Groundbreaking Storyline

[1C3-M4N]

I was searching the threads and could not find one for this topic:

Groundbreaking storyline, segments, actions, or backstage incidents

These are going to be the moments from any organization where you think wow this truly is unreal. Things that would be innovative, new, exciting, and things people want to see. Ratings of the show do not matter, hell it could be a local promotion. I just want to know thoughts on stories that changed wrestling as we know it.

I'm going to start things off when Mike Tyson and Stone Cold Steve Austin got into a fight on Monday Night Raw. At the time Tyson was such a huge name in professional sports and when Austin attacked him it was innovative as hell. The amount of security guards at the scene, Vince flipping out, all the backstage personal running out to help. It was pandemonium.

It led to a great match between HBK and Austin as well.

But what happened on that Raw will always be memorable to me.

So thoughts, opinions?

 

[1C3-M4N]

Going to throw more storylines out there such as

NWO
The powerhouse faction of WCW and a huge momentum push for the WCW in the Monday Night Wars. Led by Hulk Hogan as heel(say your prayers and eat your vitamins... NOT ANYMORE) fans loved the NWO and still talk about them to this day.

Vince buys WCW
This was the end of the Monday Night Wars as we knew it even though Shane's name was technically on the contract. It stopped Vince's competition cold and made WWE the lead wrestling show.

Vince hires Bichoff as Raw GM
This was a daring business move because Eric was Vince's biggest competition for years, when he was in charge of WCW. Now Bichoff would be in charge of Vince's flagship show.

Paul Heyman takes control of ECW
Before Paul Heyman ECW was Eastern Championship wrestling it wasn't too big of an organization until Heymen took control and made the word Hardcore a household name. ECW although way behind the ratings of WWF/WCW found itself with a loyal fan base who would buy their shirts and wear them at WWF/WCW events and when things got hardcore the familiar chants of "ECW ECW ECW" would start. This got people from surrounding states to visit Philadelphia to see an ECW show for them self.

 

[NaturallyPricele$$]

I would add the MSG incident. The departure of Hall and Nash lead to the NWO, HHH was punished and Austin was allowed to win the King of the Ring which lead to the birth of Austin 3:16

 

[Banes88]

For me, i'll NEVER forget the surprise appearance by The Rock on RAW when he made a speech about the WWE (it just turned over to the WWE). It was when Austin left and Rock made an amazing speech that to this day, still gives me goosebumps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HVwL6CcO1I


The aftermath of that night was amazing.

 

[RVDgurl]

There was nothing more groundbreaking than Dreamer v. Sandman. This was the first time where wrestlers were shown out of chracter behind the scenes for a storyline. Heels and faces were seen gathering around the Sandman who had just been rendered "blind" by Dreamer. Everyone was checking to see if Sandman was ok and Dreamer repeated "I didn't mean to do it".

For good or for bad, that may be the single most influential fued/segment i nterms of breaking kayfabe. Until that storyline, the wrestling business in general still wanted the fans to go home thinking that the good guys and bad guys hated each other .

 

[matty256]

When Steve Austin got hit by the car. Imo the best storyline of 2000 was Austin trying to find out who hit him, and to everyones shock it was Rikishi who no 0one would expect it to be. Just a great storyline with a nice shocker

 

[Paradox100]

I think one of the most ground breaking storylines, was the invasion. Because, we saw the ECW and WCW become an alliance. (which would never, ever happen in real life) try and take down the WWF. Throw Shane and Stephanie into it, make it a family feud, and we had a storyline for a good half year. The only down part, was you had most of the watered down, stale version of WCW and ECW. But being a a little kid, thinking it's real, seeing WWF get screwed by Stone Cold, really made me upset. But today, I love to throw in the Invasion Tape, and remenis of the old days.

 

[JETER123]

By far the most groundbreaking storyline was Austin vs. McMahon. Nothing else comes close. It's what brought wrestling to the unimaginable heights it reached in the late 90's. It was a storyline that lasted from late 1997 to mid 1999. Then he fought against McMahon during the Invasion. He has continued to torment Vince during appearances over the last few years. It's like the Batman/Joker of wrestling.

 

[1C3-M4N]

You guys are forgetting something from the back stage segment that I thought would've got named by now.

Mae Young giving birth to a hand

yes, I know if your too young or you missed it you wouldn't remember it but it was the weirdest thing I've ever seen in professional wrestling which is why it is groundbreaking.

 

[PayneKiller79]

As a kid the whole Jake "The Snake" vs. Macho Man fued was something special. Interupting the "Match Made In Heaven" and even have his snake attack the defenceless Savage. It helped set up the match on the one-off Tuesday In Texas. It was something that really hadn't been seen before, and for the kids watching, it was something that really hit them hard. Even the announcers were calling it wonderfully too.

Another one for me, albeit a bit lame, was the New Blood vs. Millionaires Club in WCW. Sure, it was a different attempt at something, but it gave my friends and I some amusement for a brand that was great, at least for a little while.

 

[MrMcCool]

Easily one of the biggest things to happen in wrestling, The Radicalz!!! Seeing Benoit, Saturn, Guerrero, and Malenko show up and sit ringside, unannounced, was amazing. It was done perfect, at a time when people werent still finding EVERYTHING out before it happened. One of the few genuine SHOCKERS in wrestling, at least at a time when SHOCKERS were hard to come by.

 

[tnarage2]

my pick for the groundbreaking storyline is the edge matt hardy and lita love triangle i was shocked when lita cheated on matt for edge

 

[gers09]

there are a few good ones hard to pick. you do have NWO (changed wrestling for ever) Eric Bishof as GM (never ever thought i would see the day Vice would shake hands whith him) vince buys wcw "austn 3:16 says i just whiped your ass" and soo many more

 

[supurman]

well im a huge taker fan so its a lil biased, but i think the most groundbreaking story was finding out the vince himself was the greater power back in the ministry days.