10 Times Wrestling Recklessly Abused Kayfabe On-Air
5. Kliq Bait
The WWE experienced seismic changes between during 1997, but as highlighted in numerous reviews of the Attitude Era's embryonic stages, a host of intentional and accidental incidents during 1995 and 1996 led to so many of the historic moments that would occur in the years that drove the company back to the summit of the wrestling industry.
By October, D-Generation-X was just about fully formed in all but name, as Shawn Michaels and Triple H basked in the glory of 'HBK's Hell in a Cell victory over The Undertaker at the previous evening's Badd Blood: In Your House pay-per-view. The duo opened Raw (following a sombre ten-bell salute to Brian Pillman for which they remained backstage) with a rampaging worked shoot promo speaking mostly about their own brilliance whilst ripping to shreds much of the silliness the endured during WWE's troubled New Generation Era.
Michaels in particular was in rare form as he ruthlessly positioned himself above the entire roster in establishing his unwillingness to 'lay down for anybody' as a catchphrase just days after he'd said exactly that to Bret Hart for real backstage. It was then things turned goofy, as Shawn and Hunter replayed found footage of the infamous Madison Square Garden 'Curtain Call' that saw Helmsley demoted and Michaels demonised as the pair bid fond farewell to best friends Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.
In May 1996, it was an unacceptable and unthinkable contravention of kayfabe. Just over one year later, it was already a subversive grasp for ratings.