The release of Arc System Works' gorgeous 2.5D fighter Dragon Ball FighterZ is just a couple weeks away and, ahead of its launch, an open beta will be available on Xbox One and PS4 this weekend.
This weekend's beta will give every super saiyan the chance to play as almost every confirmed character so far. This weekend's roster includes Goku (Super Saiyan), Vegeta (Super Sayian), Gohan (Adult), Frieza, Cell, Kid Buu, Krillin, Piccolo, Nappa, Android 18, and the game's most recently announced character Beerus.
The beta will be open for 48 hours starting January 14 at midnight PST / 6:30 PM ACDT / 8 AM GMT, and ending January 15 at 11:59 PM PST / 5:59 PM ACDT / 7:59 AM GMT. For those who pre-ordered the game on either system, early access to the beta will begin January 13 at midnight PST.
By Anonymous on Jan 13, 2018 10:30 pm Rick and Morty Season 1 Episode 6 is full of Mantis Love and Cronenburg people. Rick potion #9 is the origin of most of the Rick and Morty theories we are still wondering about today. Buddy Hutton pulls out all the Oxytocin out of the vole for this one.
Five years ago, Mike Pondsmith, the creator of the Cyberpunk 2020 pen-and-paper role-playing game that forms the basis of Cyberpunk 2077 told me: "As long as the street needs heroes and heroes are willing to throw the dice to beat impossible odds, the world is going to need cyberpunk."
Done correctly, cyberpunk can help us experience futuristic worlds, amazing stories and emerge as a wiser person on the other side. It's a genre that takes the problems of present-day society to troubling, dystopian ends, and explores ways to combat them. For a while, major works like Blade Runner, Neuromancer, Akira, and Ghost in the Shell overshadowed strides forward in the genre, but they're no longer the be-all and end-all. In just the last few years, there has been a surge of new creators in all forms of media who are more than willing to dive into these eternal yet difficult concepts, and explore new issues relevant to us today.
Bloober Team's Observer (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Whether it's the revival of Deus Ex or Shadowrun that kicked things off, game developers especially are starting to explore cyberpunk worlds. In the last year, studios in Poland delivered two original titles with Observer and Ruiner, both drenched in strong aesthetics and interesting narratives. Observer deals with themes of family and humanity while forcing protagonist Lazarski to corrode his soul through the use of irresistible technology. Ruiner, on the other hand, keeps its focus squarely on blood and balletic carnage, set against the backdrop of corporate augmentation and gang warfare. These games uphold some tropes of the genre, like cybernetic wars in far-off lands and pulsating cities overflowing with dangerous people, but at the same time, they pose fascinating questions. How strong are family ties? Are we losing ourselves to machines willingly? In the end, do we as human beings really matter?
Wadjet Eye's Technobabylon (PC)
Games like Wadjet Eye's Technobabylon and 2064: Read Only Memories from MidBoss explore the ramifications of wetware technology used to connect our biological functions to computers and the over-reliance on artificial intelligence. Sukeban's VA-11 HALL-A made some creative moves with its narrative, dealing with prejudice as witnessed through the clients of a dystopian bartender. Matt Trobbiani's Hacknet throws the player headfirst into a hacker's world, a key profession in cyberpunk stories, and explores the failings of network security and our increasingly interconnected world via a rudimentary text interface. All these games were released in the last few years, with some ported to more platforms just in the last few months. In film, Blade Runner 2049 and Snowpiercerpropose different ideas of protein farming to sustain human beings as we dive into a new era of uncertainty and decadence. The relevance of examples like these to the modern day are the reason why the current resurgence of cyberpunk is exciting.
Concept art for Cyberpunk 2077
As an audience, we're drawn to cyberpunk because of things like cybernetic arms and all those cool jackets, or because of foreground details like rainy streets and alluring neon lights. Layer by layer, as we creep through a run-down apartment block, hide from a police drone or try our best to disappear into a midnight crowd, the best cyberpunk stories reveal to us modern society's worst tendencies and offenders. Corporations that have grown too large and powerful to be governed properly. Politicians that are openly engaging in fascist tactics to further their own corruption. Violent and discriminatory law enforcement that continues to rise with no oversight or accountability. Satellites and technology that track our every move. Cities across the world that are choking under the weight of millions of inhabitants who are, in return, choking the environment until all that remains is concrete, glass, and steel.
In the five years since I spoke to Mike Pondsmith, the hope and anticipation for Cyberpunk 2077 has not subsided at all. The critically-acclaimed and wildly successful Witcher series has demonstrated that developer CD Projekt RED is more than capable of slipping players into worlds filled with rich, vulnerable characters and expansive, treacherous sagas. Working in tandem with Pondsmith to bring his pen-and-paper universe to life, the Cyberpunk 2077 project holds a great deal of hope for people looking for thrilling and layered cyberpunk stories to envelop themselves in, but it's been a mysteriously opaque project for over half a decade, with almost no new information (though some tidbits about its unconventional character classes hint at a number of interesting possibilities) and zero marketing.
And then: *beep*. After four years of inactivity, Cyberpunk 2077's official Twitter account has reactivated.
Cyberpunk 2077 remains an extremely exciting prospect not only because of CD Projekt's pedigree, but because cyberpunk stories speak to who we are as a society. Stories of downtrodden nobodies trying to get through technologically-driven but brutal lives help us contemplate the picture of humanity bigger than ourselves.
"As long as the street needs heroes and heroes are willing to throw the dice to beat impossible odds, the world is going to need cyberpunk." - Mike Pondsmith
And what a time for this to happen. While unpleasant stories populate our news feeds, technology is bubbling at the surface of innovation quicker than you might expect. Illinois' Northwestern University is studying the limits of 3D-printed bones, with human testing about to begin, and Harvard chemists have made new breakthroughs in editing genes at the embryonic level to delete abnormalities in our DNA before we are even born. Billion-dollar startups in China are taking sophisticated face-detection systems into corporate security, rail travel, and criminal detection. Uber's new transport initiative called 'Uber Elevate' is set to launch around 2020 and could be seen a step towards the personalized flying transportation we so often see appear in cyberpunk stories. But in the face of all this new and shiny technology, the global climate worsens, food shortages widen, and corporations grow larger.
CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077
Other video game genres have already had the best versions of themselves in the spotlight. Pick a type of game and chances are the definitive example immediately comes to mind. The cyberpunk genre has yet to do this, but we are in the perfect environment for new ideas to cultivate and it's starting to show. Whether it evolves on our screens, in our books or outside our rainy neon-lit windows, cyberpunk is on the cusp of enveloping us, and Cyberpunk 2077 might just be the big-budget explosion that makes us take a closer look at modern society.
DC's upcoming superhero movie Shazam has an official release date. It will hit theaters on April 19, 2019, and is now the third confirmed movie on the the studio's slate together with this year's Aquaman and Wonder Woman 2, which arrives in November 2019.
The Shazam release date has been rumored for some time; DC first announced it back in 2014, but it subsequently disappeared from the schedule. Since then the studio has undergone much upheaval, with rumored films never happening and other ones cancelled, not to mention various changes of personnel behind-the-scenes.
Shazam will be directed by David F. Sandberg, who previously helmed the horror hits Annabelle: Creation and Light's Out. In October, Zachary Levi was announced in the lead role of Billy Batson. Levi is no stranger to the superhero genre--he is already part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having played Fandral in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
Sandberg previously hinted that Shazam will be a lot lighter in tone than other films in the DC movie universe. "The big attraction for me with that character is the fact that every kid dreams of being Superman, right? I mean I certainly did, and [Billy Batson] is a kid that gets that chance," he said. "He gets to become the superhero. So it'll be big with superpowers in a way. In terms of what people can expect, I think this will be one of the more fun or lighthearted movies so far in the DC universe. It certainly will be a departure."
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was previously announced in the role of Shazam's nemesis Black Adam, but it was subsequently confirmed that he will not feature in Shazam. However, he is still set to appear in a spin-off movie.
Shazam first appeared in 1939, when he was known by the name Captain Marvel. The character was bought by DC in 1971, when he was renamed, due to Marvel's ownership of the name Captain Marvel. A live action Shazam TV show was broadcast in the mid-70s, while an animated show followed in 1981.
It was announced last week that the much-loved '90s animated series Animaniacs is being revived for Hulu, with executive producer Steven Spielberg back on board. It's nearly 20 years since the show was last on air, so it's easy to forget just had how madcap it was. Animaniacs was an animated sketch variety show packed with jokes, songs, catchphrases, celebrity cameos, and Hollywood in-jokes, all anchored by the anarchic Warner siblings, Wakko, Yakko, and Dot.
The show's most notorious feature was undoubtedly the number of adult jokes and innuendos that its writers managed to slip into each episode, many of them centered around Wakko and Yakko's obsession with girls and usually followed by the catchphrases "Goodnight everybody!" and "Hello nurse!" The new series of Animaniacs isn't expected until 2020, so in the meantime, here's some of the rudest jokes that made their way into this otherwise family-friendly show….
"We'll do it!"
Wakko, Yakko, and Dot are given the job of painting the Sistine chapel after Michelangelo fires all of his workers. They agree, but Yakko makes sure that their intentions are not misunderstood. "We're not doing it for the sake of art, and we're not doing it for the sake of money," he tells Michelangelo. "No, we're doing it because...we like painting naked people!"
"Look, it's a big fat fanny!"
As the Warner siblings fight over a telephone, Wakko attempts to distract Yakko and Dot by yelling and pointing at a large bottom elsewhere in the room.
"You're a what??"
Wakko, Yakko, and Dot encounter Ludwig Van Beethoven, who introduces himself as "world famous composer and pianist." Inevitably, a shocked siblings mishear that last word.
"Sire?"
King Yakko is led through the halls of his palace by Prime Minister Nurse. He is distracted by some furniture, and Nurse tries to get his attention back."Sire?" she asks. "Wait 'til we're alone!" Yakko grins.
"Can we stay up past 10?"
The Warner siblings meet Death and become convinced that he is their father. Among the questions they have for the Grim Reaper is a request to "stay up late and watch the Adult Channel!"
"You are obsessed with girls!"
Dr. Scratchansniff attempts to psychoanalyse Yakko, and shows him a series of inkblot pictures. In every case, Yakko informs him that they looks like girls. "You are obsessed with girls!" the doc exclaims. "Hey, you're the one showing me the sexy pictures!" Yakko replies.
"Ooh, a giant Pez Dispenser!"
Wakko mistakes a statue of Dr. Scratchansniff for a Pez dispenser, leading the poor doc to yell "Stop playing with my bust!" Cue a typical Yakko look to the audience. "Good night everybody!"
"Truth or Dare"
At the height of Madonna's fame, the Queen of Pop swishes into an episode, wearing her conical bra to lure a pair of Japanese movie producers away for a game of Truth or Dare. Fans who had seen the Madonna documentary of the same name will know exactly what that might entail…
"I'll conjugate with you!"
Miss Flamiel is teaching the Warners grammar. "Yakko, can you conjugate?" she asks. "Who, me?" he replies. "I never even kissed a girl!"
"I love cartoons!"
Lonely Yakko has no one to play with, so he conjures up a group of scantily-class showgirls. "I love cartoons!" he winks to the viewer. Unfortunately, the ladies quickly depart, looking somewhat offended. "Come on! Just one more romp! I'll even get in front this time!"
"Give me the bird!"
Wakko, Yakko, and Dot thwart a hunter's attempt to shoot a turkey. "Begone and give me the bird!" the Hunter cries out in desperation. "We'd love to, really, but the Fox censors won't allow it!" Yakko quips.
"I'm your biggest fan!"
Madonna wasn't the only blonde singing superstar to "appear" on the show. Dolly Parton also popped up, telling Brain that she is his biggest fan."What do you think of that?" she asks. "I'd say puberty was inordinately kind to you," comes to deadpan reply, as he stares at her chest.
Jeopardy!
The Warners are appearing on TV game show Jeopardy, where Wakko is offered the chance to play some or all of his money. "I'll blow the wad!" he exclaims, much to his siblings' shock.
"Every boy needs a hobby!"
Dot is often quick to chastise Yakko and Wakko when they leer at women. "That'll be enough that!" she cries when they are distracted by a pair of young girls walking past them. "Every boy needs a hobby," Yakoo retorts.
"I don't think so!"
The ace detective Hercule Yakko instructs Dot to "dust for prints." Dot mishears, and carries on none other than purple-clad rock god Prince. "No! Finger prints!" Yakoo replies. Which Dot also mishears, leading Prince to grin mischievously at her.
"We're crazy!"
Wakko, Yakko, and Dot show Dr. Scratchansniff and his date show how crazy they are at the drive-in, by going mad inside their car. Cut to outside, where a mom glances nervously at the suspiciously bouncing car, dragging her kid away before he can ask any questions.
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is actually a real lake, which straddles the border between Peru and Bolivia. And of course, that's the lake that the Warners choose to sing about. As the song goes: "We really like saying its name!"
"Hide his nuts."
This gag was not included when the episode first aired, but was later reinstated for syndicated screenings. Doug the Dog is watching a nature documentary about squirrels: "This frisky little fella likes to hide his nuts in the most unusual places… where the sun don't shine on them…"
"No relation!"
Buster and Babs Bunny, from the far-more-innocent Tiny Toons, make a cameo in one episode, boarding Noah's Ark with their catchphrase. "I'm Buster Bunny. And I'm Babs Bunny. No relation." Noah turn to camera and says, "let's hope not, it's a children's show!" What is he expecting them to get up to on his boat?
"The stockings were hung…"
It's Christmas time, and Wakko, Yakko, and Dot are hanging up their stockings. "The stockings were hung so our names clearly showed," sings Dot. "In the hopes that Santa will leave a big load!" finishes Wakko.
"That's our solar system."
Yakko run down the list of planets in a charming, catchy song, but misses one out. "You forgot Uranus!" Wakko informs him at the end.
"What else you got in there?"
Miss Flamiel pulls a pen from inside her dress to give the Warners their marks in class. "What else you got in there?" Yakko speculates.
"Oedius Rex Menswear"
Wakko, Yakko, and Dot go on a shopping trip to the mall to buy Dr. Scratchansniff a birthday present. They pass a pair of shops both named after notorious mom-obsessees, Oedipus Rex Menswear ("his mom would hate that!") and Freudian Slips, selling racy lingerie. Good night everybody!
Following yesterday's PC update to Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, the developer today addressed a number of specific issues in the Xbox One version of the game. On the game's official forums, a community coordinator noted that the team is pushing the fix to address "an in-game issue that was undermining the core experience for some players." And while addressing that more serious bug, today's patch also fixes some smaller issues.
But bugs haven't slowed down the growth of PUBG's userbase; despite some prevalent issues, the game has surpassed 3 million players on Xbox One. The game is still included in Xbox One's Game Preview program, with no specific word on when it will go into its full retail release on console.
The full patch notes are listed below:
Gameplay
Pistols have been removed from Y button's weapon rotation and grouped with the melee weapon.
Players can now equip pistols by pressing 'up' on the D pad.
Optimization
Continued improvements related to player "rubber banding."
Enhanced server performance while parachuting.
Option
Added a new controller preset to options menu.
Type B (new preset) now supports:
Holding LT to aim down sight.
Holding LB to use 3rd person perspective aim sight.
Controller guide has been updated to include the new controller preset.
Bug fixes
Fixed an issue where players repositioned out of the battleground after certain actions and remained invulnerable until the end of the match.
Additional memory and non-memory related crash fixes.
Fixed the inability to join duo/squad through invites outside of game.
The update also highlighted two things that will be addressed in the games next patch:
Dropping objects causes the player to switch weapons.
User is unable to switch grenade types when tapping right on the D-Pad.
Hyperkin showed off plenty of neat retro accessories at CES 2018, but one of the standouts was the original Xbox controller, commonly referred to as the Duke. This hulking gamepad is oddly making a comeback by the end of March according to Hyperkin for $70 USD. Official international pricing hasn't been stated but one can estimate £50 GBP and $90 AUD.
Given that it was happily succeeded by the Xbox S controller during the first generation of Microsoft's console, the Duke's return taps into perplexing nostalgia. However, after getting our hands on it at CES, we noticed that it does have some modern touches. While button placement is exactly the same as before, there are two tiny shoulder buttons to act as the black and white buttons, which are also still functional on the controller. The Duke is noticeably lighter than its forebear as well.
A closer look at The Duke. (Sean Buckley/CNET)
In terms of other modern features, the Xbox One's view and menu buttons are found in the middle. But at dead-center where the Xbox logo once stood is a huge circle that plays the boot-up screen animation of the original console when it's pressed. The Duke will only work through a wired micro USB connection and it is compatible with PC, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.
Sean Hollister from CNET (GameSpot's sister site) spoke with Seamus Blackley, co-creator of the Xbox, about how and why the massive gamepad is coming back. Blackley said it's "miraculous" that he got Microsoft's approval, but continued:
"I discovered to my horror and fascination that The Duke was an object of nostalgia and comfort and happiness and childhood memories, and all these people with big hands saying it was the only controller that was comfortable."
"I contacted Phil [Spencer, Head of Xbox], who was a buddy of mine, and asked, 'Phil, is this crazy enough to do?' and some of the hardware guys who were there when the Xbox was on the drawing board said we should absolutely do it."
By Anonymous on Jan 13, 2018 07:30 am Are the technological terrors of Black Mirror coming true? Greg takes a look at all the crazy gadgets, apps and tech used throughout the sci-fi series that are the closest to becoming reality...and some that already have!
By Anonymous on Jan 13, 2018 07:00 am We've got the newest fighters to enter the Dragon Ball FighterZ roster in glorious 4K resolution! Enjoy a couple full matches of Goku Black, Hit, Beerus, and more.
The Dragon Ball FighterZ roster grew to 24 fighters with the recent reveal of Goku Black, Beerus, and Hit. The three Dragon Ball Super characters join the likes of Goku, Vegeta, and more in the upcoming fighter. In the video above, you can see them in action in 4K.
Beerus can create Spheres of Destruction, which explode when they come in contact with an opponent. His Meteor special attack is God of Destruction's Judgment. The assassin Hit's moveset emphasizes striking, much like his Time Skip technique in the series; his Meteor special temporarily stops time and unleashes a combo attack. Goku Black's special is called The Work of a God, and he can summon Zamasu to "bind" an opponent.
A beta of Dragon Ball FighterZ begins on January 14 at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET and runs until January 16. Of the three newest characters, only Beerus is playable in the beta.
Super Mario Odyssey's presentation is undeniably charming. The upcoming adventure is brimming with vibrant visuals that'll likely cement a smile on your face.
Aside from its colorful environments, one of the game's most delightful aspects are the optional outfits Mario can wear. From outfits that are themed around the worlds you visit to ones that are direct homages to Mario's history, there's an abundance of fun costumes to throw on.
In time for Super Mario Odyssey's announcement of its upcoming update, we've gathered all the new outfits that were revealed. To give you a glimpse of all the new outfits as well as all of the outfits in the base game, we've gathered them all here.
Click ahead to take a look, and be sure to check back often as we update this feature with even more DLC outfits. If you're curious how to find some of the best of what you see in this feature, check out our guide on how to get the best costumes.
Super Mario Odyssey is out now for Nintendo Switch. It's the latest installment of Nintendo's tenured franchise starring the lovable Italian plumber. You once again control Mario as he works to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. But this time around, he has the help of a new hat sidekick named Cappy, who he can throw at certain objects or enemies to temporarily possess them and use their unique abilities.
The holidays may be over, but you can still find plenty of deals on games if you're looking for something new to play. Many digital storefronts are holding New Year sales to usher in 2018, and that includes the Humble Store, which has now kicked off its annual winter sale.
You'll have until 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on January 25 to take advantage of the above discounts. Many publishers such as Ubisoft and Bethesda are also holding separate sales in the digital store, giving you a ton of options to choose from. You can find the full list of discounted games on Humble's website.
Xbox One may have had a slimmer lineup of exclusive games than either PS4 or Nintendo Switch in 2017, but the new year is certainly shaping up to be a busier one for Microsoft's console. Following the launch of its powerful Xbox One X last November, Microsoft is turning its attention to expanding its roster of first-party titles, with a solid selection of games that can only be found on Xbox One (and PC, thanks to the company's Play Anywhere program) lined up throughout the year.
In the video above, we take a look at the most anticipated games coming exclusively to Xbox One in 2018. On top of some titles that we've already known about for quite some time, such as Sea of Thieves, the anticipated pirate game from storied developer Rare, Xbox One owners have a slate of exciting games to look forward in the coming months, from high-profile releases like State of Decay 2 and Crackdown 3 to some intriguing indie titles like Ashen and The Last Night. You can also see all of the year's big Xbox One exclusives in our gallery.
Those certainly aren't the only big games coming to Xbox One this year, as a number of major multiplatform releases like Red Dead Redemption 2 are slated to arrive in the next few months. Microsoft will also continue to bolster the Xbox One's library by making even more original Xbox games backwards compatible. The first batch of original Xbox games arrived back in October and added classics like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Ninja Gaiden Black, and Microsoft has said that another selection will be available sometime this spring.
Cherry is best known for manufacturing the most popular mechanical keyboard switches, and at CES 2018, the company revealed and showed off its latest switch. The Cherry MX LP (low profile) sports the smallest form factor of any of its switches, 35% smaller to be exact. This will allow future gaming keyboards and laptops to use Cherry technologies while maintaining a relatively thin profile.
The Cherry MX LP switch that was available to test at CES was a linear, non-tactile version, similar to the MX Red but with different actuation specs. While it shares the same actuation force of 45 cN, the total travel distance is around 3.2mm and the actuation point is about 1.2mm. These specs make them technically faster than most Cherry switches, and close to the MX Speed, although the new MX LP felt much more firm.
Cherry MX Blue switch on the left, Cherry MX LP on the right.
The new switch features an arc around the housing to facilitate better LED backlighting with options for single color or full RGB. Although the MX LP doesn't have any IP standards for spill resistance, Cherry asserts that by nature of its enclosed design, the switch internals will not take on dirt or dust. The company also boasts that its gold crosspoint technology ensures at least 50 million keystrokes per key.
Currently, there aren't any specific keyboards announced yet that'll use the MX LP switch, but Cherry stated that it's working with several partners to release MX LP keyboards this year.
For a while, Corsair had an exclusivity deal for its gaming keyboards with Cherry providing the switches. Even though this has passed, many companies are moving to creating switches in-house. Logitech has the Romer-G switch as seen in the Logitech G413, Razer uses its own line of color-coded switches with the new Blackwidow V2, and Steelseries has its QX2 used in the Apex M750.
Wrestling is scripted--except, of course, when it isn't.
Most times, when one wrestler injures another wrestler, it's an accident. An errant knee breaks a nose. A botched piledriver sprains a neck. A stiff kick fractures a rib. All it takes is a small miscommunication to send someone to the ER.
But every now and then, it isn't an accident. Maybe it's a hazing ritual. Maybe it's a punishment for backstage drama. Maybe it's a "receipt" for a wrestler who works dangerously or hurts his opponents. Regardless, the injury is purposeful, and the beatdown happens on national television, in front of a live audience.
Because the point of professional wrestling is to look real, it can be hard to distinguish a real beatdown from a staged one. It's only years later, via shoot interviews, that fans can confirm the truth. Here are 12 times unlucky WWE wrestlers got mauled in the ring for real, and why.
12. Ken Shamrock Breaks Vader's Nose
Vader had a notorious reputation for working stiff. He made contact with his opponents, for real, in order to sell the matches. But he could also take it as well as he gave it; during his time in Japan, wrestling legend Stan Hansen broke his eye socket and then gouged his eye out; Vader simply stuck it back into his head and finished the match.
And when Vader faced Ken Shamrock in 1997 at an In Your House PPV, things got real in a hurry. Shamrock was from the world of MMA. He was green in the ring, and he had something to prove. So he started laying his shots in deeply--so deeply that he broke Vader's nose and bruised his legs. Vader reminded him multiple times to ease up. And when Shamrock ignored these directives, Vader clocked him with one of the hardest lariats on record.
11. The Rock Delivers 11 Unprotected Chair Shots To Mick Foley
In 1999, The Rock was WWE's newest top guy--an angry, preening heel with a cruel streak. He was booked in an "I Quit" WWE championship match with Mankind, aka Mick Foley. So obviously, things were going to get ugly and bloody. And the two men planned out the finish beforehand; Foley would take five chair shots from the Rock before collapsing to the ground.
Unfortunately for Foley, The Rock got carried away. And during the actual match, The Rock delivered 11 unprotected chair shots to his handcuffed opponent. Foley carried resentment over the incident for some time, and he felt The Rock did not show him enough concern afterwards.
To make matters worse for WWE, the entire incident was recorded for a behind-the scenes wrestling documentary called "Beyond the Mat." Watch it, and you can see Foley's family (his wife and kids) crying in the front row as all this drama unfolds.
10. Bob Holly Makes Sure Matt Cappotelli Is "Tough Enough"
In 2002, Matt Capotelli was a contestant on the MTV/WWE reality show Tough Enough, where contestants competed for a WWE contract.
Holly (yes, we're talking about this guy again) was brought in as a special guest. And according to Holly, he didn't like what he saw in the training ring. The contestants were laughing, giggling, and not taking things seriously. Angry and fuming, he decided to do something about it.
He got in the ring and absolutely pummelled Cappotelli, kicking him and chopping him until the kid was bruised and bloody with a black eye. In the intervening years, Holly has adjusted his story about the incident several times. One time, he said that the hard kicks were an accident. Another time, he said that he took it easy on Cappotelli, and could have done much worse. But whatever the case, it was one in a long line of abuses.
9. Bob Holly Takes Revenge on Renee Dupree
One more Holly story. If that last slide wasn't enough to make you dislike the man, try this one on for size.
Twenty-year-old WWE superstar Renee Dupree was driving a car registered in Holly's name, and while driving that car, he got a ticket. In some accounts, it was a parking ticket. In other accounts, it was a speeding ticket. But what really matters here is that Bob Holly was stuck with the bill. And because he didn't find out about the ticket until some time later (wrestlers are often away from their homes for months at a time), he had to appear in court and jump through legal hoops to fix the problem.
It's a bad situation, to be sure. And most people in Holly's shoes would have yelled at the kid, or complained to management, or demanded reimbursement. Dupree offered to not only reimburse the bill but also pay Holly for his trouble. But of course, that wasn't good enough.
In November 2004, at a house show in Syracuse, NY, Holly and Charlie Haas were booked against Rene Dupree and Kenzo Suzuki . And during the match, Holly unleashed on Dupree. He punched him. He kicked him. He bashed him in the head with a steel chair so hard that it dented the chair. And Dupree ran to the back, with Holly chasing after him. Holly received a slap on the wrist for this, but in WWE's current, more corporate culture, he would likely have been fired.
8. Brock Lesnar Splits Randy Orton's Head Open
In the old days, when they wanted to 'add a little color' to their matches, wrestlers would take a razor blade and quickly cut their foreheads open when the audience wasn't looking. But times have changed. The WWE currently has a 'no deliberate bleeding' policy. Of course, someone might start bleeding if they got opened up "the hard way." But no more razor blades. And this policy ended up backfiring on Randy Orton.
When Orton fought Brock Lesnar at the 2016 SummerSlam, and there was going to be a KO finish. The safest option was to let Orton blade rather than risk a concussion. But apparently, since that was no longer permitted (ostensibly to keep the wrestlers safe), Lesnar elbowed Orton in the brow until he opened up a legit wound, and ironically put his opponent in even more danger.
It was so brutal that Chris Jericho got in Lesnar's face backstage. Vince McMahon had to intervene to tell Jericho the whole incident was planned--as planned as a legit elbow to the head can be, anyway.
7. Daniel Puder Gets Knife Chopped Into Next Week
Daniel Puder was a contestant on Tough Enough, the reality show where hopeful WWE Superstars compete for a developmental contract. As part of the show, the contestants had the opportunity to wrestle Kurt Angle in the ring on SmackDown--for real. WWE didn't bother to script this, because Angle is a legitimate Olympic gold medalist in wrestling; everyone assumed that he would dominate anyone he faced.
But Puder decided to make this impromptu match his moment. He put Angle into a legitimate Kimura Lock. Angle was in a hard place. He couldn't tap to this rookie in front of a live audience, but he also couldn't not tap; his arm could have easily snapped. Fortunately, the referee saw what was happening and did a quick three-count to end the match early.
Two months later, Puder competed in the Royal Rumble (2005), and when he got into the ring with Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero, things got ugly. As apparent payback for his disrespect, they stuck Puder in a corner, and knife edge chopped him across the chest until it turned red and started to swell.
Then Bob Holly, a notorious bully and hazer in the locker room, entered the match, and he started chopping Puder too. That was the last time Puder appeared on WWE television; he was fired later that year.
6. Perry Saturn Dumps Mike Bell On His Head
Mike Bell was an enhancement talent (whose job is to lose, to make everyone else look good). And during a fight against Saturn in 2001, Bell mistimed his arm drags, causing Saturn to land on his head. Twice. And in retaliation, Saturn broke character. He punched Mike Bell several times, legitimately, and then threw him out of the ring, where he landed directly on his head. It could have killed or paralyzed Bell, but fortunately, it didn't.
In interviews since the infamous match, Perry Saturn has expressed regret at his behavior.
5. Umaga Concusses Steve-O
Steve-O isn't quite a wrestler, but if WWE had its way, he would have been. The original plan for SummerSlam 2007 was to have the whole Jackass crew--Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera included--fight Umaga in a handicap match. As a prelude to this, Steve-O and Chris Pontius got into the ring with Umaga on Raw, and Umaga destroyed both of them. He concluded his scripted beatdown by performing a top-rope splash on Steve-O.
Afterwards, things went off the rails. Steve-O, not knowing he was supposed to lie down and stay still, theatrically flailed about. And Umaga, who felt like he wasn't being shown proper respect, struck Steve-O with several legitimate blows to make sure he stayed down.
As for the SummerSlam plans, they never worked out. The Chris Benoit tragedy spooked the Jackass cast and the angle was nixed, although you can still find old advertisements and promotional posters if you snoop around online.
4. Butterbean KOs Bart Gunn at WrestleMania
This was the logical conclusion to a much larger screw-up. In 1998, WWE decided to host a Brawl-For-All--basically, a tough man contest where wrestlers would slug it out in the ring, for real, for a cash prize. This was terrible idea for several reasons. Even though it was real, none of the fans believed it anyway. It injured multiple wrestlers on the roster who were built for athletic performance and not for actual fighting. And it killed one wrestler's career. WWE newcomer "Dr. Death" Steve Williams was widely favored to win the whole thing, but he was knocked out by Bart Gunn, and his reputation never recovered.
Meanwhile, Bart Gunn won the tournament, and as part of his "prize," he was placed in a boxing match with professional boxer Butterbean. WWE sent him to a camp to learn how to box, which ironically caused him to unlearn the skills that had caused him to win the Brawl-for-All in the first place.
The match was a disaster. Butterbean knocked Gunn out in under 20 seconds with a highlight reel worthy punch; the man was unconscious before he hit the canvas.
3. The Acolytes Brutalize Public Enemy
When The Acolytes took on Public Enemy, the latter group was not well liked backstage; they were veterans of WCW, which back during the Monday Night Wars was equivalent to being The Enemy.
Public Enemy didn't want to lose to The Acolytes. And right before the two teams went out to fight on Sunday Night Heat in 1999, PE attempted to change the planned finish, which would have sent them through a table. And The Acolytes--JBL and Ron Simmons--decided that the planned finish was going to happen, come hell or high water, even if they had to force it.
What followed was a brutal display of domination that had the audience gasping. Watch the clip, and see what you think. It wasn't a completely unsanctioned beatdown. But clearly, JBL and Simmons meant serious business.
2. JBL Bloodies The Blue Meanie
The Blue Meanie was an ECW veteran from 1995 to 2000, and JBL had a problem with him from the moment he walked through the door. He would verbally taunt and bully the newcomer, trying to bait him into a fight; he knew there was little The Blue Meanie could do about it, given his outsider status.
Eventually, things reached a head at One Night Stand in 2005. JBL, reacting to trash talking he believed The Blue Meanie had done online, beat Blue Meanie up in the ring for real during a scripted brawl. The above screenshot speaks for itself—The Blue Meanie was immediately given medical treatment backstage, and WWE paid him double for the evening to placate him.
WWE reacted to the beatdown not by suspending or firing JBL, but by creating a storyline around the incident, where The Blue Meanie and JBL would settle their score on SmackDown. Fellow ECW alumnus Stevie Richards encouraged The Blue Meanie to reject the offer and sue WWE. The Blue Meanie declined, but Richards still had something planned for JBL...
1. Stevie Richards Takes Revenge On JBL With A Chair Shot
You think JBL walked away from this whole drama unscathed? Think again.
Stevie Richards did a run-in at the end of the SmackDown match between The Blue Meanie and JBL, and he hit JBL with one of the most sickening chair shots in WWE history, directly to the head. No glancing blow, no side swipe to take off some of the impact. He laid it right in.
Stevie Richards would later claim responsibility for the chairshot on WWE.com as payback for what JBL did to The Blue Meanie. Was it a work? Was it a shoot? One thing is for certain: Richards could have delivered it safer if he wanted to. And the end of the day, it was karmic comeuppance; even if The Blue Meanie didn't get his receipt, Richards got it for him.
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