5 times the WWE Universe threw things at superstars in the ring
WWE Superstars are exceptional sports entertainers who do their best in whatever role they’re tasked to portray inside the ring. Their in-ring personas are meant to compliment storylines so compelling that some fans can't help but to react, whether it be good or bad.
Over the years, WWE has witnessed many of these rowdy reactions, some of which have involved fans throwing objects inside the ring. While a handful of fans have gotten away with it, many have faced the consequences of their deeds.
Here are just five of the numerous incidents in WWE where fans threw things into the ring.
#5. During a WWE tag team match where a beach ball was thrown
WWE’s Attitude Era was a boom period in wrestling. During this time, the company saw a lot of these throwing incidents. A notable one was during a tag team match between the alliance of Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker as they went up against the New Age Outlaws’ Billy Gunn and Road Dogg.
Right before Stone Cold and Billy Gunn engaged in battle, a fan decided to throw a beach ball inside the ring just for the heck of it. Austin immediately picked up the inflatable toy and forcefully kicked it out of the ring.
The Texas Rattlesnake knew the dangers the seemingly harmless toy could inflict. Anyone who was inside the ring at the time could potentially get injured if they had accidentally stepped on it.
#4. Fans threw a drink at Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman
One of the last things any WWE fan would do is throw stuff at Brock Lesnar. However, there was a fan back in 2017 who tempted fate and did just that.
This happened during an episode of RAW where Lesnar and Heyman were making an entrance. The thick-witted member of the crowd decided to throw a drink at them. Luckily, Lesnar no-sold what the fan did and continued towards the ring as if nothing had happened.
Whether Lesnar was aware of what happened at the time or not, it clearly showed his professionalism. As for the fan, he was lucky to be left unscathed after what he did.
Just imagine if The Beast was unleashed during that moment. The fan could be riding all the way to Suplex City.
#3. Stone Cold getting hit by a beer can in the head
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The two-out-of-three falls match during No Way Out’s 3 Stages of Hell in 2001 was one of the classic matches in WWE’s Attitude Era. It featured Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H, whose rivalry was considered one of the most intense at the time.
For about 40 grueling minutes, Austin and Triple H went back and forth as the match went from a regular wrestling match to a street brawl before finally settling the score inside a steel cage. The Cerebral Assassin emerged victorious as he secured two pinfalls against Austin’s one.
The Rattlesnake was still pinned by Triple H despite the latter winning and the cage already lifted. Out of nowhere, what seemed to be a beer can was seen being thrown inside the ring, hitting Austin. He immediately felt what hit him as it could be seen that he instantly broke away from the position he was in.
Austin could have gotten seriously injured with such an act from a fan who did it just for kicks.
#2. WWE crowd threw glow sticks at Chris Jericho
This is probably one of the most notorious instances of fans hurling things towards the ring. Back in 2009, Chris Jericho was doing a promo inside the ring during a WWE event in London when a DX glow stick hit him in the eye.
Jericho obviously got miffed, and instead of moving forward and continuing with the skit, he went on to encourage the crowd to throw more glow sticks at him.
This didn’t sit well with WWE management, as Jericho revealed in an interview that both Shawn Michaels and Triple H were furious at him after the chaos that ensued.
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He also stated that he explained his side to then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, to which the former boss seemed to have accepted and moved on with it.
Worth the mention: Roman Reigns hit with a Money in the Bank Briefcase replica
During WWE’s European tour in 2015, Roman Reigns was pitted against Bray Wyatt in a house show. While the two were going at it, a fan threw a replica of the Money in the Bank briefcase, hitting Reigns in the head.
Prior to the incident, there were other members of the crowd cheering for the fan to cash it in. Security immediately jumped into action and escorted the perpetrator outside the event.
#1. Shawn Michaels got hit by a battery
Two-time Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels had a fair share of moments where fans threw objects at him. This is due to the fact that he was one of WWE’s top heels and could effectively make fans all riled up just by the sight of him.
An example of such occurred during a so-called DX public workout during WrestleMania week in 1998. HBK was in the middle of a speech when a battery was flung towards him and hit him. This caused Michaels to walk out of the ring as he was not having any of it.
Vince McMahon later said in an interview that Michaels was in the right state of mind at the time. McMahon admitted that he was upset with how Michaels took the situation, though the WWE Legend managed to keep his cool, returned to the ring and finished the session.
Despite him being universally disliked by WWE fans back then due to his heel character, he does not deserve such treatment from fans.