10 Crippling Times Wrestlers Worked Themselves Into A Shoot
Pouring one out for all the jabroni marks who didn't know how to work a work.
That line, between kayfabe and reality, isn't really a line at all—but rather a blur.
Actual wrestling companies have become lost in the confusion; ahead of WrestleMania 34, WWE leaned into fan sentiment and promoted Brock Lesnar as an uncaring mercenary who didn’t give one sh*t about the company or his Universal Championship. To put this premise over, Lesnar went over Kane in just 35 seconds on the house show loop. This meta match—we were to receive it not as storyline evidence of the Beast’s dominance, but proof of his IRL indifference—took place in Chicago, a traditional WWE stronghold.
Months later, when WWE released its Q3 financials, we learned that this revenue stream had dried up to an extent that Vince McMahon deemed it “antiquated” and in need of “reimagining”.
Even if this isolated result didn’t impact international business, the approach certainly didn’t work on its own terms. Fans listened to that instruction, and grew disenfranchised with Lesnar—but didn’t in turn lend their support to Roman Reigns. WWE blurred the line, and in doing so, muddied the waters. It felt especially insulting, in that WWE sensed what we wanted and still tried to control their own narrative.
The performers themselves are equally guilty of the self-inflicted shot…
10. The Undertaker
Forging his legend as a result of his G.O.A.T-level, bone-chilling supernatural gimmick and, latterly, an equally formidable in-ring CV, the Undertaker was as loyal to the WWF as he was iconic within it. ‘Taker was never enticed by Eric Bischoff’s more money, fewer dates calling card. And, without the gimmick on the back of the Harley, WCW could have secured the signature—but not the mystique.
WCW attempted to circumvent copyright upon signing Ray ‘The Boss’ Traylor by having commentary declare “Man, is he Big!”
‘The Reaper’ turning up in a WCW ring, with Tony Schiavone yelling “Man, is he Dead!” wouldn’t have been quite the same, not that they’d have dared on a legal basis.
Though Kevin Nash insists ‘Taker was interested in a WCW run, this fanciful notion was buried into the core of the earth alongside Diamond Dallas Page in 2001. ‘Taker relished digging DDP’s grave with such a strange, defensive, and woefully counterproductive conviction that we can only infer he took the Monday Night Wars far too seriously. Though his loyal soldier bit was admirable in a cut-throat world, somebody should have advised him that the war had ended.
And that it was predetermined.