What was the most shocking moment in WWE/F or WCW history?

Donegal Dan

Following THAT result last night it got me thinking about what is the most shocking moment in WWE/F or WCW history.

I was in complete and utter disbelief last night when the Streak ended, something that hasnt happened to me with wrestling in over over a decade, maybe closer to a decade and a half.

The choices on the poll will be

WWE purchases WCW
The Montreal Screwjob
Taker loses the Streak at Wrestlemania 30
Hogan joins NWO at Bash At The Beach
Stone Cold shakes Vinces hand at the end of Wrestlemania 17
Ultimate Warrior's surprise return at WrestleMania VIII
WWF/E wrestlers Diesel and Razor Ramon show up on WCW TV
Mick Foley takes two insane bumps off the cage at King Of The Ring '98
CM Punk takes his ball and goes home
Other


Im leaving out the death of Owen Hart and the double murder/suicide of Chris Benoit as I feel they dont belong in this poll. If you feel they do please choose "Other" and give us your thoughts.

What was the most shocking moment in WWE/F or WCW history?

CSF

It could just be the freshness of it all, but I'm going with last night. Lesnar is my number 1 guy, but I wasn't even dreaming of last night becoming a reality. Naturally you can imagine the scenes in mine were very different to those in the crowd.

Donegal Dan

Im very much torn between choosing last night or Montreal. Both were, literally, jaw dropping moments in wrestling.

JP Liz V1

Taker beaten at WM and losing the streak because I never thought it would happen

Necro

I'm still swaying towards the Hogan turn at BOTB. Even if the unthinkable happened today and Cena turned, it wouldn't compare to the immortal one joining the NWO.

Donegal Dan

Necrominus wrote: »

I'm still swaying towards the Hogan turn at BOTB. Even if the unthinkable happened today and Cena turned, it wouldn't compare to the immortal one joining the NWO.

And they'll only turn Cena 7-10 years from now when his merchandise sales are no longer in the top 5 and his Make A Wish requests are on the wane.

If ever,

Tinie

The fact that JTG hasn't been released yet.

Agent Coulson

The self destruction of WCW and Vince buying it has to be the most shocking thing in wrestling history really.

briany

Necrominus wrote: »

I'm still swaying towards the Hogan turn at BOTB. Even if the unthinkable happened today and Cena turned, it wouldn't compare to the immortal one joining the NWO.

What a great move on Hogan's part, though. Totally revitalized his character. He'd been treading water with his crappy watered down version of his all American gimmick and the general public was getting thoroughly tired of it, as was Hogan himself. Shocking for most of us, but I'd say the IWC smarks of '96 saw it coming a mile off.

Donegal Dan

briany wrote: »

but I'd say the IWC smarks of '96 saw it coming a mile off.

The internet barely existed in '96

gerrybbadd

For me, it's last night. I sat up and watched the Montreal Screwing live, and I didn't find that as shocking (probably cos I hadn't a clue what was going on, pre internet).

I've never felt like I did last night about wrestling. I was shaken to the core

Donegal Dan

The picture and story that broke hearts and almost the internet

Diabhal Beag

The pipebomb stands out along with the Streak.

Ruu

Shocking you say?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ik-aPygpSU

the groutch

apart from Shockmaster's debut mentioned above, I'd have to say the formation of The Corporate Ministry

How Soon Is Now

Surprised no one has mentioned Vince opening the door of his limo and it exploding.

Its the one storyline that sticks out in my mind that i would of really loved to of seen where they where going with it and we got no answer to it.

briany

Donegal Dan wrote: »

The internet barely existed in '96

You'd be surprised. Computer nerds/wrestling fans had been talking wrestling on different computer networks since the late 80s and some of their discourse is still up there on Google's usenet archive. They hated Hogan for the same reasons that fans hate Cena today.

waltersobchak

Donegal Dan wrote: »

The internet barely existed in '96

The Internet and Wrestling fans very much existed in 96..

John Cherry

Taker losing his streak was a massive surprise last night,but I got the feeling when Brock set him up for the third F5 that was it.

In previous years he kicked out of finisher after finisher and last night he was dead on his feet for a lot of the match. He didn't seem to be able to handle the pace of the match and at one point spent I,think 5 minutes on the canvas doing a lot of submission holds just so he could take a rest and catch his breath.

ShagNastii

I put the Screwjob but now that I think of it I'd say Foley's drop off the cage.

Undertaker's streak was jawdropping "Woah WTF"

KOTR 98 was jaw jawdropping "Mother of God. Foley is dead":eek:

jaykhunter

Brock breaking the streak. I didn't see the BATB heel turn live so I can't comment. But taker's loss resulted in about 20 seconds of stunned silence that I don't think any other moment would elicit. Given that I'm a jaded wrestling fan and it's 2014, it's an incredible feat.

Mr.Saturn

John Cherry wrote: »

Taker losing his streak was a massive surprise last night,but I got the feeling when Brock set him up for the third F5 that was it.

I still didn't suss it, even as 'Taker was hoisted up for a 3rd F5 I was going 'man, they're really killing Lesnar here with Kickout-a-mania'.

OneEightSeven

Foley's bump off the cage. The reaction on The Undetaker's face made me think it was a shoot, that he did it in the heat of the moment.

Washout

Maybe it wax because I was kid that I found it shocking but for me it was the 2 Earl Hebners when hogan lost to Andre the giant

krudler

jaykhunter wrote: »

Brock breaking the streak. I didn't see the BATB heel turn live so I can't comment. But taker's loss resulted in about 20 seconds of stunned silence that I don't think any other moment would elicit. Given that I'm a jaded wrestling fan and it's 2014, it's an incredible feat.

This, I genuinely can't remember the last time a wrestling event stunned. There's been plenty of events that had twists and turns and whatnot and stuff like Punk taking the title home and all that you didn't expect to see, but hearing that 1-2..3..3? was that 3?! and seeing the crowd in utter, utter disbelief was the best thing I've seen in wrestling in years.

gimmick

Have to agree with that. How many people were in the arena? 60000? To have that almost completely silent is an amazing feat. No one saw that coming. As shocking moments go this will be remembered forever.

Moneymaker

How does Hogan's heel turn only have 5 votes.

What on earth. Nothing will ever top that for me.

beakerjoe

Moneymaker wrote: »

How does Hogan's heel turn only have 5 votes.

What on earth. Nothing will ever top that for me.

It wasnt shocking to me because, like many othe rIrish wrestling fans at the time it wasnt availabble to everyone. I used to read about WCW in magazines only and the odd video here and there so it never really shocked me. I was aware of WCW but never had the chance to watch it week in week out like WWF.

Wenr for Mick Foley off the Cell myself. I was in disbelief watching it live and thought Mick had died there and then. How the match went on was beyond me.

What happened sunday shocked me, i was stunned but as an Adult watching WWE now compared to the shock i witnessed as Foley was flung from the cell as a 14 year old, Foley wins it for me. Just

salacious crumb

Been watching since '86 and Sunday shocked me more than anything else ever did. My gf had to literally push my jaw back together....

Foley at HITC comes a close second. Hogan's turn was pretty shocking too, as was HBK superkicking Janetty through the Barber shop window :pac:

salacious crumb

Actually, Andre turning on Hogan in Piper's Pit was pretty shocking too. Mind you, I was 12

Soft Falling Rain

Mr.Saturn wrote: »

I still didn't suss it, even as 'Taker was hoisted up for a 3rd F5 I was going 'man, they're really killing Lesnar here with Kickout-a-mania'.

Aye, I just rolled my eyes in expectation of a ridiculous kick out from a 3rd F5. 1,2...yeah, whatever....wait, DID I JUST SEE A 3 COUNT!?

Deaths aside, pro wrestling had never stunned me into silence....until Sunday. For that alone my vote goes to the streak being defeated.

gimmick

Just thinking about this, The Screwjob is probably the moment which had the most long term impact on the business. It was arguably the moment where kayfabe was forever broken. It brought Vince to the fore as Mr McMahon rather than the glad handling commentator and it can be said it helped start the Monday Night Wars.

Whether it was "shocking" per se is another story. I'd imagine many in the arena that night did not realise what had happened as it happened. Whereas last night, well, that impact was immediate.

John Cherry

Mr.Saturn wrote: »

I still didn't suss it, even as 'Taker was hoisted up for a 3rd F5 I was going 'man, they're really killing Lesnar here with Kickout-a-mania'.

If Taker did kick out of that 3rd F5 it would have really have made Brock look weak and kill of his monster heel persona.

The fans then would have not believed he was this larger then life character and would not buy into it anymore.

If Taker kicked out of it and then went onto win the match that would have just buried Brock altogether.

A Rogue Hobo

Was gonna pick Taker's streak but it's still so fresh in my mind that I think it's just a knee jerk reaction. Foley's bumps for me, to any of my friends tht say oh wrestling is fake I show them that and my other friends that were wrestling fans but aren't anymore still talk about it when wrestling is bought up in conversation. In a few ways those two bumps define my love of wrestling as a child. It was so gruesome, violent, spectacular and mesmerising all at the same time.

John Cherry

A Rogue Hobo wrote: »

Was gonna pick Taker's streak but it's still so fresh in my mind that I think it's just a knee jerk reaction. Foley's bumps for me, to any of my friends tht say oh wrestling is fake I show them that and my other friends that were wrestling fans but aren't anymore still talk about it when wrestling is bought up in conversation. In a few ways those two bumps define my love of wrestling as a child. It was so gruesome, violent, spectacular and mesmerising all at the same time.

I just watched that match on VHS the other day.

Those were the days

Soft Falling Rain

Foley is just a mad bastard that went way beyond he had to just to get fans onside. I'm pretty sure too he said himself that the bump he took at KOTR 98, while classic, hardly got him over. It was his comedy stuff afterwards that did.

Bounty Hunter

As I said on the podcast, other moments might have been bigger or had more of an effect like Vince buying WCW or the montreal screwjob / Hogans heel turn but I was more shocked by The Streak ending in the way it did and to who it did than by any of them, I was like wow oh my god etc when they happened but I believed it was happening while with 21-1, I was literally in disbelief and trying to work out if it really had happened for a while,

cena

Bounty do make podcast

Bounty Hunter

cena wrote: »

Bounty do make podcast

not sure what you mean but Moneymaker will most likely post the link to this weeks one tonight or tommorow

cena

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

not sure what you mean but Moneymaker will most likely post the link to this weeks one tonight or tommorow

I mean a podcast show.

Bounty Hunter

cena wrote: »

I mean a podcast show.

Thats what I was refering to also; Myself , Moneymaker, Mrkiscool, HashtagHeel & Beaker joe this week discussed Mania etc in the 5th episode of the recently brought back Boards.ie PW podcast

Loughc

Takers streak for me too. After the three count happened I was convinced it was a false finish, that another ref was going to come out and over rule the three count for something ridiculous reason!

They should have teased the streak ending previously with false finishes to play with the crowds emotions haha.

Corholio

Finding out Konnan used to be Max Moon is up there.

The Streak ending hit me with shock that an event hasn't hit me in years. As shocking as Vince buying WCW was, it was just still something people read when they find out, seeing something happen in a match is more shocking IMO. Having seen a lot of dross over the past few years, along with some good too, it's good to see WWE is prepared to pull out something like that which genuinely shocks in this time of 'self admittance' of it not all being real etc.

rickydreamboat

Most shocking moment.... Surely it's gotta be Triple H jerking the curtain at WM30 and losing clean to Bryan.

But, personally I'd probably go with Austin turning heel at WM X-7. Austin was the MAN at the time, I seen no reason for him to turn heel. In fact, he was needed as a face because they didn't elevate Jericho and Benoit (which would have made sense) to fill the void left by The Rock leaving and the main face turning. The subsequent two man power trip versus Taker and Kane was the opposite of entertaining. Actually, I think that period started a downfall that they haven't fully recovered from, creatively.

Taker's Streak shocked me at the time, but it needed to happen. An unbeaten Streak within a pre-determined sport accomplishes nothing from a business perspective. The whole idea of wrestling is to consistently establish new stars. Now, I realise Brock isn't a 'new star' but HBK retired Flair, Taker retired HBK and now presumably Brock retired Taker. Brock is now a special attraction again and monster heel. So, when he is beaten again, the next star will get a rub. And so the cycle continues. I never bought the idea that a rising star should beat Taker 1 on 1.

Donegal Dan

rickydreamboat wrote: »

But, personally I'd probably go with Austin turning heel at WM X-7. Austin was the MAN at the time, I seen no reason for him to turn heel. In fact, he was needed as a face because they didn't elevate Jericho and Benoit (which would have made sense) to fill the void left by The Rock leaving and the main face turning. The subsequent two man power trip versus Taker and Kane was the opposite of entertaining. Actually, I think that period started a downfall that they haven't fully recovered from, creatively.

Austin has said if he'd go back he'd have never have turned heel and Jim Cornette pinpoints the minutes before the finish to the match as the exact moment that WWE peaked.

Then again Cornette doesnt like anything in wrestling past 1997 :pac:

rovert

This guy Okada returning to New Japan after a disaster run in TNA and winning the IWGP Heavyweight title his second match back:


Everyone thought New Japan had lost it but Okada grew into the role pretty much instantly.

Degag

Taker is/was supposed to do a podcast with SCSA, anyone know if/when this is happening?

Ape Lincoln

Degag wrote: »

Taker is/was supposed to do a podcast with SCSA, anyone know if/when this is happening?

I haven't seen a date but Shawn Michaels is on Jim Ross this week to talk about the Taker/Lesnar finish. He was sitting at guerilla position with HHH and Vince.

the blunder years

For me it has to be stone cold leaving in 2002, the burial of stone cold looking back was terrible. To think this guy was the biggest star of wrestling and be treated like that. Also have to say at the time I was only 11, I knew wrestling wasn't real but didn't know about backstage politics and all that.

the blunder years

Donegal Dan wrote: »

Austin has said if he'd go back he'd have never have turned heel and Jim Cornette pinpoints the minutes before the finish to the match as the exact moment that WWE peaked.

Then again Cornette doesnt like anything in wrestling past 1997 :pac:

Cornette still has a hard time believing it's not 1988 anymore and that the midnight express aren't the biggest draw in the south anymore. I like Cornette but he is so old school to a fault.

Donegal Dan

the blunder years wrote: »

Cornette still has a hard time believing it's not 1988 anymore and that the midnight express aren't the biggest draw in the south anymore. I like Cornette but he is so old school to a fault.

To the point that I dont think he'll ever get a decent job in wrestling again.