9 Promos That Killed Wrestlers' Careers
1. The Shockmaster Stumbles Into Infamy, Joblessness
You know what this is. We all know what this is. If you somehow don't know what this is, please email me to tell me if we finally have flying cars in 2099, because you are clearly from the very distant future.
The Shockmaster is the go-to punchline when talking about failed gimmicks, failed debuts, and really, failures in general as they pertain to the wrestling business. So it shouldn't be surprising that he comes in at the top of this list.
Fred Ottman had done alright for himself in WWE, both as a face (Tugboat) and as a heel (Typhoon), but any chance he had at a promising career in WCW rolled away with his bedazzled Stormtrooper helmet when he tripped and fell on live TV during his infamous debut.
It's unlikely the ludicrous gimmick would've worked even if Ottman had stayed on his feet, as the wacky costume and warbly-voiced promo was certainly enough to turn viewers off, even in the early '90s.
Give the guy credit for not promptly turning tail and running right back through the giant hole in the wall, but there was no coming back from something like this.
Perhaps more amazing is that everyone else who proceeded to lose their sh*t on the sidelines managed to keep their jobs and places on the totem pole.