10 Wrestling Gimmick Matches You Won't See Again

4. Junkyard Invitational

Terri The Kat SummerSlam 2000
WWE Network

The search for new match types haunts wrestling bookers the world over.

A truly great match stipulation needs to be both simple enough to understand, and yet also have the potential for drama and be something fresh and unique. It's enough to make you want to throw your hands up and say "sod it, let's just make them fight with trash" which is what WCW did in 1999. The Bash at the Beach PPV featured the Junkyard Invitational, where a goodish chunk of the midcard competed to see who could escape a junkyard first.

The problem with the Junkyard invitational wasn't with the idea, which was uninspired - but not as dumb as an electrified cage. It was the fact that a junkyard is not designed to be fought in. Wrecked cars and assorted industrial rubbish do not make for comfortable landings, and many of the wrestlers involved were legitimately severely injured. It was a dull and bewildering match in which fourteen men dodged tetanus-laced scrap metal for barely any payoff.

Even if the WWE tried to re-stage it, they're be hard pressed to find anyone willing to contemplate doing it.

Contributor

Ben Counter is a fantasy and science fiction writer, gaming enthusiast, wrestling fan and miniature painting guru. He was raised on Warhammer, Star Wars and 1980s cartoons that, in retrospect, were't that good. Whoever you are, he is nerdier than you.