10 Most Embarrassing Wrestling Botches Of 2021 (So Far)
9. Big F
Big E vs. Apollo Crews
Intercontinental Championship
WWE Fastlane 2021
The feud between Big E and Apollo was initially promising and seemed like solid booking for both men. Big E was given the opportunity to break out as a singles star retaining the same level of success that he’d previously enjoyed with The New Day, and Apollo was finally allowed to drop his bland smiling babyface gimmick.
While the two had some decent matches, their Fastlane clash for the Intercontinental Championship wasn’t one. The worst time to botch is during the match’s finish, where booking has its tightest grip on what plays out in the ring.
At the match’s conclusion, Apollo caught Big E with a small package causing confusion among viewers. It was unclear who had scored the pin as the two tumbled around and Big E attempted a bridge at the two count. Following the bell, Apollo continued to beat down Big E further confusing fans. Though commentary tried to explain it away as a post-match beat-down, the fumble was noticeable, with Dave Meltzer confirming the botch. It was a bump in their rise to single stardom when neither man needed it.