10 Things We Learned From WWE SmackDown's First Ever Episode

2. Vince McMahon Took One Hell Of A Chair Shot

Vince McMahon Chair Shot
WWE Network

One of the more shocking things about looking back on old shows is how freely performers were thumped over the head with booming steel chair shots. Going in, yours truly expected to see Mick Foley take a blow or two here, but that didn't happen. The night's most memorable chair shot went to Vince McMahon himself.

The Undertaker f'n nailed him.

So loud was the crack of steel on skull that Jim Cornette on commentary couldn't stop talking about it for a few minutes afterwards. 'Taker levelled his boss with a shot so hard it would've stopped a train, and people in the crowd barely reacted. Another sign of the times, we suppose; such shots happened weekly.

There was a lot to take in, to be fair. Vince's big bump came after he'd already punched his son Shane and tried to stop 'The Deadman' (who had kidnapped his daughter on Raw, don't forget) from maiming Steve Austin (the knight in shining armour who saved Steph).

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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.