It doesn’t matter for those who’re speaking a couple of work, a shoot, or a labored shoot; the world {of professional} wrestling is a wild, loopy, and unpredictable place. Over time, we’ve had unbelievable, emotional, and highly effective wrestling moments, however we’ve had simply as many, if no more, completely insane incidents, each in and out of doors of the squared circle.
Listed below are 32 such wrestling moments that left individuals in a state of shock, and we’ll be shocked for those who don’t be part of them after studying this loopy historical past of the game.
Brock Lesnar Ending Undertaker’s WrestleMania Profitable Streak
WrestleMania 30 must be remembered because the night time Daniel Bryan lastly defeated the Authority and received the WWE Heavyweight Championship, however greater than a decade later is usually remembered for one of many matches on the undercard: The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar. Taker, 21-0 on the “Granddaddy of Them All” heading into NOLA, suffered a stunning defeat by the hands of the Beast Incarnate in what’s the most stunning end in WrestleMania historical past.
John Cena’s Heel Flip
One thing that many thought would by no means occur (and within the Vince McMahon regime, it by no means would have), John Cena lastly turned heel after profitable the Elimination Chamber and a visit to WrestleMania 41, in March 2025. The longtime fan favourite hit then-WWE Champion Cody Rhodes with a low blow heard around the globe when he sided with The Rock and Travis Scott as followers watched in disbelief.
The Mass Transit Incident
ECW was recognized for taking issues means too far, and one of the vital stunning examples of this got here within the type of the Mass Transit Incident. Principally, a 17-year-old aspiring wrestler going by the ring title Mass Transit lied about his age and teamed up with D-Von Dudley in opposition to The Gangstas (New Jack and Mustafa Saed). Partway by the match, New Jack bladed the teenager’s brow, leading to some severe accidents and ultimately a lawsuit in opposition to the promotion.
Jerry Lawler And Andy Kaufman Combat On Late Evening
Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman had one of many biggest feuds in wrestling historical past, and a part of that iconic story revolves round their July 1982 look on Late Evening, the place the King of Memphis wrestling and the comic acquired into it. Although the pair had been in on it, they didn’t let anybody else know earlier than all of it went down and made late-night TV historical past.
Stone Chilly Groups Up With Vince McMahon
For these of us who grew up within the ‘90s, there was no feud extra iconic than Stone Chilly Steve Austin and Vince McMahon. The “working man takes on his boss” dynamic of the years-long program created a few of the most iconic moments in wrestling historical past. It additionally led to one of the vital stunning moments when the Texas Rattlesnake sided with Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania 17, ticking off thousands and thousands of followers within the course of.
Mae Younger Provides Delivery To A Hand
Everybody likes to behave just like the Perspective Period was the best interval of wrestling. Although there have been nice matches, applications, and moments all through the late ‘90s, there have been additionally some actually weird cases, just like the time Mark Henry acquired Mae Younger pregnant, ensuing within the aged wrestling pioneer giving start to a human hand. Sure, a hand.
David “Physician D” Schultz Smacks John Stossel
There have been instances when wrestling has gotten somewhat too actual and means too uncomfortable. Look no additional than the time David “Physician D” Schultz slapped the crap out of John Stossel after the 20/20 reporter questioned the authenticity of wrestling. Schultz, who was on the rise earlier than the incident, by no means recovered from the infamous slap.
Hulk Hogan And The Rock Steal The Present At WrestleMania 18
The Immortal One vs. The Nice One will endlessly go down as one of the vital electrical matches in WrestleMania historical past. Certain, this iconic one-on-one bout ought to have headlined the 2002 occasion, however they stole the present anyway. The face-to-face within the ring, the double flip, the post-match work with the NWO, it was epic.
Vince McMahon Tears Each Quads At The 2005 Royal Rumble
So much can occur on the Royal Rumble, and we noticed that in 2005 when Vince McMahon tore each of his quads working into the ring after John Cena and eventual winner Batista fell out of the ring on the similar time. The sight of McMahon on his butt yelling on the ref is one thing that followers will always remember.
Mick Foley’s Hell In A Cell Fall
Mick Foley being thrown off the Hell in a Cell construction on the 1998 King of the Ring pay-per-view has develop into one of many defining moments of the hardcore legend’s profession, in addition to the Perspective Period. We’re nonetheless shocked, almost 30 years later, that he survived the 16-foot fall onto the announce desk.
The ECW Chair Throwing Incident
The Hardcore Heaven 1994 “Chair Throwing Incident” is a kind of moments that made ECW one of the vital notoriously insane wrestling firms of the ‘90s, and all time. Principally, after the Public Enemy’s interference stopped Terry Funk and Cactus Jack’s match, the Funkster requested followers for a chair. He had no thought everybody would throw their seats on the similar time, although.
The Montreal Screwjob
Is it actual, or is it an elaborate work to assist correctly start the Perspective Period? That’s a query wrestling followers have been asking for the higher a part of 30 years. The notorious incident, often called the Montreat Screwjob, noticed Bret Hart’s WWF Championship run, in addition to his time within the firm, come to an abrupt and chaotic finish in November 1997.
Hulk Hogan Turns Heel
Hulk Hogan turning heel by siding with the Outsiders at Bash on the Seashore ‘96 is a kind of turning factors in wrestling. The longtime babyface going unhealthy is one thing followers by no means thought they’d see, however they did, and it kick-started one of many largest booms in wrestling historical past.
Seth Rollins Turns On The Defend
Earlier than he was the Visionary, the Monday Evening Messiah, and even the person behind the “Heist of the Century” at WrestleMania 31, Seth Rollins got here up as a member of the Defend. Nicely, that each one resulted in June 2014 when Rollins turned on Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose and sided with the Authority, kicking off his Corridor-of-Fame-worthy singles profession.
Brian Pillman’s Dwelling Invasion
The late nice “Flyin’” Brian Pillman gave wrestling followers one nice second after one other earlier than his premature passing in October 1997, however he was additionally on the middle of one of many WWF’s wildest incidents: the night time Stone Chilly invaded his home. The craziest a part of the ordeal got here when Pillman pointed a gun at his former “Hollywood Blondes” teammate.
Vince McMahon Reveals Up On WCW Monday Nitro
One factor followers by no means thought they’d see was Vince McMahon exhibiting up on Monday Nitro, however that’s what occurred in March 2001 when the WWF Chairman appeared on display screen after shopping for the corporate for pennies on the greenback. The snicker, the audacity, and the truth that the “Monday Evening Struggle” was over made this one thing we’ll always remember.
Adam Web page Ingesting Swerve Strickland’s Blood
AEW Full Gear 2023 noticed one of many craziest, bloodiest, and most excessive wrestling matches of all time, when Adam Web page and Swerve Strickland put all of it on the road of their Texas Loss of life Match. If staples, barbed wire, and chairs weren’t sufficient, Hangman took issues to the subsequent degree by ingesting his opponent’s blood. Like, what?
CM Punk’s “Pipe Bomb” promo in June 2011, the one the place he put John Cena and the remainder of WWE on watch, is a kind of moments that’ll outline not solely his profession however 2010s wrestling typically. The worked-shoot type of the prolonged monologue, the viciousness of his phrases, and the Summer time of Punk that adopted make this one we’ll always remember.
Robocop Saves Sting
There have been some wild cameos in wrestling over time, however few come near the utter madness of RoboCop saving Sting in WCW. After the WCW mainstay was attacked and put in a cage by the 4 Horsemen, Detroit’s best got here down the aisle to save lots of his blonde bud.
Shane McMahon Tears His Quad At WrestleMania 39
Accidents are a typical prevalence in wrestling, and everybody goes to get damage within the ring sooner or later or one other. Nicely, that point got here for Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 39 when the part-timer stepped into the ring for the primary time shortly. What’s so stunning about that is the truth that he one way or the other tore his quad when climbing into the ring.
The Judy Bagwell On A Forklift Match
Late-stage WCW was an odd and unpredictable place, the place gimmick matches had been turned up just a few notches. One of many wildest got here at New Blood Rising in 2000 when Buff Bagwell wrestled Kanyon, not for the gold, however to get his expensive outdated mother off a forklift parked at ringside. We’re not making this up.
Vader Assaults A TV Present Host
Throughout a Spring 1997 tour of the Center East, the late Vader appeared on Good Morning Kuwait, a morning discuss present the place he and the Undertaker had been discussing the WWF with the host. Although Taker stayed in line, Vader didn’t take too kindly to Bassam Al Othman’s questions concerning the legitimacy of the game, ensuing within the 400-pound monster attacking the journalist. Based on the Solar, Vader was detained, and wrestling was banned within the nation for a while.
Jon Moxley Placing A Bag Over Bryan Danielson’s Head
AEW takes issues to the acute at instances, and among the best (or worst) examples of this occurred at All Out 2024 when Jon Moxley turned on his Blackpool Fight Membership stablemate Bryan Danielson by placing a bag over his head in an try and put him to sleep. It was intense, to say the least.
The Finger Poke Of Doom
There’s lengthy been a debate about what killed WCW, however one of many largest deciding elements is the “Finger Poke of Doom” from a January 1999 episode of Monday Nitro. On the identical night time, Mick Foley received his first WWF Championship on Uncooked (which WCW spoiled), Hollywood Hogan defeated WCW Champion Kevin Nash by poking him within the chest, revealing their warring NWO factions had been working collectively. WCW by no means beat WWF within the scores and would shut two years later.
Brock Lesnar Practically Paralyzes Himself At WrestleMania 19
Brock Lesnar’s had some unbelievable WrestleMania matches, however his first was almost is final. Taking up Kurt Angle for the WWE Undisputed Championship at WM 19, Lesnar tried a Capturing Star Press from the highest turnbuckle and landed on his head inchese away from Angle’s inclined physique. It’s a miracle he survived.
The Katie Vick Incident
One of many most despicable actions by a heel in wrestling, Triple H as soon as dressed up like Kane and acted like he was making like to his lifeless girlfriend at a funeral house. Quite a lot of of us say the Perspective Period set a low bar for WWE, however this incident from the Ruthless Aggression days is likely one of the worst issues to ever occur within the firm.s
Huge Boss Man Reveals Up At Huge Present’s Dad’s Funeral
Huge Boss Man exhibiting up at Huge Present’s dad’s funeral needs to be one of the vital insane but hilarious issues to occur in wrestling. The pre-taped phase that includes the heel taunting his rival at a graveyard is the stuff of legend, as is Huge Present being dragged behind a automotive at its conclusion.
Kane Units The Undertaker’s Casket On Hearth
Kane and Undertaker’s feud in 1997 and 1998 is likely one of the wildest applications from the Perspective Period, and a spotlight of the wrestlers’ respective careers. Costing his half-brother a victory in his signature match (a casket match) at Royal Rumble ‘98, Kane went even additional by setting the coffin on hearth with Taker nonetheless inside.
The Undertaker Tries To Embalm Steve Austin
Close to the top of the ‘90s, the Undertaker turned probably the most evil heel in WWF, particularly throughout his feud with Stone Chilly Steve Austin. One of many craziest moments got here when the Ministry kidnapped Austin and tried to embalm him. Clearly, Taker’s plan failed, however many people thought we had been about to see our favourite wrestler die on stay TV.
Shane McMahon Being Suplexed By way of A Sheet Of Glass
Shane McMahon would do something to impress the followers (and his dad) when he acquired into the ring. That features being suplexed by a sheet of glass by Kurt Angle at King of the Ring 2001. After a failed try (McMahon hit the glass however it didn’t shatter), Angle tried once more, and McMahon went crashing by the shattered pane.
Brock Lesnar Mops The Ground With John Cena At SummerSlam 2014
Brock Lesnar defeating Undertaker at WrestleMania 30 wasn’t his solely show-stopping efficiency in 2014, because the Beast Incarnate completely destroyed John Cena for the WWE Championship at that yr’s SummerSlam. The group, which was fiery all night time, was left in shock as Lesnar squashed the fan-favorite.
The Shockmaster’s Debut
The Shockmaster was purported to be the subsequent large monster of WCW when the wrestler previously often called Storm made his debut in 1993. Nonetheless, his crashing and falling by the wall (shedding his masks within the course of) shortly put a cease to that and gave wrestling one of the vital hilarious moments of all time.