10 Most Controversial Wrestling Shows Of All Time

9. ECW Barely Legal '97

Antonio Inoki Ric Flair Collision In Korea
WWE.com

In addition to severing several arteries, New Jack's surgical assault on Erich 'Mass Transit' Kulas in November '96 very nearly cut off ECW's cable ties.

As Paul Heyman prepared to take his riotous promotion into the rule-abiding world of pay-per-view, several companies lost their proverbial lunches after being alerted to Mass Transit's butchering. Request TV promptly cancelled ECW's proposed inaugural show, Barely Legal, following a tip-off from the Pro Wrestling Torch's Wade Keller. Premiere were likewise apprehensive about airing such a violent bloodbath, only coming round when they received sackfuls of mail from imploring fans - fans who'd pay them for the privilege.

Providers Cablevision and Viewer's Choice couldn't be convinced, particularly when they saw The Sandman's seven year old son Tyler trotted out as part of his father's feud with Raven. After much back and forth, Request eventually reversed their stance - but only when Paul Heyman agreed to make several concessions, watering down the product to their satisfaction. ECW faithful were not best pleased, to say the least.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett