10 Screw Ups That Led To Huge WWE Moments

by Jamie Kennedy

1. Owen Hart Breaks Steve Austin's Neck

Steve Austin Owen Hart Vince McMahon
WWE

The Screw Up: Steve Austin didn't want Owen Hart to sit on his ass during their planned piledriver spot at SummerSlam 1997. Ignoring Austin's concerns, Owen did it anyway and ended up breaking Steve's neck, almost paralysing him permanently and shelving 'Stone Cold's' mega push towards the top of the WWF.

Oops.

The Moment: Austin showed real toughness by finishing the match, making it to his feet and briefly lifting the Intercontinental Title high above his head. Then, on the 22 September '97 Raw, he returned to a huge pop in MSG (sensing a pattern?), beat the snot out of Hart and hit that very first Stunner on a helpless Vince McMahon.

His work on that night heightened fan interest in Austin as a character, and showed he was a renegade anti-hero who wouldn't comply with McMahon's corporate way of doing things. Nobody could've known it at SummerSlam, but Owen's botch would actually enhance Austin's aura.

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What other screw ups led to huge WWE moments? For more like this, check out 8 Things We Learned From WWE’s Sting: The Lost Tape and WWE 2K22: 10 Things We Already Know!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.