10 Most Controversial Wrestling Shows Of All Time

1. Over The Edge '99

Antonio Inoki Ric Flair Collision In Korea
WWE Network

It would have been unreasonable to expect WWE to call off Badd Blood at such short notice following the news of Brian Pillman's death, but the company had absolutely no excuses whatsoever in strictly adhering to the adage "the show must go on" when tragedy struck at Over the Edge '99.

Whilst rappelling to the ring from the rafters of the Kemper Arena as part of an elaborate entrance under his alter-ego 'The Blue Blazer', Owen Hart's safety harness malfunctioned. He was sent hurtling over 70 feet chest-first into the ring post.

An hour later, a clearly distressed Jim Ross informed viewers that Owen Hart had died. Despite his colleagues having just watched their friend plummet to his death, Vince McMahon made the galling call to continue the show. Fan appetite was in short supply - some even departed the Kemper Arena in disgust. The gross misjudgement was compounded when the PPV ended with The Undertaker, of all people, standing tall, which The Calgary Sun described a day later as "sick, disrespectful, and wrong."

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.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back almost 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 60,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett