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The 25 Most Memorable Work/Shoot Wrestling Promos

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AEW

Hey Yo! It's The Wrestling Classic here with another list for ONE37pm and it's all about the best wrestling shoot promos.

This article will cover the most memorable and shocking work/shoot promos in wrestling history. There has always been an unspoken rule in the wrestling industry to protect the business at all costs. The often-heard word "kayfabe" is a phrase relied upon to make everything in the business seem authentic and genuine. The promos cut by the stars would be about upcoming matches, current storylines, and self-promotion. By no means were you supposed to discuss the backstage politics, the way the creative was booked, or make the business come off as a scripted pre-determined form of entertainment. When people would cut promos discussing these things, it would be considered a "shoot." This is easily explained as something real in a space where everything else was scripted or produced.

There are some times in wrestling where these "shoot" promos are done intentionally to gauge a reaction from the hardcore fans who are curious about the backstage politics and love the feeling of being an insider. It also makes it hard for fans to initially realize if what is being said is scripted or real. It evokes a feeling of chaos and uncertainty but has everyone talking. They also make you feel something as if you’re watching the script fall apart as true emotions and feelings come to the forefront.

As of a few weeks ago on AEW Dynamite, MJF cut a scathing promo on the fans, All Elite Wrestling as a company, and its owner Tony Khan on their first episode on Dynamite from Los Angeles. It managed to get everyone excited and it all felt real. It was blurring the lines between reality and fiction. That promo alone led me to want to go down memory lane discussing many other unforgettable shoot promos in the history of professional wrestling.

Be sure to share this article on the 25 best wrestling shoot promos and debate it with your friends. Also, be sure to let me know how you feel about this list on Instagram or Twitter.

Best Wrestling Shoot Promos

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WWE

25. "The Real Jeff Jarrett" - Jeff Jarrett (WWF Raw - 11/20/97)

24. "WCW Sucks!" - Scott Steiner (WCW Nitro - 02/07/00)

23. "I’m Tired of Making Stars!" (Eddie Kingston - Progress Wrestling)

22. "The Birth of Extreme" - Shane Douglas (ECW - 08/27/94)

21. "Who is TNA?" - Samoa Joe (TNA Turning Point - 12/02/07)

20. "Sick of Waiting" - The Miz (WWE Raw - 08/21/17)

19. "Speaking the Truth" - Kevin Owens (WWE SmackDown - 07/09/19)

18. "Not a Corporate Puppet" - Diesel (WWF Raw - 11/20/95)

17. "Total Divas Promo" - AJ Lee (WWE Raw - 06/26/13)

16. "Farewell Promo" - Cody Rhodes (AEW Dynamite - 01/19/22)

15. "What Makes Jim Cranky?" - Jim Cornette (11/06/97- 12/29/97)

14. "Sports Entertainment" - Joey Styles (WWE Raw - 05/01/06)

13. "Out of Character" - The Undertaker (WWF Raw - 06/01/98)

12. "Shooting on TNN" - Paul Heyman (ECW - 06/02/00)

11. "Good Ol’ JR" - Jim Ross (WWF Raw - 09/27/96)

10. "You Want an Apology?" - Eddie Kingston (AEW Rampage - 11/05/21)

9. "Heyman Let’s Loose" - Paul Heyman (ECW One Night Stand - 06/12/05)

8. "Paving Potholes" - Kevin Nash & Syxx (WCW Nitro - 04/21/97)

7. "Becoming MJF" - MJF (AEW Dynamite - 02/23/22)

6. "You Made Wrestling a Dirty Word!" - Paul Heyman (WWF SmackDown - 11/15/01)

5. "Bret Snaps!" - Bret “The Hitman” Hart (WWF Raw - 03/17/97)

4. "Russo Fires Hogan" - Vince Russo (WCW Bash at the Beach - 07/09/00)

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WWE

By the year 2000, World Championship Wrestling wasn’t what it once was. The Turner executives decided to bring in Vince Russo in October of 1999 with the perception that he was the mastermind behind WWF’s rise during the Monday Night Wars. Russo, along with Ed Ferrera, were the head writers for WWF’s programming during the peak of the Attitude Era when WWF started overtaking WCW in the ratings with edgier and raunchier content. However, WCW started becoming more like WWE-lite than its own show. Russo really wanted to focus on the younger talent too rather than the older guys like Hulk Hogan. I won’t go into all the details of what exactly happened backstage at Bash at the Beach 2000, but I promise you there are a plethora of articles and videos on it.

Long story short, there was a plan where the night would end with Booker T winning the World Championship while Hogan would have walked out with his own World Championship. Thus leading to an Undisputed Championship match. However, once Jeff Jarrett just laid in the ring for Hogan to pin him, you could already tell there were some shenanigans at hand. Russo would come out a little after the Hogan/Jarrett match and cut a shoot promo on Hulk Hogan and the political power plays he makes backstage with his creative control. He even mentioned how he wished he never saw him again in WCW..and we didn’t. Check this one out if you haven’t already.

3. "Not a Coward!" - The Miz (WWE Talking Smack - 08/23/16)

2. "Superstar Steve Austin" - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (ECW - 10/10/95)

1. "The Pipebomb" - CM Punk (WWE Raw - 06/27/11)

I hope you all enjoyed this list of memorable worked shoot promos. Tell me if you disagree and let me know what you think over social media. Ya dig? Oooh Yeah!

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