The perception among the general public is that the WWE are nothing more than charlatans who prey on the credulity of a naive audience, but this notion couldn’t be further away from the truth. When presented with care and attention, professional wrestling can be as enthralling as any other form of entertainment in the world.
In fact, if you speak to any WWE Superstar, they will tell you that their job is to put smiles on people’s faces. This may sound like corporate hogwash on the surface, but these men and women genuinely think that it’s their divine duty to give the audience its money’s worth.
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Dismiss the pompous ranting of the vocal minority, and it is pretty evident that a lot of fans are thoroughly entertained by the WWE and their cast of characters. However, for everything that is glorious about the sport of kings, things can always go awry and leave the audience in a state of fear and panic. This list is intended to take you through five such moments.
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Without any further ado, here are the 5 scariest moments in WWE history:
#5 The piledriver heard around the world
In August of 1997, Steve Austin was on a meteoric rise to the summit of the World Wrestling Federation. The Bionic Redneck decided to capture the Intercontinental Championship at that year’s Summerslam, and the obstacle placed in front of him was none other than Owen Hart.
Both men were at the peak of their powers, and they put on a spectacle for the majority of the match. However, as the bout neared its conclusion, Hart botched a piledriver and accidentally spiked Austin’s head on the canvas, temporarily paralysing the iconoclastic Texan and mangling his neck in the process. The Rattlesnake barely managed to secure a weak roll-up for the victory.
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Needless to say, the man fondly known as Stone Cold went on to become the most lucrative character in wrestling history, but he was never able to shake off this injury fully, and his career ended prematurely in 2003.
#4 Concussion city
In 2002, Brock Lesnar was afforded what is now known as the Roman Reigns push, with the small difference being that he had ten times the charisma, athleticism and talent. When he was slotted into the main event of WrestleMania 19 against Kurt Angle, the audience was more than ready to welcome the coronation of the next top Superstar.
Determined to seal the victory in spectacular fashion, the Beast Incarnate took to the top rope and attempted a shooting star press. Alas, things didn’t go according to plan as Lesnar missed his target and fell head first on the canvas.
The impact alone would've broken the necks of most ordinary men, but we've long since established that Paul Heyman's favourite client isn't one of those.
In fact, Lesnar escaped with nothing more than a concussion and finished the match with an emphatic F-5.
#3 The Boy Wonder takes flight
WrestleMania 32 was the most attended event in the history of modern professional wrestling, and the match that drove most of the ticket sales was Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell.
Performing in a high profile match for the first time in almost a decade, the Boy Wonder decided to tap into his inner stuntman. After holding his own for most of the bout, Shane-O-Mac positioned The Phenom on an announce desk and took a leap of faith from the top of the cell.
The WWE Universe then looked on in horror as The Undertaker rolled out of the way and their favourite McMahon went crashing through the table. One last Tombstone ended the former European Champion’s resistance, but he didn’t sustain any serious injuries and lived to fight another day.
#2 The Fall of Mankind
It is easy to argue that the Hell in a Cell encounter between The Undertaker and Mankind ended up as the most memorable match in professional wrestling history. This match served as a stark reminder of the brutality of the sport of kings, and it also showed everyone that Mick Foley’s unwavering commitment to his craft could’ve gotten him killed.
Good Ol’ Saint Mick was always known as a bit of a risk taker, but he took things to a different level when he allowed The Deadman to fling him from the top of the cell and onto the Spanish announce table.
This bump left Foley with several cracked ribs as well as a concussion; however, his night was from over. The Hardcore Legend proceeded to take a chokeslam on top of the cage, causing one of the panels to relent, resulting in him hitting the canvas below.
A fall from a different angle would’ve killed Foley, but he managed to live to tell the tale.
#1 The Rattlesnake turns to the dark side
While the fear of injury to their favourite Superstar can strike fear into the hearts of most wrestling fans, the prospect of seeing that performer renege on everything that made them successful in the first place is much more terrifying.
And when that happens to Stone Cold Steve Austin - who ushered a whole generation of fans to professional wrestling - the feeling of dread can shred a fan’s gut into pieces. This is one of the many reasons why the infamous heel turn at WrestleMania 17 is the worst booking decision in WWE history.
It not only signalled the end of the Attitude Era, but it also ensured that approximately two million people stopped watching Raw in the ensuing year. The WWE have had some amazing moments since then, but they have never come close to recapturing the magic that they lost at the seventeenth edition of the Showcase of the Immortals.
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