10 Biggest Wrestling Scandals Of The 1990s
7. The Sandman Is Crucified
Extreme Championship Wrestling was tailor-made to produce scandals. From its ultra-violent matches to its outlandish characters to its fondness for sex and cursing, Paul Heyman's island of misfit toys was the 1990s at its grotty peak.
One of the many headline-snatching moments from ECW's short tenure happened on October 26th 1996. The Sandman was embroiled in a highly personal feud with Raven, which saw the former's wife and son brainwashed by the charismatic cult leader.
Following a victory over 2 Cold Scorpio, Sandman was attacked by Raven and his 'Nest' of followers. The group tied their target to a wooden cross and crucified him over the over the top rope. The finishing touch was a crown of barbed wire, which took the religious imagery to a whole new level.
The stunt was heavily criticised by religious groups. The heat got so bad that ECW were forced to apologise, which is when you know things have really gotten bad.
One of the many offended viewers was Kurt Angle. The Olympic gold medalist, who was in attendance for the show, cancelled his plans to wrestle for the company. He wouldn't sign for WWE until two years later.