4 times real-life incidents were used in storylines
Over a decade ago, the WWE decided to turn its programming to more family friendly content. This, of course, meant the company losing its edge because of the way pop culture had shifted from the dark, grungy decade of the ’90s to the more clean and pure 2000s.
A decade that idolized the anti-establishment had faded and the WWE changed with the times. Without being able to use sympathy by way of being battered and bloody as a crutch for building a babyface, the WWE has had to rely more on its core storytelling fundamentals and they’ve not always done well in that department.
In a company where the heels say and do the cool things and the top babyface is force-fed lines like “sufferin’ succotash”, as an insult no less, it’s no wonder the heels are always cheered.
But when the heels try to really do their job and get people to hate them by way of words, people get uncomfortable. Wrestling is at its best when it is believable, or maybe even “real”. Suspending disbelief is a key part of truly loving pro wrestling.
Let’s look back at some moments where this imaginary line of morality, reality, and kayfabe was crossed for better, or worse.
#4: Jerry Lawler's Heart attack
In September of 2012, Jerry Lawler worked a tag match with Randy Orton where he fought CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler. Following the match, Lawler returned to ringside where he collapsed and was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, later diagnosed as suffering a heart attack.
Lawler put partial blame on the repeated jumping elbows that Dolph Ziggler hit Lawler with just minutes before suffering the heart attack. Years later, Smackdown found itself in Memphis, Tennessee where Lawler is from. Jerry held a promo segment called “The King’s Court” with Ziggler as his guest. Ziggler remained silent as he has been for the past couple of weeks no matter how much Lawler tried to goad him into speaking.
Finally, Ziggler decided to bring up the marking of Lawler’s heart attack, showing a clip of the elbows that supposedly had a hand in causing the traumatic event. The segment ended with Ziggler superkicking Lawler right in the heart.
Given Lawler’s old-school nature, it's almost too easy to assume that this was his idea. The segment was really well done and gave Ziggler heat in the perfect way as we got closer to the Road to WrestleMania, where more eyes are on the superstars than any other time of year.