10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (June 29)

6. The Brooklyn Brawler Once Got An Accidental WWF Title Shot

Brooklyn Brawler
WWE.com

The date 22 September 1997 will forever be etched in Steve Lombardi's mind. That day, on a house show in Madison Square Garden, he was booked to win a 20-man Battle Royal and earn a shot at the WWF Title on the promotion's next visit to the historic venue. Lombardi, as The Brooklyn Brawler, was as confused as everyone else backstage.

According to Brawler's comments on Sean Mooney's Prime Time podcast, he was never meant to win the match. Ken Shamrock was, but the MMA hard man went down with a serious sternum injury and that meant he couldn't work the number one contendership match.

When Brawler approached Vince McMahon after going over and asked if he knew the winner of the Battle Royal was supposed to get a title shot on 15 November, McMahon honoured the stipulation and encouraged the jobber to have fun.

Remarkably, Brawler did get his crack at new champ Shawn Michaels just six nights after a controversial screw job at Survivor Series. He even came out to a big babyface reaction and Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York".

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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.