10 Last WWE Stars To Take Banned Wrestling Moves

5. Becky Lynch - Unprotected Chairshot

Buckle Bomb Nia Jax
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At Royal Rumble '99, fans witnessed The Rock smash Mick Foley's skull in with eleven of the most brutal unprotected chair shots to the head the business had ever seen, and we all cheered on like it was nothing. We were all barbarians back then (though ironically he, as it happens, was in WCW at the time).

Despite watching brain damage literally unfold before our eyes, the industry sat on its hands for the next eleven years - one for each million of Mankind's brain cells killed during his Rumble assault - before WWE finally took the lead and banned unprotected chair shots in 2010. Cynically, this wasn't a response to Benoit and CTE studies, nor in service of their performer's well-being, but an action to divert scrutiny over the practice in the midst of Linda McMahon's bid to become a senator.

Since then, folded furniture has nearly always met the flat of a performer's back - but there have been exceptions. The most recent occurred during Sasha Banks long-awaited comeback in August 2019, during which she blindsided Becky Lynch. Whilst bludgeoning The Man with a steel chair, Banks' inflamed ferocity got the better of her, and several of the shots clearly smacked the Irish star's head. Thankfully, Lynch wasn't injured in the incident, and it was put down to an accident.

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.