History HilariousInHindsight / ProfessionalWrestling

* At one point in their 'relationship', Wrestling/AJLee proposed to Wrestling/CMPunk, who eventually answered by telling her that he wouldn't marry her. In real life, they're now engaged.

* Mr. Hughes squashed Jason Knight on the April 26, 1993 ''Raw.'' A year later in [=ECW=], [[Characters/{{ECW}} Jason "The Sexiest Man on Earth"]] was Hughes' manager.

* Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling's Antonio Inoki once defeated UsefulNotes/{{Pakistan}}i Champion Akram Pehalawan in [=Pakistan=] to the surprise of the crowd. After the match, Inoki stood up and raised his fists in the air in a traditional victory pose. ''Possibly'' without realizing it, Inoki may have saved his own ''life'' by doing that, since the fans were originally going to riot in protest, but Inoki's pose made them think that he was actually praying to Allah. As of 1990, although it wasn't revealed until 2012, Inoki actually ''would'' pray to Allah on a regular basis, since he in fact converted to UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}.

* At ''Wrestling/SurvivorSeries 1992'', Wrestling/TheUndertaker (w[=/=]Wrestling/PaulBearer) d. [[Wrestling/{{Kamala}} Kamala the Ugandan Giant]] (w/[[Characters/WWEManagers Dr. Harvey Wippleman]] and Kim Chee [[[Wrestling/SteveLombardi Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi]]]) in a casket match. [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]] and [[Wrestling/BobbyHeenan Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] were on commentary and Brain asked Vince what he would do if he was in a match like this. 11 years later, Vince would not only face, but would DEFEAT the Undertaker in a Buried Alive match after Wrestling/{{Kane}} interfered. Also, as Paul was rolling the casket up the aisle after the match, Vince said, "Well, it is the Survivor Series and it looks like someone will be taking that proverbial dirt nap." Brain said, "The last ride." After the Undertaker returned from injuries in May 2000 with his new [[BadassBiker Biker]] image, he started using a [[FinishingMove powerbomb]] he called the Last Ride.

* On March 1, 1998, Wrestling/BamBamBigelow defeated [[Wrestling/{{Tazz}} Taz]] for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ecw/ecw-tv.html ECW World Television Title]] which Taz had held since June 1997. (Bigelow lost the belt soon after to Wrestling/RobVanDam, [[Awesome/ProfessionalWrestling thus making his career in the process.]]) Taz, [[UnstoppableRage never the nicest guy in the first place]], got even angrier as he felt he had been passed over for shots at the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ecw/ecw-h.html ECW World Heavyweight Title]] while he was holding the #2 belt and how all his training and hard work had only gotten him to second place. This led to Taz targeting ECW World Heavyweight Champion "The Franchise" Shane Douglas and introducing his own title belt, the [[http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ftwecw.html ECW FTW (Fuck the World) Heavyweight Title.]] In one in-ring promo, he threatened ECW promoter Wrestling/PaulHeyman, and asked, "You think I'm gonna go [[Wrestling/{{WCW}} South, to Atlanta]] or [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} north, to Vince]]?" In January 2000, Tazz made his official WWE in-ring debut defeating Wrestling/KurtAngle at Madison Square Garden at the ''Wrestling/RoyalRumble'' PPV.

* Mr. Hughes squashed Jason Knight on the April 26, 1993 ''Raw.'' A year later in Wrestling/{{ECW}}, [[Characters/{{ECW}} Jason "The Sexiest Man on Earth"]] was Hughes' manager.

** At his match with KurtAngle at Judgment Day 2002, JerryLawyer said ''Come JR, admit it, this guy needs a haircut'' when Edge was coming out and [[spoiler: would later win the match]]. Just forward to 2012 where Edge got what else after retiring from wrestling… a haircut.

* In a backstage segment with Wrestling/TrishStratus, Melina said if she beat her "wouldn't that be a kick in the head?". I think [[http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u149/wwiaaron/wwehist/hist0125.gif this]] needs no explanation.

* Remember the [[Wrestling/DungeonOfDoom Zodiac]]? Well, his catchphrase was "YES! NO! YES! NO! YES! NO!" Fast forward 17 years, and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] would use both "YES! YES! YES!" and "NO! NO! NO!" as catchphrases.

* Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling's Antonio Inoki once defeated UsefulNotes/{{Pakistan}}i Champion Akram Pehalawan in [=Pakistan=] to the surprise of the crowd. After the match, Inoki stood up and raised his fists in the air in a traditional victory pose. ''Possibly'' without realizing it, Inoki may have saved his own ''life'' by doing that, since the fans were originally going to riot in protest, but Inoki's pose made them think that he was actually praying to Allah. As of 1990, although it wasn't revealed until 2012, Inoki actually ''would'' pray to Allah on a regular basis, since he in fact converted to UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}.

* Pete Rose appeared at ''[WrestleMania=] XIV'', ''XV'', and ''2000'' (a.k.a. XVI) and was beaten up by Wrestling/{{Kane}} at the first two events (he was given a stinkface in the third). In his first appearance, which was held in Boston, he insulted the Boston Red Sox (whom his team, the Cincinnati Reds, had beat in 1975 to win the World Series) and said the Red Sox couldn't win a World Series and mocked the Curse of the Bambino (before Kane came out and destroyed him to cheering from the crowd). Two World Series wins for Boston later, who's laughing now, Pete?

* Wrestling/TripleH vs. Wrestling/UltimateWarrior at ''[=WrestleMania=] XII'', Currently Triple H is one of the main eventers in the WWE and in order to kick out of the Pedigree, Triple H's finisher, you need written permission from Triple H. During this match, Triple H used the Pedigree on the Ultimate Warrior and Warrior just stands up from it like it's nothing. If this were to happen in the current WWE, the career of the wrestler would possibly be on life support.

* Pete Rose appeared at ''[WrestleMania=] XIV'', ''XV'', and ''2000'' (a.k.a. XVI) and was beaten up by Wrestling/{{Kane}} at the first two events (he was given a stinkface in the third). In his first appearance, which was held in Boston, he insulted the Boston Red Sox (whom his team, the Cincinnati Reds, had beat in 1975 to win the World Series) and said the Red Sox couldn't win a World Series and mocked the Curse of the Bambino (before Kan} came out and destroyed him to cheering from the crowd). Two World Series wins for Boston later, who's laughing now, Pete?

* Pete Rose appeared at ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}} XIV'', ''XV'', and ''2000'' (aka XVI) and was beaten up by Wrestling/{{Kane}} at the first two events (he was given a stinkface in the third). In his first appearance, which was held in Boston, he insulted the Boston Red Sox (whom his team, the Cincinnati Reds, had beat in 1975 to win the World Series) and said the Red Sox couldn't win a World Series and mocked the Curse of the Bambino (before Wrestling/{{Kane}} came out and destroyed him to cheering from the crowd). Two World Series wins for Boston later...who's laughing now, Pete?
** And the nickname of the Cincinnati Reds in the 1970s was the Big Red Machine, which became Wrestling/{{Kane}}'s nickname in his first run.
* Wrestling/TripleH vs. Wrestling/UltimateWarrior at ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}} XII'', Currently Wrestling/TripleH is one of the main eventers in the WWE and in order to kick out of the Pedigree, Triple H's finisher you need written permission from Triple H. During this match Triple H used the Pedigree on the Ultimate Warrior and Warrior just stands up from it like it's nothing. If this were to happen in current WWE the career of the wrestler would possibly be on life support.

** Also, HHH was the low man on the [[Wrestling/TheKliq Clique]] totem pole. UW was coming back after a 3+ year-long absence and Vince needed someone to sacrifice to him.

* During the annual WWE show in Iraq in 2003, Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin actually gave Wrestling/JohnCena the Stone Cold Stunner after being unimpressed with his "You Can't See Me" taunt. This was ''before'' Cena was made the top face of the company as Austin had been in the late 90's; the event has become both funnier and much more symbolic in hindsight.
* [=Edge=] seems to get a lot of these as he cut a promo shortly after winning the 2001 ''King of the Ring'' where he took down Billy Gunn, claiming he failed to get over after he won the 1999 KOTR and went on to say "If in two years I'm not WWF Champion you can just shoot me because I promise not to 'Billy Gunn' this account". In two years [=Edge=] would get a broken neck and be out of action for over a year and would struggle as a babyface before being turned heel and get paired with Wrestling/VickieGuerrero in a storyline and although he became WWE Champion several times he never won it cleanly. To top that when he returned in 2010 as a face he effectively bombed and the crowd turned on him at his ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}} 26'' match with Wrestling/ChrisJericho thus forcing the creative team to turn him heel again. Fate doesn't like to be tempted, Mr Copeland.

** All Lita stuff aside, towards the end of Edge's book, he said that he thinks he's headed for a heel turn, and states that while he's okay with that, he works better as a face. In the best way possible, he was wrong... oh god, he was wrong.

* Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling's Antonio Inoki once defeated UsefulNotes/{{Pakistan}}i Champion Akram Pehalawan in [=Pakistan=] to the surprise of the crowd. After the match, Inoki stood up and raised his fists in the air in a traditional victory pose. ''Possibly'' without realizing it, Inoki may have saved his own ''life'' by doing that, since the fans were originally going to riot in protest, but Inoki's pose made them think that he was actually praying to Allah. As of 1990, although it wasn't revealed until 2012, Inoki actually ''would'' pray to Allah on a regular basis, since he in fact converted to UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}.
* An unintended example that just turned out to be true. At ''Wrestling/{{WWE}} Over the Edge 98'', [[Characters/WWENewGeneration "Marvelous" Marc Mero]] defeated Wrestling/{{Sable}}, forcing her to "leave" the then-WWF. She returned on the June 29th ''Raw.'' On the [[http://slashwrestling.com/raw/980727.html July 27th]] ''Raw,'' Vince [=McMahon=] awarded [[Characters/WWEDivas Jacqueline]] the trophy for the Bikini Contest the night before at ''Fully Loaded'' by DQ, on the grounds that the painted hands on Sable's breasts did not constitute a bikini.[[note]]Technically, Jackie was wearing a one-piece, not a bikini either, but that's not really important.[[/note]] Vince told Sable that he was her "KnightInShiningArmor" and he was entirely responsible for her being allowed to return. He said that she was "a dime a dozen" and that she could easily be replaced by any number of "bimbos and airheads." Sable's last American TV appearance of her original run[[note]]Nicole Bass {{Squash|Match}}ed [[Characters/WWEDivas Tori (Terri Poch)]] for Sable at the [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} UK]]-only [=PPV=] ''No Mercy'' on May 16, 1999.[[/note]] was on the May 10, 1999 ''Raw,'' when [[Characters/WWEDivas Debra]] defeated her for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-wm.html WWE Women's Title]] in an Evening Gown Match via a [[Wrestling/DustyRhodes "Dusty Finish"]].[[note]]Sable had stripped Debra, but Commissioner Wrestling/ShawnMichaels reversed the decision, saying that the woman who had her dress ripped off should be declared the winner.[[/note]] Less than a year later, on the March 19 (taped March 14), 2000 ''[[{{BShow}} Sunday Night Heat]]'', Wrestling/TrishStratus debuted.
** Reinforced again following Sable's second departure in 2004, with the arrival of the Diva Search Idiots.

* An unintended example that just turned out to be true. At ''Wrestling/{{WWE}} Over the Edge 98'', [[Characters/WWENewGeneration "Marvelous" Marc Mero]] defeated Wrestling/{{Sable}}, forcing her to "leave" the then-WWF. She returned on the June 29th ''Raw.'' On the [[http://slashwrestling.com/raw/980727.html July 27th]] ''Raw,'' Vince [=McMahon=] awarded [[Characters/WWEDivas Jacqueline]] the trophy for the Bikini Contest the night before at ''Fully Loaded'' by DQ, on the grounds that the painted hands on Sable's breasts did not constitute a bikini.[[note]]Technically, Jackie was wearing a one-piece, not a bikini either, but that's not really important.[[/note]] Vince told Sable that he was her "KnightInShiningArmor" and he was entirely responsible for her being allowed to return. He said that she was "a dime a dozen" and that she could easily be replaced by any number of "bimbos and airheads." Sable's last American TV appearance of her original run[[note]]Nicole Bass {{Squash|Match}}ed [[Characters/WWEDivas Tori (Terri Poch)]] for Sable at the [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} UK]]-only [=PPV=] ''No Mercy'' on May 16, 1999.[[/note]] was on the May 10, 1999 ''Raw,'' when [[Characters/WWEDivas Debra]] defeated her for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-wm.html WWE Women's Title]] in an Evening Gown Match via a [[Wrestling/DustyRhodes "Dusty Finish"]].[[note]]Sable had stripped Debra, but Commissioner Wrestling/ShawnMichaels reversed the decision, saying that the woman who had her dress ripped off should be declared the winner.[[/note]] Less than a year later, on the March 19 (taped March 14), 2000 ''[[{{BShow}} Sunday Night Heat]]'', Wrestling/TrishStratus debuted.

* An unintended example that just turned out to be true. At ''Wrestling/{{WWE}} Over the Edge 98'', [[Characters/WWENewGeneration "Marvelous" Marc Mero]] defeated Wrestling/{{Sable}}, forcing her to "leave" the then-WWF. She returned on the June 29th ''Raw.'' On the [[http://slashwrestling.com/raw/980727.html July 27th]] ''Raw,'' Vince [=McMahon=] awarded [[Characters/WWEDivas Jacqueline]] the trophy for the Bikini Contest the night before at ''Fully Loaded'' by DQ, on the grounds that the painted hands on Sable's breasts did not constitute a bikini.[[note]]Technically, Jackie was wearing a one-piece, not a bikini either, but that's not really important.[[/note]] Vince told Sable that he was her "KnightInShiningArmor" and he was entirely responsible for her being allowed to return. He said that she was "a dime a dozen" and that she could easily be replaced by any number of "bimbos and airheads." Sable's last American TV appearance[[note]]Nicole Bass {{Squash|Match}}ed [[Characters/WWEDivas Tori (Terri Poch)]] for Sable at the [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} UK]]-only [=PPV=] ''No Mercy'' on May 16, 1999.[[/note]] on the May 10, 1999 ''Raw,'' when [[Characters/WWEDivas Debra]] defeated her for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-wm.html WWE Women's Title]] in an Evening Gown Match via a [[Wrestling/DustyRhodes "Dusty Finish"]].[[note]]Sable had stripped Debra, but Commissioner Wrestling/ShawnMichaels reversed the decision, saying that the woman who had her dress ripped off should be declared the winner.[[/note]] Less than a year later, on the March 19 (taped March 14), 2000 ''[[{{BShow}} Sunday Night Heat]]'', Wrestling/TrishStratus debuted.

* An unintended example that just turned out to be true. At ''Wrestling/{{WWE}} Over the Edge 98'', [[Characters/WWENewGeneration "Marvelous" Marc Mero]] defeated Wrestling/{{Sable}}, forcing her to "leave" the then-WWF. She returned on the June 29th ''Raw.'' On the [[http://slashwrestling.com/raw/980727.html July 27th]] ''Raw,'' [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]] awarded [[Characters/WWEDivas Jacqueline]] the trophy for the Bikini Contest the night before at ''Fully Loaded'' by DQ, on the grounds that the painted hands on Sable's breasts did not constitute a bikini.[[note]]Technically, Jackie was wearing a one-piece, not a bikini either, but that's not really important.[[/note]] Vince told Sable that he was her "KnightInShiningArmor" and he was entirely responsible for her being allowed to return. He said that she was "a dime a dozen" and that she could easily be replaced by any number of "bimbos and airheads." Sable's last American TV appearance[[note]]Nicole Bass {{Squash|Match}}ed [[Characters/WWEDivas Tori (Terri Poch)]] for Sable at the [[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} UK]]-only [=PPV=] ''No Mercy'' on May 16, 1999.[[/note]] on the May 10, 1999 ''Raw,'' when [[Characters/WWEDivas Debra]] defeated her for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-wm.html WWE Women's Title]] in an Evening Gown Match via a [[Wrestling/DustyRhodes "Dusty Finish"]].[[note]]Sable had stripped Debra, but Commissioner Wrestling/ShawnMichaels reversed the decision, saying that the woman who had her dress ripped off should be declared the winner.[[/note]] Less than a year later, on the March 19 (taped March 14), 2000 ''[[{{BShow}} Sunday Night Heat]]'', Wrestling/TrishStratus debuted.

* Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling's Antonio Inoki once defeated UsefulNotes/{{Pakistan}}i Champion Akram Pehalawan in [=Pakistan=] to the surprise of the crowd. After the match, Inoki stood up and raised his fists in the air in a traditional victory pose. ''Possibly'' without realizing it, Inoki may have saved his own ''life'' by doing that, since the fans were originally going to riot in protest, but Inoki's pose made them think that he was actually praying to Allah. As of 1990, although it wasn't revealed until 2012, Inoki actually ''would'' pray to Allah on a regular basis, since he in fact converted to UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}.

* At ''Wrestling/SurvivorSeries 1992'', Wrestling/TheUndertaker (w[=/=]Wrestling/PaulBearer) d. [[Wrestling/{{Kamala}} Kamala the Ugandan Giant]] (w/[[Characters/WWEManagers Dr. Harvey Wippleman]] and Kim Chee [Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi]) in a casket match. [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]] and [[Wrestling/BobbyHeenan Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] were on commentary and Brain asked Vince what he would do if he was in a match like this. 11 years later, Vince would not only face, but would DEFEAT the Undertaker in a Buried Alive match after Wrestling/{{Kane}} interfered. Also, as Paul was rolling the casket up the aisle after the match, Vince said, "Well, it is the Survivor Series and it looks like someone will be taking that proverbial dirt nap." Brain said, "The last ride." After the Undertaker returned from injuries in May 2000 with his new [[BadassBiker Biker]] image, he started using a [[FinishingMove powerbomb]] he called the Last Ride.

* At ''Wrestling/SurvivorSeries 1992'', Wrestling/TheUndertaker (w[=/=]Wrestling/PaulBearer) d. [[Wrestling/{{Kamala}} Kamala the Ugandan Giant]] (w/Dr. Harvey Wippleman and Kim Chee [Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi]) in a casket match. [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]] and [[Wrestling/BobbyHeenan Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] were on commentary and Brain asked Vince what he would do if he was in a match like this. 11 years later, Vince would not only face, but would DEFEAT the Undertaker in a Buried Alive match after Wrestling/{{Kane}} interfered. Also, as Paul was rolling the casket up the aisle after the match, Vince said, "Well, it is the Survivor Series and it looks like someone will be taking that proverbial dirt nap." Brain said, "The last ride." After the Undertaker returned from injuries in May 2000 with his new [[BadassBiker Biker]] image, he started using a [[FinishingMove powerbomb]] he called the Last Ride.

* This editor's school filter has a lazy habit of labeling anything "inappropriate" that they don't feel like giving a specific category to as "R-rated." I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that WWE's official website had been blocked as such. No points for guessing who the WWE champion was at the time.

* Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling's Antonio Inoki once defeated UsefulNotes/{{Pakistan}}I Champion Akram Pehalawan in [=Pakistan=] to the surprise of the crowd. After the match, Inoki stood up and raised his fists in the air in a traditional victory pose. ''Possibly'' without realizing it, Inoki may have saved his own ''life'' by doing that, since the fans were originally going to riot in protest, but Inoki's pose made them think that he was actually praying to Allah. As of 1990, although it wasn't revealed until 2012, Inoki actually ''would'' pray to Allah on a regular basis, since he in fact converted to UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}.

* Ray Traylor, best known as the Wrestling/BigBossman, was a prison guard who became a professional wrestler. His tag team partner Akeem, real name George Gray and better known as Wrestling/TheOneManGang, is a pro wrestler who became a prison guard.

* At Wrestling/{{ECW}}'s December to Dismember 95, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin "Superstar" Steve Austin]] walked to the ring for the three-way-dance against [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ecw/ecw-h.html ECW World Heavyweight Champion]] Wrestling/MikeyWhipwreck and the Sandman while [[FlippingTheBird flipping off the fans.]] Announcer Wrestling/JoeyStyles said, "That might be a little too politically incorrect even for ECW. You're not going to be able to make a living flipping people off, Steve." Which, of course, he did.

* At Wrestling/{{ECW}}'s December to Dismember 95, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin "Superstar" Steve Austin]] walked to the ring for the three-way-dance against [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ecw/ecw-h.html ECW World Heavyweight Champion]] Mikey Whipwreck and the Sandman while [[FlippingTheBird flipping off the fans.]] Announcer Wrestling/JoeyStyles said, "That might be a little too politically incorrect even for ECW. You're not going to be able to make a living flipping people off, Steve." Which, of course, he did.

* Ray Traylor, best known as the Wrestling/BigBossman, was a prison guard who became a professional wrestler. His tag team partner Akeem, real name George Gray and better known as the One Man Gang, is a pro wrestler who became a prison guard.

* Remember the [[Wrestling/DungeonOfDoom Zodiac]]? Well, his catchphrase was "YES! NO! YES! NO! YES! NO!" Fast forward 17 years, and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] would use both "YES! YES! YES!" and "NO! NO! NO!" as catchphrases.