10 Controversial Times Wrestlers Went Off-Script
Those moments when wrestlers simply refused to stick to the script.
As time has rolled by in the land of Sports Entertainment, the reliance on the written page to strictly guide a performer to a destination of Vinnie Mac's choosing has never been more prevalent. Gone are the days of the vast majority of stars feeling the crowd and going with whatever quip, dig, or pipe-bomb comes naturally to them.
Well, almost...
Despite the fact this painfully contrived way of forwarding a narrative is still dominating a large portion of the WWE content that is pumped into our TV screens, modern wrestlers have also been known to shoot from the hip in front of a live audience, taking what has been written down for them and figuratively tearing it up in front of the boss' eyes.
Spanning back decades, the act of taking an unexpected detour and catching those in the audience - and in the back - completely off-guard is hardly a new development. And it's definitely intriguing to see how the reaction to these off-script actions has evolved over time.
From p*ssed off legends refusing to salute a golden boy, to a Great One simply playing by his own rules, these WWE stars drew all kinds of controversy after diverging from the pre-planned route.
10. The Curtain Call
Better to start with the obvious before delving into the lesser covered instances of wrestlers sticking their fingers up at the man, and here is perhaps the most memorable off-script development of them all.
As both Kevin Nash and Scott Hall had decided to call it a day within Vince McMahon's company after their last showing at MSG for WWE in May 1996, fellow Kliq buddies Triple H and Shawn Michaels decided to share a moment with the pair in the squared circle. The four stars all proceeded to hug and play up to those in attendance. The only problem was that these particular characters were a mash-up of heels and faces, thoroughly breaking "kayfabe" by having them all come together for one last farewell.
The response to this unprecedented act was controversial to say the least. But with Nash and Hall out of here and HBK seen as the company's golden boy, it was only The Game who was left feeling the wrath of the boss, losing his expected 1996 King of the Ring victory due to the act. Saying that, he did still win the Intercontinental Championship five months later, so it wasn't a complete death sentence.