EVERY Wrestling Move Banned By WWE (And Why)
WWE bans wrestling moves all the time and the reasons are sometimes surprising.
In the early 1980s, Vince McMahon took control of WWE from his father and turned it into a national phenomenon with huge talent acquisitions, big television contracts, and pay-per-view. McMahon also slowly transitioned it into the mainstream-friendly sports entertainment that it is today. As a result, WWE went through many cosmetic changes and looks much different than it did when McMahon first took control of it.
Over the years, there have been changes inside WWE rings. 1980s Saturday morning WWE programs don’t look like today’s RAW or SmackDown programs. One of the reasons is that some wrestling moves come and go. Outdated maneuvers are replaced with more exciting and innovative ones that leave fans wanting more. However, some wrestling moves disappear from WWE for another reason.
In the transition from regional pro wrestling to sports entertainment giant, WWE has become more conscious of in-ring injury. They have tried to balance providing fans exciting and innovative wrestling with the safety of their talent, which they have a sizable investment in. If a superstar’s move set loses a favorite, it has probably been placed on WWE’s list of banned moves.
17. Poisoned Frankensteiner
The Poisoned Frankensteiner is a reverse Frankensteiner executed from the top rope and was invented by the creator of the original Frankensteiner, Scott Steiner. This variation on the original is an exciting crowd-pleaser but is also banned by WWE.
The Poisoned Frankensteiner is complicated to perform safely due to the opponent having their back to the action. Without precise execution, the talent on the receiving end is open to head and neck injury. Adding the top rope to the equation just increases the injury risk presented by the Poisoned Frankensteiner.
However, WWE did take it out for a spin at NXT TakeOver Brooklyn 2015. During the NXT Women’s Championship match, Bayley used it on Sasha Banks on her way to winning the title. It was an exciting but scary moment during the classic match. Although the Poisoned Frankensteiner was executed well, it must have caused some nervous moments backstage because it did another disappearing act.