Over the history of wrestling, there have been hundreds of weekly television shows, all featuring different formats and unique presentations, along with their best moments, worst moments, and moments that just make you cringe. WCW Saturday Night ran from 1971 to 2000 and was the company's number one television show for most of that run.
This is a show that featured stars such as Ric Flair, Sting, The Road Warriors, Dusty Rhodes, and The Steiner Brothers. While some of the greatest moments and matches in wrestling history took place on Saturday nights, there was were embarrassing to watch at the time, and haven't gotten any better with age.
10 THE SHOCKMASTER AS SANTA CLAUS
When it comes to the pantheon of embarrassing moments in WCW, The Shockmaster's debut is definitely number one in history, but basically, any time the poor guy was on it was a joke.
The reason this moment is on the list is that a character who was supposed to be a legit main eventer was relegated to a clumsy, but lovable goof who was reading Christmas stories to children. Quite a fall from grace.
9 "HE'S GOT A BICYCLE!"
This moment was a little more random and bewildering than embarrassing, but during a late 1996 match between Big Bubba Rogers and Mr. J.L. (Jerry Lynn under a mask), the former Big Boss Man decided he was going to retrieve a weapon, which ended up being a bicycle, which he used to choke his opponent.
As cringeworthy as it was, things were almost saved by Dusty Rhodes's amazing commentary.
8 FORGETFUL DISCO INFERNO
While Disco Inferno went on to become a successful member of the WCW mid-card, even winning the WCW TV Title. But when he first came on the scene in 1995, many of the company's long-time fans likely rolled their eyes at another gimmicky wrestler.
Things got really embarrassing in an angle when Disco couldn't remember how to apply a standing leg lock submission finisher he wanted to use (even having a diagram at one point - which was at least a bit funny)
7 NWO SATURDAY NIGHT
The nWo was arguably the most successful angle in the history of WCW, but for all the positives it created for the company, it led to just as many negatives.
At the top of the list was nWo Saturday Night, which the outlaw group getting TV time for horrible squash matches, self-commentary filled with inside jokes, and Nick Patrick in a ski mask. It made the cool heels look not so cool anymore.
6 ARACHNAMAN
Around 1991, WCW began to stray away from its classic NWA-style serious presentation by introducing several more gimmicky superstars such as rapper P.N. News, lumberjack Big Josh, and last by not least, Arachnaman.
It was Brad Armstrong, a talented wrestler who was saddled with several other stupid gimmicks throughout his career. The character looked a lot like a certain 'friendly neighborhood web-slinger,' which led to the possibility of legal action from Marvel, and a short shelf life for this embarrassing gimmick.
5 OUT WITH A WHIMPER
For more than 25 years, the 6:05 p.m. Saturday timeslot was the prominent programming in World Championship Wrestling's universe. As Rhodes called the show, it was 'the mothership.' However, after Monday Nitro debuted in 1995, followed by Thunder in 1998, it's importance became weaker and weaker.
It became a spot for superstars in development, castaways from the 80s, and low-mid card fodder. When the episode under the traditional format aired on, ironically, April Fool's Day, April 1, 2000, there was no celebration and recognition of what the show had meant for so many years.
4 DUNGEON OF DOOM VIGNETTES
The Dungeon of Doom may be the pinnacle of mid-90s cartoonish wrestling, however, at the time, it stood out so much on WCW Saturday Night, and not exactly in a good way.
According to Kevin Sullivan, the stable was created to present several 'monster heels' for Hulk Hogan to take down, playing off the successful formula he had in the 1980s. The vignettes introducing the stable and its members was laughable at best, but surely embarrassing, especially in 2020.
3 MR. WONDERFUL MEETS GARY SPIVEY
"Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff was a huge star in the 1980s and took part in one of the greatest feuds ever with Hulk Hogan in 1986.
However, he also took part in one of the most embarrassing and cringeworthy moments not only in WCW Saturday Night history, in of all time. After suffering a loss, Orndorff was visited by Gary Spivey of the Psychic Companion Network, who appeared to wear a huge SOS pad on his head.
2 THE LEPRECHAUN
As embarrassing as the original Dungeon of Doom vignettes were, it would only get worse. First, there was the Yeti, which came from a block of ice, but instead of being an abominable snowman, it was a mummy.
Almost a year later, in the midst of the nWo angle and turn towards realism, WCW creative decided they needed to add a leprechaun to the stable's roster. The Leprechaun, in reality, WCW Power Plant head trainer DeWayne Bruce, would randomly appear, slobbering and growling. Pure cringe.
1 HULK HOGAN'S TICKER TAPE PARADE
Hulk Hogan signing with WCW in 1994 was the biggest free-agent jump in the sports' history at the time, and was the beginning of the company becoming a legitimate competitor with the WWF.
While it was a huge move, there were many WCW fans who were extremely unhappy, as to them, Hogan represented the cartoonish-nature of 1980s wrestling. For Hogan's debut, the company held a ticker-tape parade that featured some people.