Top 10 Embarrassingly Bad WWE Moments

#10: The Rope Breaks

“WWE Extreme Rules” (2021)

It seems WWE has a habit of writing itself into a corner. Take 2021's "Extreme Rules" PPV; the main event saw Roman Reigns defending his Universal Championship against Finn Bálor under his recently resurrected Demon gimmick. WWE likely did not want either wrestler to lose cleanly, so the match ended in one of the most baffling moments in recent history. Bálor unleashes The Demon and wreaks havoc, and just as he looks set to deliver his finisher, the top rope breaks. This randomness didn’t help either competitor, especially Bálor, who came out of the whole thing looking like a joke.

#9: Donald Trump Impersonator vs. Rosie O'Donnell Impersonator

“WWE Raw” (1993-)

Any weekly show that has been on the air for more than 25 years will have its share of bad ideas, but not all stinkers are this unwatchable. Attempting to play off Rosie O'Donnell and Donal Trump's real-life growing animosity, WWE enlisted two impersonators to “wrestle” in the name of comedy, and we use that term very loosely. The crowd makes its disapproval of the skit clear from the very first second, and that hostility only intensifies as the segment stretches on for nearly 10 agonizing minutes.

#8: Zombies Invade WWE

“WrestleMania Backlash” (2021)

For the most part, "WrestleMania Backlash" was a pretty solid PPV. Almost all of the matches delivered on their promise, except for one notable bout smack dab in the middle of the show. During The Miz and Damian Priest's match, the WWE ThunderDome suddenly became infested with zombies. The undead acted as special lumberjacks for the match, and went on to pursue Miz and Morrison for dinner. Essentially an extended advert for the film "Army of the Dead," WWE made no attempt to offer a sensible explanation or provide any real follow-up.

#7: Bayley: This Is Your Life

“WWE Raw” (1993-)

The Rock and Mick Foley's “This is Your Life” segment is iconic among wrestling fans. The same can be said for Alexa Bliss and Bayley's version, but for all the wrong reasons. Trying to provoke Bayley, Bliss welcomed to the ring a bunch of people from the “hugger's” past, such as her fourth-grade teacher, former best friend, and ex-boyfriend. Horribly acted, lacking anything resembling wit, and lasting for an eternity, this segment badly hurt Bayley's momentum as a babyface, especially since the whole thing ended with Bliss getting the upper hand. The crowd booed loudly throughout, and what can we say, they were completely justified.

#6: Dr. Heinie

“WWE Raw” (1993-)

So many of WWE's most embarrassing moments can be credited to Vince McMahon's peculiar sense of humor. Unfortunately for us, the Chairman loves poking fun at Jim Ross. While the legendary commentator was recovering from surgery, WWE aired a segment that involved Mr. McMahon pulling things out of Ross' behind. This whole thing came out of nowhere, added nothing of value to the show and ongoing stories, and ended on a punchline that still makes no sense. WWE even aired this skit during the most coveted time slot of the night. Needless to say, it stunk!

#5: The Old Day

“WWE Raw” (1993-)

Unlike other awful WWE segments, “The Old Day” had plenty of potential to, well, not be terrible. Everyone involved, Gallows, Anderson and The New Day, are all very funny, but this segment bombed instantly with the crowd. Lasting forever and a day, the skit put way too much focus on the extras cast as the Old Day, even giving them lines. While things improved slightly after The New Day came out, the segment was beyond salvation by that point. It’s never a good sign when the audience reacts to attempted comedy with sustained disinterest.

#4: Seth Rollins vs. The Fiend

“WWE Hell in a Cell” (2019)

One of the most damaging matches in WWE history, this main event irreversibly hurt Seth Rollins' big push, ruined The Fiend's aura, and spat in the face of classic Hell in a Cell fights. A supernatural character who “no-sold” attacks, The Fiend's popularity resulted in a title program with Rollins. It all culminated in a Hell in a Cell match where neither wrestler could afford to lose. WWE's solution was to end the match on a no-contest due to Seth getting a bit too violent. Absolutely nobody bought the cop-out finish, as the crowd rained down boos while also chanting for the competition.

#3: Mae Young Gives Birth to a Hand

“WWE Raw” (1993-)

WWE’s Attitude Era car crash TV approach delivered plenty of timeless moments, but it wasn't all beer baths and “Five Second Poses.” Occasionally, something truly atrocious slipped through the cracks. And, few are worse than when the geriatric Mae Young went into labor and birthed a human hand. Who was this for, exactly? Not everything has to make sense in WWE, but some semblance of a punchline would be nice. Quite a few things from the Attitude Era have aged poorly, but this segment was a disaster from the moment it aired.

#2: Katie Vick

“WWE Raw” (1993-)

After years of championships, tag teams, and epic moments, Kane’s days as WWE's most terrifying creation were winding down. And then Katie Vick happened. In an inexplicable storyline, HHH revealed that the Big Red Machine had been responsible for the death of an old girlfriend. This exercise in poor taste reached its awful peak in a funeral home segment that saw HHH dress as Kane and share a casket with a doll of Katie Vick. Disturbing on every level, this storyline should have never made it past the writer's room.

#1: Lilly Winks

“WWE Raw” (1993-)

While spooky gimmicks have their place in professional wrestling, characters with genuine supernatural powers tend to be a hard sell. You can only suspend your disbelief so much before it reaches a breaking point. And, a doll winking to cause a distraction during a match is about a hundred steps beyond that mark. Alexa Bliss and Doudrop both tried their darndest to make this moment work, but they couldn't overcome the innate cheesiness of the core idea. Lilly winking is one of those incidents that can make a fan concede that maybe WWE is no longer for them.