Top 5 pipe bombs outside the WWE

“Pipebomb” is a word that is now referenced to any verbal jab that is thrown by a performer, while making it look legitimate. Decades ago, although people were unaware about the kayfabe aspect of professional wrestling, everything was fairly simple. You had the good guys, and then you had the bad guys. Verbally attacking someone was a part and parcel of the business, but it was when the kayfabe part of the industry was exposed that the people started reading between the lines, and since then, any reference to real life beef or ‘heat’ was looked upon as an opportunity to look beyond the smokes and mirrors, and to get a glimpse of the reality behind the ‘circus act’.Ever since the infamous worked shoot by CM Punk in 2011, the fans have started referring to every controversial promo as a “pipebomb”. CM Punk’s promo wasn’t the first to get the wrestling fans riled up, and certainly won’t be the last. Many performers in the past decided to air the dirty laundry on national television, and in this article, we take a look at five pipebombs, which were either worked shoots or shoots outside of the WWE.

#1 The birth of The Franchise Shane Douglas

This incident is also considered to be the birth of Extreme Championship Wrestling, as “The Franchise” Shane Douglas won the prestigious NWA World Heavyweight title, and just as people thought that he would bask in the glory and take his place among some of the greatest names to have won the title, he proceeded to throw the title on the mat, and in an act of defiance, proclaimed the title to be of little to no importance.

He then unveiled himself as the new ECW World champion, as Paul Heyman wanted to prove to the world that the old – school wrestling was now passé, and he was starting a new revolution. Shane Douglas proceeded to cut one of the most infamous promos in the history of professional wrestling, and vilified the likes of Ric Flair and Terry Funk.