WWE business started picking up in the aftermath of the first-ever WrestleMania. The period that followed the advent of 'Mania saw the emergence of larger-than-life characters such as “Macho Man” Randy Savage, the Ultimate Warrior, and Jake “The Snake” Roberts to name a few.
The wholesome entertainment offered by WWE’s Golden Era attracted many casual viewers and led to the first recorded boom in pro wrestling history. While the era was known for its family-friendly content, there were some moments that were nothing short of cringe.
10 The Deadman Escapes Death (WWE Superstars of Wrestling: April 25, 1992)
The Undertaker made his iconic debut at the fourth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view event in 1990. The gimmick was never done before on WWE TV and quickly captured the interest of fans. Taker spent the next two years feuding with stars like Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior.
The Deadman would square off against Berserker on an episode of WWE Superstars of Wrestling from 1992. However, the Viking attacked Taker before the match could even begin, assaulting him with his trademark shield, before attempting to impale him with his sword. It's a good thing that didn’t happen.
9 A Fiery Curse (WWE Superstars of Wrestling: May 30, 1992)
Wrestling fans who grew up watching WWE Superstars might recall Papa Shango, a gimmick based on a Haitian deity. Yes, you read that right. Papa Shango (played by Charles Wright, aka The Godfather) rarely fought his opponents. Instead, he would defeat them with a curse.
His supernatural abilities were on full display on the May 30, 1992, edition of WWE Superstars. Shango was booked in a squash match against Brian Brieger. Prior to the match, Shango performed a curse that caused the arena lights to go off and Brieger’s boots to catch fire. That was it!
8 The Funeral Parlor (WWE Superstars of Wrestling: April 13, 1991)
Before Raw brought live programing, WWE had to rely on pre-taped talk shows to make up for most of their allotted slots. One such segment involved The Undertaker and his then manager Paul Bearer. The two would host The Funeral Parlor.
Bearer invited the Ultimate Warrior to appear on the Funeral Parlor on the April 13, 1991, edition of Superstars. Of course, it was all a set-up to ambush the Warrior and put him inside Taker’s signature casket. That was pretty disturbing, to say the least.
7 Earthquakes & Snakes (WWE Superstars of Wrestling: April 27, 1991)
John Tenta aka Earthquake was a superheavyweight who would crush his opponents by jumping on them. Earthquake would enter into a feud with Jake Roberts in 1991. One of the highlights of the feud came on the April 27, 1991, episode of WWE Superstars of Wrestling.
At one point, Earthquake tied Roberts to the ring ropes and performed a couple of Earthquake splashes on the bag containing Damien as a helpless Roberts watched in horror. In reality, the bag was stuffed with hamburger meat and a device to depict movement.
6 Poking the Snake (WWE Superstars of Wrestling: September 13, 1988)
Many fans consider the feud between Roberts and Rick Rude to be the defining point in their respective careers. Things got extremely personal when Bobby Heenan picked Roberts’ wife, Cheryl, for Rude to kiss. Both Roberts and his wife would exact their revenge later.
To escalate things, Rude resorted to a new low on a September 1992 episode of WWE Superstars of Wresting. The Ravishing One unveiled a new pair of tights emblazoned with a visage of Mrs. Roberts, causing an irate Roberts to rush to the ring and tear them off, exposing Rude in the process.
5 A Convicted Beatdown (WWE Superstars of Wrestling: May 30, 1992)
Nailz is arguably the most disturbing gimmick of the Golden Era. Fans, to this day, argue over the character’s merits and demerits. Nailz, played by Kevin Patrick Wacholz, was an ex-convict who claimed he was kayfabe abused by Big Boss Man while he was serving prison time.
Nailz made his debut on the May 30, 1992, episode of Superstars, appearing from within the crowd to attack Boss Man who had just finished his match. The whole visual was extremely disturbing, and the crowd couldn’t believe they were seeing an ex-convict assault a prison guard with his own nightstick.
4 Brutalizing the Barber (WWE Superstars of Wrestling: August 27, 1988)
WWE product during the Golden Era was considered safe for family consumption. However, the company would backtrack from its policy of no-blood on numerous occasions. One such occurrence took place in August 1988 when the “Outlaw” Ron Bass attacked Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake.
Bass blindsided Beefcake following his match at WWE Superstars of Wrestling. The angle would see the Outlaw lacerate Beefcake’s head with a spur. WWE audience weren’t used to seeing red at the time and Beefcake bled a lot that particular night.
3 A Giant Heart Attack (WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XX: March 11, 1989)
Andre the Giant was still very much active when he began a feud with Jake Roberts in 1989. The Giant had sided with the Heenan Family, who were constantly acting as a thorn in Roberts’ side. After Roberts spiked Rick Rude with a DDT following his match with the Beefcake, the big man rushed to the ring to level the odds.
Not one to go down without a fight, Roberts brought Damien into the ring, causing everyone but Andre to flee the ring. The big man pleaded with Roberts to stop, only for the Snake to release his pet python on the Giant, who suffered a kayfabe heart attack as a result of the heinous act by Roberts.
2 That’ll Work for Me, Brother! (WWE WrestleMania IX: April 4, 1993)
Bret Hart was the odds-on favorite to retain his WWE Title against Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX. However, Bret would go on to lose the match after Mr. Fuji threw salt in the champion’s eyes, allowing Yoko to pin Bret for the win.
As Bret struggled to clear his eyes, he asked Hogan – who had come to the ringside to check on the Hitman – to face the newly-crowned champion in an impromptu match. The Hulkster gladly obliged and pinned Yokozuna within 22 seconds. Brother!!!
1 Stand Back! (WWE Slammy Awards: December 19, 1987)
Nothing gets more iconic, or cringe-worthy (depends on how fans see it), than Vince McMahon performing a live rendition of “Stand Back.” This particular dance number took place on the second annual Slammy Awards on December 16, 1987, and aired three days later.
While the boss brought some moves to the dance floor, superstars such as Hogan, Savage, Roberts, and Beefcake played musical instrumentals – something which seems to be missing from WWE these days. The Golden Era definitely had its cringey moments!