10 WWE-Like Moments In Real Sport
8. Ice Hockey - Ottawa Oilers vs. Philadelphia Flyers 2004
Fights aren’t unusual in ice hockey, with rules that look much more favourably on combat than most conventional sports. A melee that looks like the stage of the Royal Rumble when you know someone’s going to have to go over the ropes soon to make some space, is a different matter.
In this example, blood is drawn early as an isolated off the puck scrap escalates very quickly, into a brawl between full sets of players. Wrestling highlights include referees preventing additional entrances into the fray, flying clotheslines, and seeing some mask against mask matches as helmets are ripped from heads.
Order was restored after a not inconsiderable amount of time, although further flare-ups would persist throughout the game. No player ultimately faced any further disciplinary action for events, as they were deemed to be fair fights. Television replays of the 5-3 victory for the Flyers would go on to attract bumper ratings on US and Canadian stations.