The Most Disastrous Debuts in Wrestling History

The Shockmaster and Eric Bischoff

10- Matt Sydal (AEW)

Matt Sydal, formerly WWE's Evan Bourne, made his AEW debut at All Out 2020 by entering the Casino Battle Royale. Sydal was meant to enter with a big impact, which he technically did, but not in the way intended. While attempting his signature top-rope maneuver, Sydal had an embarrassing slip and lost his footing before even starting the match. The unscripted accident didn't ruin his career, as he bounced right back, but it was an embarrassing start that failed to help him start his AEW run on the right foot and made his official arrival awkward.

9- Impostor Kane (WWE)

The Impostor Kane storyline in 2006 began with the real Kane hearing voices and going ballistic on a specific date, May 19th. The reveal of his imposter should have been shocking, but the debut was ruined by the imposter's bizarre appearance. While the entrance music and original costume were cool, they were ruined by that goofy wig, which made the character look unintentionally silly. The bad first impression led to fans not caring when the two Kanes fought. WWE quickly got rid of the Impostor Kane, but the initial bad hair day in hell made the debut a notorious one.

8- The Yeti (WCW)

The Yeti debuted in WCW at Halloween Havoc 1995 as the insurance policy for The Giant (The Big Show), who was fighting Hulk Hogan. The character, who looked more like a mummy than a yeti, was an example of WCW's love for 80s cartoony characters. His debut consisted of him joining The Giant in a double bear hug on Hogan. The move looked really, really awkward and weird, with the Yeti appearing like a bad Halloween costume. WCW quickly realized the mistake, changing his costume almost immediately to that of a ninja.

7- Eric Bischoff (WWE)

Eric Bischoff's surprise reveal as the new Raw General Manager in 2002 was highly anticipated, but the execution was anticlimactic and lame. Instead of a grand, on-stage moment, Bischoff simply appeared backstage during a Booker T interview and was announced in the most subdued way possible. The debut was structured this way to serve as a commercial break cliffhanger, keeping viewers tuned in. However, for a man who nearly put WWE out of business, the reveal lacked the appropriate hype and impact that a moment of such magnitude, featuring a former rival company executive, should have commanded.

6- Braden Walker (ECW)

Braden Walker, formerly known as Chris Harris in TNA, had a WWE career that was over before it had even begun. He debuted on ECW against Armando Estrada, but the name change alone was awful. The debut began with a terrible knock-knock joke, which did not scream Superstar. His match wasn't awful, but it was nothing special, making it feel like WWE wanted him to be a walking meme. Walker was released from his contract after only one more match, highlighting how a poor debut, featuring a generic name and a comedic start, completely sank a career.

5- Jeff Hardy (Ring of Honor)

Jeff Hardy's 2003 debut in Ring of Honor (ROH) was disastrously received, with fans booing him loudly and continuously. Hardy had recently been fired from WWE for drug use and poor performance, which was fresh in fans' minds. Furthermore, ROH prided itself on being the opposite of WWE, focusing on athletic and technical wrestling, while Hardy was seen as a WWE guy. He also came out in his bizarre Willow the Wisp attire. The overwhelming negativity led to a bad match, and Hardy later called the company Ring of Horror, leading to him leaving immediately after one single match.

4- The Machine (WCW)

The Machine was the re-debut of the powerful but unskilled Emory Hale in WCW in 2000. Despite months of training, he was still awful and boring in the ring. His debut match against Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) was a disaster, culminating in a botch known as The Machine neutering himself. In the spot, DDP hit the wrong side of the ropes, and The Machine's attempt to crouch and sell the move looked incredibly awkward, like he just jumped and hit his groin. The moment was so awful that WCW immediately had him take off the mask, but the damage to his career was already done.

3- Bret Hart (WCW)

WCW had a golden opportunity to debut Bret Hart after the infamous Montreal Screwjob, a moment that had captivated the wrestling world. Despite the massive attention on him, WCW chose to make him the special guest referee for a match between a retired Larry Zbyszko and company executive Eric Bischoff. Due to a 60-day no-compete clause, Hart couldn't wrestle, but the choice of such a low-stakes role for the hottest wrestler was baffling. The only acknowledgement of the Screwjob was a quick line, failing to capitalize on the drama and setting the stage for a disappointing WCW career.

2- Tito Ortiz (TNA)

Tito Ortiz's debut in TNA in 2013 was met with absolute crickets from the arena audience. After weeks of hype surrounding an August 1st Warning, which led to speculation about major wrestling stars, the reveal of MMA legend Ortiz was utterly disappointing. His arrival was intended to promote his upcoming fight with Rampage Jackson, who had also debuted in TNA. However, the fight never happened, rendering Ortiz's highly anticipated debut pointless and embarrassing, especially considering he had very little wrestling experience and garnered a massively negative reaction.

1- The Shockmaster (WCW)

The Shockmaster is widely considered the worst wrestling debut of all time. He was set to be a powerful monster who would join the heel team at Clash of the Champions. After a dramatic introduction, he burst through a false wall, but immediately tripped and fell, losing his oversized, glittery stormtrooper helmet. The bizarre, unrehearsed fall was capped by his handler, Sid Vicious, shouting, Oh God! The disastrous botch, which witnessed his mask rolling off and his identity momentarily exposed, ruined any chance of the character being taken seriously. It's a debut so bad that it immediately ended the gimmick's potential.