10 Most Infamous Matches In Wrestling History

3. Trish Stratus & Bradshaw Vs. Chris Nowinski & Jackie Gayda - WWE RAW

Chamber Of Horrors
WWE Network

Known in the immediate aftermath as "That Jackie Gayda match," Trish Stratus & Bradshaw Vs. Chris Nowinski & Jackie Gayda was a total trainwreck - a business-exposing botch festival.

"They're green, as they" said Jim Ross on commentary. No sh*t. Nowinski and Gayda were fresh off Tough Enough and really had no business being on national television. That might be a slight on Nowinski: his exchanges with Bradshaw were more than passable. He sold well enough and his positioning was adequate.

Gayda was the chief culprit; her sequences with Gayda were beyond abysmal. They weren't a complete shambles initially. Gayda managed to sell a dropkick as if she was on the same continent as her opponent. Stratus then picked her up and tried to deliver a forearm, but Gayda reacted with such a delay it was as if Stratus had delivered the move on SmackDown. Stratus then tried to vault over the ropes, presumably to sell for a back body drop, but Gayda was nowhere to be seen. They then collapsed in a heap on the mat. You can watch it back ten times and still have no clue whatsoever as to what Gayda was thinking, but it's a pointless exercise. She didn't either.

"And mercifully, it's over," said Ross at the conclusion, which saw Gayda again exist in a completely different time zone to Stratus. As Stratus dove from the top rope, to deliver a bulldog, Gayda took a full second to collapse in a heap. Her arms still flailed helplessly as Stratus struck the mat.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential 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 former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current 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!