10 Best Worked Shoots In WWE History
2. Joey Styles Takes Aim At Sports Entertainment
When Joey Styles was given a bullying pep talk from the eternally annoying quintet that was the Spirit Squad, the visibly seething announcer looked like a man that was ready to snap. His sarcastic welcome back to ringside by a jovial Jerry Lawler was the final straw.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Styles turned violent and slapped Lawler in the face provoking a shove in response that saw 'The Voice of Extreme' fall to the ground. Humiliated, Styles left the announce position and made his way backstage. When he returned after the break, he was not a happy man.
He was, however, more than happy to verbalise his plight. Airing his legitimate grievances with the company since taking over commentary duties from Jim Ross earlier that year, the former soundtrack of ECW pulled no punches in his tirade. From internal criticism of his play-by-play style to his removal from the PPV team, Styles teed off on sports entertainment and the direction of the business before concluding in emphatic fashion by quitting.
The conviction behind his delivery made him all the more believable and - as per his own words - he disappeared from WWE immediately. Styles returned a month later at the WWE vs. ECW special, making his full-time return to commentary for the revived ECW brand, starting at One Night Stand '06.