10 Wrestling Finishes Performed On The Fly

In a properly run promotion, and in an ideal world, no one under the influence of anything other than strong coffee would be allowed into a wrestling ring under any circumstances. Well, we don’t live in an ideal world… and as to whether you believe that TNA are a properly run promotion, your mileage may vary.

In March 2011, Jeff Hardy was scheduled to challenge wrestling legend Sting for the TNA world title at the Victory Road pay-per-view. However, when his music hit and he came through the curtain it became obvious to everyone that Hardy was wasted: he missed his cue by nearly a full minute, and swayed to ringside, where he ambled around with the demeanour of a drunk teenager trying to act sober in front of his parents.

Following Sting’s entrance, we were treated to an interruption by Eric Bischoff, allegedly (as a heel authority figure) to announce that the match would have a no disqualification stipulation, to supposedly stick it to the babyface champion. In reality, Bischoff, standing at TNA’s equivalent of the gorilla position, had called an audible and ordered the match be cut short, heading to ringside to relay urgent new instructions to the participants.

After the bell, we were treated to a full minute of the trawlered Hardy attempting to heel on the fans by teasing throwing his t-shirt into the crowd. When the action began, it lasted seconds: a kick, two punches and a Scorpion Death Drop from the champion, and a pin to retain the title. Hardy thrashed about under the cover, but the heavier man grimly held him down as the referee counted, ignoring the fact that one shoulder was up.

And that was all she wrote. Bell to bell, the main event took 88 seconds, including Hardy’s stalling tactics. The crowd were livid, chanting “BULLSH*T” over and over, and as he left, a visibly frustrated and angry Sting shouted back “I agree! I agree!”

This incident came after months of erratic, clearly intoxicated behaviour from a man who had substance abuse issues that had been affecting his work for years, and who was months away from being sentenced for possession and trafficking.

In the days that followed Victory Road, word got out that Hardy’s entrance wasn’t the company’s first indication that evening something was amiss: he’d been found more or less passed out near his dressing room earlier on. Yet they let the match go on regardless.

Sting was due to retain anyway - but not like that. Bischoff’s audible may have saved TNA from serious consequences in allowing a heavily intoxicated junkie to try to work a match on a live pay-per-view - and considering the humiliation that took place anyway, that’s saying something.