History HarsherInHindsight / ProWrestling

* One of the [[{{Kayfabe}} paid advertisements]] that the Wrestling/NewWorldOrder ran on ''Wrestling/WCWMondayNitro'' saw Wrestling/{{Sting}}'s entrance parodied by having someone cut the wire and having an action figure fall into a toy ring. As the video ended, the Sting doll was placed into a casket. The video aired in late 1997 to build towards the ''Starrcade'' main event with Sting and Wrestling/HulkHogan. However, this uncomfortably mirrored the Wrestling/OwenHart tragedy that took place about a year and a half later.
* One such example deals with Wrestling/MuhammadHassan being carried off by several masked men as though he were a suicide bomber after a beatdown on Wrestling/TheUndertaker. The footage was taped a few days before 7/7, but it wound up airing ''on'' 7/7.
** For reference to those who don't know, July 7th 2005 was the day of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings London Underground (subway) suicide bombings.]] The backlash from this destroyed Hassan's career, with the Undertaker giving him the Last Ride powerbomb through the stage at ''The Great American Bash'' to send him out of the company and into retirement.
* At the first ''Wrestling/{{ECW}} One Night Stand'', Mike Awesome does a Suicide Dive onto Masato Tanaka, and Wrestling/JoeyStyles said "It's a damn shame he didn't really take his own life!" A few years later, Awesome killed himself.
* When Wrestling/ChrisBenoit and his family were found dead the morning of a scheduled 3-hour episode of Raw, the show was scrapped and replaced with a special episode dedicated to his past wrestling career. It was found out very soon after the episode aired that he was likely to have murdered his own family, then committed suicide.
** What makes this so bad is that the WWE tried to avert this (they aborted a storyline about [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]] "dying" when his limo exploded) but the very attempt itself caused it to be played straight. Talk about a no-win situation...
*** This led to the clumsy AuthorsSavingThrow of Vince [[ReallyGetsAround supposedly having an "illegitimate son"]], who was, [[SarcasmMode of course]], revealed to be...Hornswoggle.
** Every shot to the head and every diving headbutt during Benoit's career is harder to watch since brain damage is thought to have contributed to the murders/suicide.
** A few years prior, a SmartMark website published an "interview with a mark," as a way of helping their readers understand the mindset of a casual fan. The one thing the "mark" said that the SmartMark interviewer approved of was that Chris Benoit was the one guy in WWE whom he legitimately would not want to meet in a dark alley.
* A promo for ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}} 19'' had a voice-over talking about what wrestlers go through to make their mark on history and become immortals, and when it says "Someday, we will die", it focuses on Wrestling/EddieGuerrero. It's rather uncomfortable to watch these days, because of his death two years later.
** During their match at No Way Out 2004, Wrestling/BrockLesnar tells Eddie to "just die". It is extremely uncomfortable to hear to say the least.
** An issue of ''RAW Magazine'' with an open letter from "Good Ol' JR" Wrestling/JimRoss, about ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}} 21, tells how proud every wrestler should be of the work they accomplished getting to the event. He also advises all of them to enjoy it because "none of us are guaranteed to make it to ''[=WrestleMania=] 22''." Whether he was talking about employment or not, the words sting knowing that this was Eddie Guerrero's final [=WrestleMania=].
* Just like ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL'' has its Madden Curse, WWE has its Undertaker curse, where, in the ''[[VideoGame/{{WWE}} [=SmackDown=] VS RAW]]'' series, the wrestler feuding with the Undertaker ends up dying in real life. It first happened with Eddie Guerrero in ''[=SmackDown=] VS RAW 2006'', in which it ends in a Casket Match. Guerrero died 2 days later. It got worse in the following year in a feud with Chris Benoit. The creepiest part? Undertaker says to him, "While your family mourns over your dead carcass, your family will have no one to blame but you." Brrrr.
* The in-ring segment where [[Wrestling/KiaStevens Kharma]] breaks down in front of the Divas and then announces her pregnancy next week looks even more disturbing now with the news that she actually lost the baby and there was no successful birth.
* Storyline-wise, Wrestling/CMPunk's whole "Voice of the Voiceless/Pipe Bomb" speech where he announced his leaving WWE once he won the belt effectively made him a household name and helped make him the hottest star in the WWE. But then you find out that the whole thing is a recycled storyline from Wrestling/RingOfHonor from when Punk departed ROH for the WWE, with Punk basically NOT being the "voice of the voiceless" but a prima donna asshole who was leaving ROH with the belt simply for the evilulz. So not only was it a recycled storyline but one where it was watered down when the WWE found out just how popular Punk was because of it.
** Similarly it's hard to take Wrestling/JohnCena seriously when working against Punk since Cena has the tendency to outright distort and lie about Punk and Punk's actions to paint Punk in the worst possible light. Ironically this makes Cena look like an even bigger asshole, especially since the Rock has made a point to point out what a hypocrite Cena is during their interactions. Granted, it's part of Cena's character as he often twists the truth to deliberately press a rival's {{BerserkButton}} but it still doesn't make him anymore [[SmugSuper sympathetic]].
* Early 2012, the writers started a storyline where Cena kisses Wrestling/EveTorres, who Cena's "friend" Wrestling/ZackRyder was in love with. The storyline was quickly aborted with Eve being rejected by Cena but the Rock (who was feuding with Cena) pointed out that Cena was a married man kissing another woman. Several months later, Cena got divorced and former WWE wrestler Ken Dykstra (of the Spirit Squad infamy) revealed that not only was he fired from WWE because Cena stole his fiance but that he then proceeded to fire said fiance several months later. And why? Because Cena was engaged at the time and Dykstra's ex gave him the ultimatum to choice between women.
** This one, however, was later debunked by Cena, the company, and Wrestling/MickieJames herself, who maintains the two of them are still friends. Like Wrestling/JohnMorrison, Mickie James decided to pursue other interests rather than resign, and once she was ready, WWE's womens division was (and still is) [[ScrewedByTheNetwork underappreciated and underserved]], thus she decided to go to Wrestling/{{TNA}}. Also, Dykstra has been very vocal and vindictive toward the company, sniping at everyone from the [=McMahons=] to Wrestling/RandyOrton to Wrestling/TripleH to even Mickie James herself.
** In addition, the Eve angle came after Cena and his wife had filed for divorce which apparently had been coming for some time. The kicker? despite his [[StepfordSmiler on-air state]], the strife and divorce was reportedly making Cena [[RealityEnsues quite miserable]]. And the company knew it but went on with it.
* On Wrestling/ColtCabana's ''Art of Wrestling'' podcast (and his own documentary), Nigel [=McGuiness=] tragically predicts that the current generation of wrestlers will become "zombies" with post-concussion syndrome. Recently, Daffney has been forced out of the ring due to concussions. Her nickname in TNA was "Zombie Hot", and based on recent interviews, it's becoming more of a fitting name per Nigel's definition.
* Wrestling/RicFlair's son Reid [[Website/{{Twitter}} tweeted]] "Even better times ahead". It was his last tweet. He died the next day. [[SandinMyEyes Excuse]] [[TearJerker me]].
* On a 1989 episode of ''Saturday Night's Main Event'', the Blue Blazer said he would (paraphrasing) "jump from the rafters" if he needed to, to defeat [[Wrestling/TedDiBiase Ted [=DiBiase=]]]. The Blue Blazer, of course, was Wrestling/OwenHart.

* At the first ''ECW One Night Stand'', Mike Awesome does a Suicide Dive onto Tanaka, and Wrestling/JoeyStyles said "It's a damn shame he didn't really take his own life!" A few years later, Awesome killed himself.

* A promo for Wrestlemania 19 had a voice-over talking about what wrestlers go through to make their mark on history and become immortals, and when it says "Someday, we will die", it focuses on Wrestling/EddieGuerrero. It's rather uncomfortable to watch these days, because of his death two years later.

* Just like VideoGame/MaddenNFL has its Madden Curse, WWE has it's Undertaker curse, where, in the [[VideoGame/{{WWE}} Smackdown VS RAW]] series, the wrestler feuding with the Undertaker ends up dying in real life. It first happened with Eddie Guerrero in ''Smackdown VS RAW 2006'', in which it ends in a Casket Match. Guerrero died 2 days later. It got worse in the following year in a feud with Chris Benoit. The creepiest part? Undertaker says to him, "While your family mourns over your dead carcass, your family will have no one to blame but you." Brrrr.

** This one, however, was later debunked by Cena, the company, and Mickie James herself, who maintains the two of them are still friends. Like Wrestling/JohnMorrison, Mickie James decided to pursue other interests rather than resign, and once she was ready, WWE's womens division was (and still is) [[ScrewedByTheNetwork underappreciated and underserved]], thus she decided to go to Wrestling/{{TNA}}. Also, Dykstra has been very vocal and vindictive toward the company, sniping at everyone from the [=McMahons=] to Wrestling/RandyOrton to Wrestling/TripleH to even Mickie James herself.

** What makes this so bad is that the WWE tried to avert this (they aborted a storyline about VinceMcMahon "dying" when his limo exploded) but the very attempt itself caused it to be played straight. Talk about a no-win situation...

** A few years prior, a SmartMark website published an "interview with a mark," as a way of helping their readers understand the mindset of a casual fan. The one thing the "mark" said that the SmartMark interviewer approved of was that ChrisBenoit was the one guy in the WWE whom he legitimately would not want to meet in a dark alley.
* A promo for Wrestlemania 19 had a voice-over talking about what wrestlers go through to make their mark on history and become immortals, and when it says "Someday, we will die", it focuses on EddieGuerrero. It's rather uncomfortable to watch these days, because of his death two years later.
** During their match at No Way Out 2004, BrockLesnar tells Eddie to "just die". It is extremely uncomfortable to hear to say the least.
** An issue of [[MondayNightRaw RAW]] Magazine with an open letter from "Good Ol' JR" JimRoss, about WrestleMania 21, tells how proud every wrestler should be of the work they accomplished getting to the event. He also advises all of them to enjoy it because "none of us are guaranteed to make it to WrestleMania 22." Whether he was talking about employment or not, the words sting knowing that this was EddieGuerrero's final WrestleMania.
* Just like VideoGame/MaddenNFL has it's Madden Curse, WWE has it's Undertaker curse, where, in the Smackdown VS RAW series, the wrestler feuding with the Undertaker ends up dying in real life. It first happened with EddieGuerrero in Smackdown VS RAW 2006, in which it ends in a Casket Match. Guerrero died 2 days later. It got worse in the following year in a feud with Chris Benoit. The creepiest part? Undertaker says to him, "While your family mourns over your dead carcass, your family will have no one to blame but you." Brrrr.
* The in-ring segment where Kharma breaks down in front of the Divas and then announces her pregnancy next week looks even more disturbing now with the news that she actually lost the baby and there was no successful birth.
* Storyline-wise, CM Punk's whole "Voice of the Voiceless/Pipe Bomb" speech where he announced his leaving WWE once he won the belt effectively made him a household name and helped make him the hottest star in the WWE. But then you find out that the whole thing is a recycled storyline from Ring of Honor from when Punk departed ROH for the WWE, with Punk basically NOT being the "voice of the voiceless" but a prima donna asshole who was leaving ROH with the belt simply for the evilulz. So not only was it a recycled storyline but one where it was watered down when the WWE found out just how popular Punk was because of it.
** Similarly it's hard to take John Cena seriously when working against Punk since Cena has the tendency to outright distort and lie about Punk and Punk's actions to paint Punk in the worst possible light. Ironically this makes Cena look like an even bigger asshole, especially since the Rock has made a point to point out what a hypocrite Cena during their interactions. Granted, it's part of Cena's character as he often twists the truth to deliberately press a rival's {{BerserkButton}} but it still doesn't make him anymore [[SmugSuper sympathetic]].
* Early 2012, the writers started a storyline where Cena kisses Eve, who Cena's "friend" Zach Ryder was in love with. The storyline was quickly aborted with Eve being rejected by Cena but the Rock (who was feuding with Cena) pointed out that Cena was a married man kissing another woman. Several months later, Cena got divorced and former WWE wrestler Ken Dykstra (of the Spirit Squad fame) revealed that not only was he fired from the WWE because Cena stole his fiance but that he then proceeded to fire said fiance several months later. And why? Because Cena was engaged at the time and Dykstra's ex gave him the ultimatium to choice between women.
** This one, however, was later debunked by Cena, the company, and Mickie James herself, who maintains the two of them are still friends. Like {{JohnMorrison}}, Mickie James decided to pursue other interests rather than resign, and once she was ready, WWE's womens division was (and still is) [[ScrewedByTheNetwork underappreciated and underserved]], thus she decided to go to {{TNA}}. Also, Dykstra has been very vocal and vindictive toward the company, sniping at everyone from the Mcmahons to Randy Orton to Triple H to even Mickie James herself.

* On ColtCabana's ''Art of Wrestling'' podcast (and his own documentary), Nigel McGuiness tragically predicts that the current generation of wrestlers will become "zombies" with post-concussion syndrome. Recently, Daffney has been forced out of the ring due to concussions. Her nickname in TNA was "Zombie Hot", and based on recent interviews, it's becoming more of a fitting name per Nigel's definition.
* [[RicFlair Ric Flair's]] son Reid [[{{Twitter}} tweeted]] "Even better times ahead". It was his last tweet. He died the next day. [[SandinMyEyes Excuse]] [[TearJerker me]].
* On a 1989 episode of ''SaturdayNightsMainEvent'', the Blue Blazer said he would (paraphrasing) "jump from the rafters" if he needed to, to defeat TedDiBiase. The Blue Blazer, of course, was OwenHart.

* One of the paid advertisements that the NewWorldOrder ran on Nitro saw Wrestler/{{Sting}}'s entrance parodied by having someone cut the wire and having an action figure fall into a toy ring. As the video ended, the Sting doll was placed into a casket. The video aired in late 1997 to build towards the ''Starrcade'' main event with Sting and HulkHogan. However, this uncomfortably mirrored the OwenHart tragedy that took place about a year and a half later.
* One such example deals with Muhammad Hassan being carried off by several masked men as though he were a suicide bomber after a beatdown on TheUndertaker. The footage was taped a few days before 7/7, but it wound up airing ''on'' 7/7.
** For reference to those who don't know, July 7th 2005 was the day of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings London Underground (subway) suicide bombings.]]
* At the first One Night Stand, Mike Awesome does a Suicide Dive onto Tanaka, and Joey Styles said "It's a damn shame he didn't really take his own life!" A few years later, Awesome killed himself.
* When ChrisBenoit and his family were found dead the morning of a scheduled 3-hour episode of Raw, the show was scrapped and replaced with a special episode dedicated to his past wrestling career. It was found out very soon after the episode aired that he was likely to have murdered his own family, then committed suicide.

* On a 1989 episode of ''SaturdayNight'sMainEvent'', the Blue Blazer said he would (paraphrasing) "jump from the rafters" if he needed to, to defeat TedDiBiase. The Blue Blazer, of course, was OwenHart.

* [[RicFlair Ric Flair's]] son Reid [[{{Twitter}} tweeted]] "Even better times ahead". It was his last tweet. He died the next day. [[SandinMyEyes Excuse]] [[TearJerker me]].

* On ColtCabana's ''Art of Wrestling'' podcast (and his own documentary), Nigel McGuiness tragically predicts that the current generation of wrestlers will become "zombies" with post-concussion syndrome. Recently, Daffney has been forced out of the ring due to concussions. Her nickname in TNA was "Zombie Hot", and based on recent interviews, it's becoming more of a fitting name per Nigel's definition.

** In addition, the Eve angle came after Cena and his wife had filed for divorce which apparently had been coming for some time. The kicker? dispite his [[StepfordSmiler on-air state]], the strife and divorce was reportedly making Cena [[RealityEnsues quite miserable]]. And the company knew it but went on with it.

** Similarly it's hard to take John Cena seriously when working against Punk since Cena has the tendency to outright distort and lie about Punk and Punk's actions to paint Punk in the worst possible light. Ironically this makes Cena look like an even bigger asshole, especially since the Rock has made a point to point out what a hypocrite Cena during their interactions.

* Early 2012, the writers started a storyline where Cena kisses Eve, who Cena's "friend" Zach Ryder was in love with. The storyline was quickly aborted with Eve being rejected by Cena but the Rock (who was feuding with Cena) pointed out that Cena was a married man kissing another woman. Several months later, Cena got divorced and former WWE wrestler Ken Dykstra (of the Spirit Squad fame) revealed that not only was he fired from the WWE because Cena stole his fiance but that he then proceeded to fire said fiance several months later. And why? Because Cena was engaged at the time and Dykstra's ex gave him the ultimatium to choice between women.

* A strictly kayfabe example on both ends. [[RonKillings R-Truth]] pouring the contents of a trash can CMPunk had filled with cigarettes, whiskey, and prescription medication in protest of these things over Punk's head on November 20, 2009 suddenly looks less humorous when analyzing Punk's WWE career following the revelations given in his early 2012 feud with ChrisJericho.

** For reference to those who don't know, July 7th 2005 was the day of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings London subway suicide bombings.]]

** What makes this so bad is that the WWE tried to avert this but the very attempt itself caused it to be played straight. Talk about a no-win situation...

* Just like JohnMaddenFootball has it's Madden Curse, WWE has it's Undertaker curse, where, in the Smackdown VS RAW series, the wrestler feuding with the Undertaker ends up dying in real life. It first happened with EddieGuerrero in Smackdown VS RAW 2006, in which it ends in a Casket Match. Guerrero died 2 days later. It got worse in the following year in a feud with Chris Benoit. The creepiest part? Undertaker says to him, "While your family mourns over your dead carcass, your family will have no one to blame but you." Brrrr.

** This Troper remembers an issue of [[MondayNightRaw RAW]] Magazine with an open letter from "Good Ol' JR" JimRoss, about WrestleMania 21, and how proud every wrestler should be of the work they accomplished getting to the event. He also advises all of them to enjoy it because "none of us are guaranteed to make it to WrestleMania 22." Whether he was talking about employment or not, the words sting knowing that this was EddieGuerrero's final WrestleMania.

** This Troper remembers an issue of[[MondayNightRaw RAW]] Magazine with an open letter from "Good Ol' JR" JimRoss, about WrestleMania 21, and how proud every wrestler should be of the work they accomplished getting to the event. He also advises all of them to enjoy it because "none of us are guaranteed to make it to WrestleMania 22." Whether he was talking about employment or not, the words sting knowing that this was EddieGuerrero's final WrestleMania.

** This Troper remembers an issue of Raw Magazine with an open letter from "Good Ol' JR" Jim Ross, about WrestleMania 21, and how proud every wrestler should be of the work they accomplished getting to the event. He also advises all of them to enjoy it because "none of us are guaranteed to make it to WrestleMania 22." Whether he was talking about employment or not, the words sting knowing that this was Eddie Guerrero's final WrestleMania.

** [[BeyondTheImpossible Every shot to the head and every diving headbutt during Benoit's career]] is harder to watch since brain damage is thought to have contributed to the murders/suicide.

* The in-ring segment where Kharma breaks down in front of the Divas and then announces her pregnancy next week looks even more disturbing now with the news that she actually lost the baby and there was no successful birth.

* The in-ring segment where Kharma breaks down in front of the Divas and then announces her pregnancy next week looks even more disturbing now with the news that she lost the baby.