10 Times wrestling fans were totally surprised
If you're a long time fan of wrestling, you can probably guess where storyline angles are going, who is going to go over, and even who might end up champion. This is true in any entertainment, from nighttime soap operas to action movies.
However, sometimes the pro wrestling writers come up with something truly special, shocking, or just plain devious that take the fans completely unawares. Some of these shocking, surprising moments are fondly remembered by fans. Others, not so much.
Here are ten times that wrestling fans were taken totally by surprise.
1. Rikishi confesses to running over Steve Austin.
In the year 2000, WWE was on a roll. They were finally defeating WCW in the ratings war, had a stacked roster from top to bottom, and were on the mainstream cultural map thanks to the Rock's acting roles.
One of the mid-card acts receiving a lot of attention and love from the fans during this era was Too Cool. The dancing fools Brian Christopher--Jerry Lawler's son--and Scotty Too Hotty added veteran big man Rikishi to their post-match dance routines. The fans loved every minute of it, and it soon became a highlight of RAW.
Rikishi started palling around with fellow Samoan the Rock, steadily moved up the card and was one of the top babyfaces of the era. That's why what happened next was so shocking.
Months earlier, Stone Cold Steve Austin had been kayfabe run over by a car (in reality it was a stuntman who took the bump) because he needed time off for surgery. When Austin returned, he was full of rage and attacking the whole locker room. Raw GM Mick Foley pleaded with Austin to allow him to conduct an investigation. Reluctantly, Austin agreed.
During Foley's investigation, he learned that the driver of the car had been blonde, larger than average, and had to be one of the performers on the show the night Austin was run down. Most fans suspected Triple H--a long time Austin foe--or Billy Gunn, as both men fit the criteria.
However, the wrestling world was shocked when Rikishi revealed that he had been the one to run down Austin. And he'd done it for the people...