stop talking because the chants were so loud, all while Bryan enjoyed the moment. Mark Henry would raise Bryan’s arm up, acknowledging the hometown crowd as they were in Seattle. During his retirement speech, ironically in Seattle, Bryan referenced the moment, telling fans how special it was because his dad got to witness it.

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#1 CM Punk

Of course, the Pipebomb is number one! The iconic promo was completely unscripted from the jump. CM Punk began laying some real truth at the fans, cementing that no one was safe from the pipebomb. While fans cheered in response to Punk’s tirade, he began to go off on them in true fashion, telling them that they were one of the main reasons he was leaving WWE.

Punk would spew out the reasons why some fans were detestable. He continued to chastise the fans, telling them that they would keep pouring money into WWE even after he was gone. In all honesty, the fans he called out got it just as bad as WWE themselves.