10 Times Wrestlers Botched Their Biggest Moment
9. Matt Sydal
In providing a mainstream competitor to WWE, AEW has given some of the world’s greatest wrestling talents an alternative avenue to success. A rejection or release from WWE is no longer a death sentence for those hoping to make a name in Western wrestling.
Should a wrestler find their way onto AEW’s roster, there is no worst occurrence than botching their resurrection. For Matt Sydal, this became a reality.
Sydal previously wrestled in WWE, as Evan Bourne, from 2008 to 2014. He had a fairly good midcard career with the company that was blighted by injury and Wellness Policy violations.
He debuted in AEW at All Out (2020) as the surprise Joker entrant in the Casino Battle Royale. Upon entering, he went straight to the top rope but slipped trying to propel himself into his long-time finisher, the Shooting Star Press, resulting in a nasty landing. Sydal continued the match and escaped significant injury. The botch was explained away with Michael Nakazawa taking credit for oiling up the turnbuckles prior to the event.
Brock Lesnar botched the same move at WrestleMania without harming his career, hopefully Sydal can bury his botch with the legacy he builds.