Not every wrestler is like Hulk Hogan who has creative control in their contracts. Most wrestlers have to follow the writers’ directions without objections, even when those ideas are poor and should be rejected. Imagine having an excellent storyline building up for months, only for the company to reverse everything and ruin it, angering both fans and wrestlers alike. For instance, at WrestleMania 40, a storyline was nearly derailed but WWE managed to salvage it and create something incredible. However, not all storylines are recoverable, and sometimes wrestlers need to reject bad scripts, even if it means upsetting the powers that be.
A notorious example is Brock Lesnar’s botched shooting star press at WrestleMania 19 on March 30, 2003. Lesnar, despite being uneasy with the move, was compelled to perform it, nearly ending his career due to a concussion. Though the match against Kurt Angle, where Lesnar won his second World Championship, was memorable, this risky spot was not part of the original script and was suggested by John Laurinaitis, who deemed it a WrestleMania moment. Lesnar should have heeded Kurt Hennig’s warnings to avoid it.
Another infamous moment was John Cena’s loss to Kevin Federline on January 1, 2007, during Monday Night Raw. Federline, Britney Spears’ ex-husband and a novice wrestler, won in a feud no one wanted, thanks to a decapitalization match allowing interference and pinfall victory. Cena usually follows company demands, but this should have been a moment to push back.
In a controversial storyline on November 29, 1999, on Monday Night Raw, Triple H drugged Stephanie McMahon and forced her into marriage against her will, turning her character into a villain. This disturbing angle involved hinting at sexual assault, sparking widespread criticism during the ‘Attitude Era.’
The “Brawl for All” tournament from June 29 to August 24, 1998, was a shoot-style wrestling competition aired on Monday Night Raw. It caused real injuries to wrestlers and did not benefit anyone creatively, especially when Steve Williams, who was supposed to win, was eliminated prematurely. This failed experiment is often cited as a major misstep for WWE.
Fan Take: These infamous storylines and moments highlight the risks WWE wrestlers face when forced to execute unpopular or dangerous scripts. Understanding these incidents helps fans appreciate the fine line between creative storytelling and respecting performers’ safety and dignity, which remains crucial for the sport’s future.
