7 Classic WWE Moments That Haven't Aged Well

5. Brian Pillman Threatens To Shoot Steve Austin

Brian Pillman Gun
WWE Network

Tune into the 4 November 1996 episode of WWF Monday Night Raw and you'd be delighted by matches like Goldust vs. The Stalker (Barry Windham with face paint), The Sultan vs. Alex Porteau and Marc Mero vs. some dude dressed as Razor Ramon. It was one hell of a card (ahem), but it needed some extra spice.

Not to worry: "Loose Cannon" Brian Pillman was going to shoot old pal Steve Austin dead with a 9mm pistol for invading his home.

It's important to remember this was right before all bets were off and the WWF drenched itself in newfound Attitude. Late-1996 was still smack bang in the middle of cartoon capers a-go-go on weekly TV, and it was quite the shock then to see Pillman wave his handgun around and threaten gun-related death on Stone Cold.

Though shock factor was what Vince McMahon was going for, the incident remains one of the only times guns have been seen on WWE television. It was one thing to bash someone over the head with a steel chair. It was another entirely to promise a brain-stopping bullet between the eyes.

New Generation, baby.

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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.