10 Last WWE Stars To Take Banned Wrestling Moves

1. Victoria - Wings Of Love

Buckle Bomb Nia Jax
WWE Network

Unlike most wrestling moves outlawed because of their inherent risk, Michelle McCool's Wings of Love had its swansong in a Wet 'n' Wild Water Fight. The philosophy underpinning that drastic spectacle, pitting McCool & Cherry (that's right, 'who?') against Maryse & Victoria on a March 2008 episode of SmackDown, is the same one which saw the impressive-looking double-underhook facebuster banned.

Basically, WWE didn't deem their female superstars capable of enduring such a tricky finisher, just as they didn't trust them - or want them - to compete in lengthy matches. As McCool herself explained back at the time, the Wings of Love was banished from her moveset because "apparently it was too devastating for us girls."

WWE had purposefully assembled a female roster with aesthetics rather than ability in mind, so it's possible they had a point through their own design, if not generally. Seeing the actually competent McCool pull out such a nasty move in such a degrading contest is somewhat odd. The similarly competent Victoria was the one on the receiving end, and science (ie how much of 2008's SmackDown Divas division this writer can endure) suggests she was the last to do so.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.