It begs a question as to there only being a list of five events that have changed due to bizarre circumstances in the wrestling world, mostly involving everyone’s favourite crazy Vince McMahon.
Alas, here we are, and low and behold at least 2 of the 5 involve the man himself.
Other crazies include the obvious most recent Saudi Prince who held wrestlers apparently hostage, a certain icon and enigma, a staple old school big man with a pair of scissors and an unfortunate death.
5. The untimely death of Bruiser Brody
Having a strong position in Puerto Rico Bruiser Brody travelled over by plane to fight at an event in Bayamon. A strong booker around the world with a positive reputation, there had been speak of him buying the very promotion he was to compete in that night. Scheduled for a bout against Dan Spivey he made his way to the event, unbeknown of his unfortunate fate.
In the locker room before the match it is said that Brody was called into the shower to discuss business with Jose Huertas Gonzalez, a fight in the shower room then ensued but there were no witnesses to the event. Tony Atlas has said that night in the locker room he heard screams from the shower room and out stumbling came Bruiser Brody holding his stomach, looking back up to see Gonzalez holding a knife.
Paramedics then struggled to reach Brody due to heavy traffic, as well as struggling to help Brody to the ambulance, being carried by Tony Atlas himself to get him to hospital. Brody later died of stab wounds, Gonzalez acquitted with the murder of Bruiser Brody due to witnesses not showing up.
4. Sid Vicious stabs Arn Anderson in scissor fight
One night in Blackburn in 1993, Sid Vicious and Arn Anderson are on a European Tour with WCW. Under the influence of alcohol and a sheer lack of sleep a few noted wrestlers are at a bar and things start to get a little bit heated between the two, while discussing the current fall in numbers of the promotion. It’s said that Arn Anderson had overheard Sid talking badly about Ric Flair and blaming him for the fall, putting faith in an “old man”. Beers began to fly but things were quickly calmed and everyone retired to their rooms.
But the mind alone continually leaves individuals to stew things over, leading Sid Vicious to the conclusion that he should finally settle the argument with Arn Anderson. Allegedly Sid and Anderson had a back and forth in a corridor where Sid supposedly hit Anderson with a chair leg before lunging at Anderson with a pair of surgical scissors. Anderson suffered around twenty stab wounds while Sid was stabbed four times leading them both to spend the night in hospital, then being deported back the U.S.
After returning to the U.S Sid Vicious was in the picture to fight Big Van Vader for the WCW Championship at Starcade 1993, only for that plan to be canned when Vicious was fired for the altercation in the U.K. This was also a part of the infamous ‘Disney Tapings’ era of WCW, where Bischoff had the money streamlining idea of recording many episodes in advance only to have to cut them when situations would occur, the including this altercation and Steven Regal replacing Brian Pillman as tag champion alongside Steve Austin dropping them to Anderson and Roma who had been pictured weeks before the recordings were to be aired on TV.
3. Sting vs. Jeff Hardy, TNA Victory Road 2011
This was probably the most awkward viewing as a wrestling fan. Jeff Hardy is a man who has literally put his body solidly on the line for what he loves up against an actual living legend in ‘The Icon’ Sting. This is also probably as close as we can get in the top five as to the circumstances literally changing in ring while the two men are being introduced to have their match.
Jeff appeared on the ramp before the match a whole 46 seconds after his music hit, all after being dragged from the car park by some lesser known wrestlers. He stumbled his way down the ramp while commentators picked up that something wasn’t quite right, while backstage the realisation of the situation has really hit home when Pritchard and Bischoff make an executive decision to change the outcome while Sting made his entrance.
Cue Eric Bischoff making his way down the ramp like many times before, entering the ring and doing a quick shoot between both Hardy and Sting and making the match a No DQ. Sting at this point is clearly getting agitated with the situation while Hardy walks around the ring teasing the crowd with his t shurt. Taking his opportunity they lock up and exchange a few blows until Sting forces the Scorpion Deathlock and then hard pins Hardy for the win. Sting is now totally livid with what has happened and leaves the ring, leaving Hardy punching turnbuckles, walking up the ramp to expletives he yells back “I agree”… So what should have been a match for the ages, was ruined by Jeff Hardy and his unfortunate addiction to SOMAs.
2. Smackdown’s NXT Takeover after Crown Jewel.
A situation we are equally grateful for whilst almost being completely confused over. The story (allegedly) goes that WWE were still waiting for payment from the Saudi prince from a previous show and big daddy Vince was refusing to televise the show until he received a payment, out of the blue and quite randomly 60 million appears in WWE’s account and on a 40 minute delay Crown Jewel is aired. You’d expect this to end here but alas it goes on.
Crown Jewel ran without a hitch and Vinny Mac hot footed his way out of Saudi Arabia quicker than Road Runner from another dastardly Wil E Coyote plan leaving the Animaniacs in situ. Word had quickly spread that a few aircrafts had left Saudi Arabia without any problems but the night after WWE were live with Smackdown and half of the roster on the other side of the world apparently being held hostage, or so we are told.
One man that had made it back over was Brock Lesnar who opened probably the biggest rating Smackdown since its move over to FOX from USA, he then subsequently left the arena for RAW to two familiar faces… Papa H and Uncle Shawn, of whom was attired head to toe in NXT colours. In true DX ways having had the reigns to the flagship they invaded with the best of NXT including Shayna Baszler who decimated Bayley, Nikki Cross and Sasha Banks. This led us to NXT Alumni Sami Zayn who was quickly shut up my Limitless Bros Matt Riddle and Keith Lee and it just didn’t end! We had appearances from Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Tommaso Ciampa, Tegan Nox and then treated to the main even of Daniel Bryan vs Adam Cole…Oh BAY BAY.
Papa H turned Smackdown on it’s head from the terrible (HA!) situation we had been left with, but also legitimising NXT as a brand in the build up to Survivor Series in a few weeks. People have said that NXT was the ugly baby brother to main show RAW and Smackdown but this night showed, if anything, that NXT is very much the front runner of the shows.
Just don’t tell Vince.
1. Vince McMahon “Blows himself up”
As far as farfetched absolutely crazy ideas go this really did take the digestive biscuit. We were to believe that Vince McMahon had been killed in a limo explosion and mourn his death in an appreciation night for the man himself… all the best laid plans and everything.
Though due to some other very distressing situations arising in the form of the double murder/suicide of Chris Benoit and his family, the plans were binned and instead we had Mr McMahon lead tributes in what now is a very awkward tribute show to Chris Benoit and his family.
There we are, five wrestling events that have changed due to bizarre circumstances. Of course there are a fair few that aren’t mentioned (not you, Hornswoggle) and some that are a little too sensitive to touch.
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