10 Dumbest WWE Match Finishes This Decade

3. The Chi-Town Screwjob (Payback 2016)

Natalya Charlotte Bret Hart Ric Flair
WWE.com

The finish saw the umpteenth reprise of the Montreal Screwjob finish, as should have been obvious as soon as it was announced that Bret Hart would join Natalya in her corner. Sure enough, referee Charles Robinson called for the bell despite there being no hint of Natalya submitting to Charlotte's Figure Eight submission manoeuvre.

Yes, Hart did the exact same thing in NXT, without a hint of shenanigans, but this is the Vince-operated main roster WWE we're talking about. He'd never miss the opportunity to embarrass the 'Hitman'. There was slight vindication for the finish, given Charlotte's indirect association with Robinson, but it was yet another case of WWE booking a groan-inducing inconclusive result purely to justify a rematch at the next pay-per-view.

Besides which, Stephanie McMahon went on to criticise Charlotte's reliance on Ric and ban her dad from ringside. Why wouldn't she take disciplinary action against 'Little Naitch', too?

This match, incidentally, is emblematic of the difference between NXT and main roster WWE. One is a traditional-yet-progressive brand, as famed for its realism as it is its freshness. The other is a teeth-grindingly dumb endurance test in which stupidity is both regurgitated and prolonged.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!