41 Most Disgusting Promotional Tactics In Wrestling History RANKED

39. 1992 - Pushing Erik Watts

“Yes, pushing a murderer as a babyface was truly despicable business. But Erik Watts killed the art of professional wrestling, which is just as bad.”

Now, that might read as a joke, but it is in effect what the readership of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter said when voting for the Erik Watts push in 1992.

Legendary booker Bill Watts was an infamous and vile grump of a bloke. He was tough and valued toughness so much that he once fired one of his talents for losing a barroom brawl for real. He did however hold a soft spot for his useless son, Erik, who couldn’t work a lick but secured a WCW gig regardless, because his old man held the pencil. On the nepo-baby scale, Erik Watts, with his corny demeanour, was somewhat better than David Flair. Somewhat. His movements at least vaguely resembled those of an athlete. Erik, who embarked on a not insignificant winning streak, was almost as bad. Think of prime Kazuchika Okada’s dropkick. The effect of levitation, the breathtaking height, the illusion of his feet crushing the jaw of his opponent. It’s great. But you know what would be better?

If he just sort of jumped up a little bit and aimed his feet at their knees before falling, gracelessly, on his ass. That’s what Erik did.

Watts was pushed as a stud of a prodigy who would show up Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham in training drills. In reality, Watts made the Miz look like Haku.