Top 10 Things The WWE Doesn't Want You To See
#9: JBL at the Border
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“WWE SmackDown” (1999-) NBC’s Peacock streaming service has done a bit of pruning with their freshly acquired library of WWE content. As a result, some of the company’s older, potentially insensitive content has either been censored or removed entirely, with more offenders likely lurking on the horizon. One promo you won’t find on Peacock is this controversial one courtesy of JBL, a.k.a. John Bradshaw Layfield. It was shot to build up Bradshaw’s upcoming match with Eddie Guerrero at the 2004 “Judgment Day” pay-per-view, and featured JBL at what was supposed to be the U.S./Mexican border. JBL lets loose with an anti-immigration diatribe, and even kicks out a group of actors pretending to be Mexican families. It’s…well, it's something else.
#8: Jericho Gives HBK a Hand
“WrestleMania XIX” (2003) It’s time for another bit of the bird, this time between two of the best wrestlers ever to step into the squared circle. The middle finger flashed by one Chris Jericho to the “Heartbreak Kid,” Shawn Michaels, feels a bit different than the Brock/Taker situation, however, in that it sort of feels more like an audible called by Jericho to add just a bit more heat to their match at “WrestleMania XIX.” It’s brief, and probably shouldn’t bat an eye, especially given where the WWE had been thematically prior to this incident. Still, the brief exchange was taken off the home video release of “WrestleMania XIX,” and the visual is missing on the WWE Network. However, the commentary team does acknowledge it, verbally.
#7: Undertaker on Fire
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“Elimination Chamber” (2010) The WWE production crew usually loves to dwell upon the magical and methodical entrance of The Undertaker. However, The Dead Man’s entrance to the 2010 “Elimination Chamber” will look just a bit different if you watch it on home video, or on the WWE’s streaming services. This is because Taker suffered severe burns when he accidentally came into contact with his pyro. If you were watching the event live, then you probably remember Taker hustling his way into the ring and continually dousing himself with water while waiting to enter the match. Nowadays, however, home viewers are spared the initial fracas, and sent straight into an extra-crispy Undertaker suffering for his art like a true badass professional.
#6: Booker T Boo-Boo
“Spring Stampede” (1997) One of the great things about WWE’s massive library of owned content is how many amazing wrestling moments are included from other, defunct federations. This moment from WCW’s “Spring Stampede” event from 1997, however? Yeah, good luck finding this one with the search function. That’s because Booker T made one legendary boo-boo during a pre-match promo conducted by “Mean” Gene Okerlund. With his tag team partner Stevie Ray and manager “Sensational” Sherri in tow, Booker T proceeds to lay into an energetic and aggressive speech, before becoming a bit too excited, and letting an infamous expletive fly. The kicker to the whole thing? Booker’s instant recognition of what he’s done, and how Sherri seems to echo that knowledge with her own facial expression. Oops.
#5: That D-X Parody
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“WWE Raw” (1993-) This infamous segment from “Monday Night Raw” turned heads back in 1998, never mind in the modern day. So, it sort of goes without saying that D-Generation X’s beyond-the-pale parody of the Nation of Domination would be stricken from the Peacock record. The entire group was decked out in exaggerated cosplay of different Nation members, which unfortunately meant that certain members of D-X had put on blackface. It wasn’t a one-and-done segment, either, as replays of the incident were inserted and replayed throughout the year, including the promo package for Triple H and The Rock’s match-up at the 1998 “SummerSlam” event. Nowadays, though? Definitely done.
#4: The Rock Concert
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“WWE Raw” (1993-) Not even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is safe from the Peacock ax, apparently, as this fan-favorite segment from “Monday Night Raw” was also edited and censored on its new NBC home. This one is strange, because “The Rock Concert” segment, as it’s become known by fans, is relatively harmless, especially compared to some other moments on this list. It’s basically a bit of fun trash talk by Johnson to the Sacramento crowd and his opponent, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. There is one disparaging line about the female population of Sacramento, but there’s an absence of malice that makes us question whether that’s what influenced Peacock’s decision. The version of the service omits the songs, and cuts straight to Austin’s interruption. Weird.
#3: Vince Says Something He Shouldn’t
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“Survivor Series” (2005) Oh, you thought Booker T was going to be the only one on this list spouting off some sort of controversial epithet in front of the camera? Check again, because this time it’s actually the owner of the damn company! Yup, none other than Vincent Kennedy McMahon decided it would be a funny bit to shoot a backstage promo segment with John Cena where he asks the Doctor of Thuganomics “what’s good in the hood?” Before you can breathe a sigh of relief for the end of the cringe, though, Vince goes overboard by dropping another word that we can’t repeat. We’ll just quote backstage onlooker Booker T by paraphrasing, “tell us he didn’t just say that!”
#2: Piper’s Paint
“WrestleMania VI” (1990) There is a wealth of trivia regarding this very controversial match from “WrestleMania VI.” For starters, there’s the elephant in the room about “Rowdy” Roddy Piper painting half of his body black prior to wrestling Bad News Brown. Piper’s match and pre-match promo were removed from Peacock: skipped entirely, and for obvious reasons. Additionally, there’s the rib that André the Giant reportedly played on Piper, tampering with the special liquid that was designed to remove the sweat-resistant body paint after Piper’s match. This meant that Roddy was stuck in this state for nearly a month, before he was finally able to scrub the stuff from his body.
#1: Mickie James’s Hand Gesture
“WrestleMania 22” (2006) The stalker angle between WWE women’s legends Mickie James and Trish Stratus was a creepy and well-executed bit of soap opera drama…with one very infamous in-ring moment. It occurred during their match at “WrestleMania 22” in 2006, when James grabbed Trish in a very…let’s say “sensitive” area. Mickie then turned towards the main, “hard” camera and made a very specific and suggestively sexual hand gesture. The moment was censored almost immediately from WWE replays, and continues to enjoy this status at the company’s current home on Peacock. However, those who saw this salacious bit of scandal live, likely have the image burned in their collective minds.
