10 Most Extreme WWE Risk Takers This Century 4

4. Shane McMahon

               

It could have been really easy to place Shane McMahon towards the top of this list, but his inactivity throughout parts of the 21st century cost him dear. However, that doesn’t detract away from the fact he was a huge risk taker – in fact, he was perhaps one of the biggest the WWE has ever seen. Not bad for a guy who isn’t even technically a wrestler.

But then again, when you’re not a wrestler by trade, yet are forced into competing due to your importance in major storylines, you have to push yourself to the limit to get noticed. And boy, did Shane McMahon do that to a massive extent. There’s obviously his incredible finishing maneuver where he leaps from “coast to coast” – but there are two jaw-dropping moments that Shane will forever be remembered for.

In 2000 Shane actually became Hardcore Champion, embarking on a feud against Steve Blackman. It finally came to a head at SummerSlam that year, where Shane was written off TV for a lengthy period after he fell backwards off the stage set following a shot from Blackman – a ridiculous spot that justified just how bonkers Shane must have been.

Then, at Backlash 2001, Shane was taking on Big Show in a Last Man Standing match. It was a pretty standard match until the ending, where Shane took it upon himself to clamber to the top of the titantron and perform that epic Leap of Faith on a waiting Show. There’s a great shot from that moment where the crowd go absolutely crazy as Shane jumps off the top – and it sums up just how incredibly brave he was. Again, had he been active for a longer period, there’d have been a real chance for Shane to top this list. But as it is, he sits pretty neatly just above the middle.