10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About 2017

8. The Great Great Balls Of Fire Misstep

Triple H Jinder Mahal
WWE

Great Balls Of Fire is missing from the 2018 pay-per-view calendar. Funny, that.

In a year in which other promotions reached the elusive pop cultural zeitgeist, WWE showed the age of its chief creative force in embarrassing fashion; naming a pay-per-view event after a rock n' roll song as old as time, Vince McMahon evoked pity and laughter from his "Universe". It only underscored the regressive output proffered in a year of cheap racial baiting, and a grim return to the Diva tropes of yesteryear.

The fates conspired to compound the humiliation; no less than four logos were publicised and immediately retconned, ranging from rudimentary WordArt abominations to hilariously juvenile mock-ups of c*cks and balls. The event itself wasn't a complete horror show - though Roman Reigns alienated many by attempting murder in the babyface role, and Samoa Joe's ultimately only-good outing with Brock Lesnar marred his main event credentials.

It just wasn't meant to be; Great Balls Of Fire started life as an embarrassment, and ended it as an anticlimax.

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!