WWE fans are divided in their theories over an apparent slip-up that blighted a major championship match at Money in the Bank.
Damien Priest successfully defended his World Heavyweight Championship at the event in Toronto, but that tells only a fraction of the story.
The drama unfolded in scenes that saw the Judgement Day member eventually defeat both title challenger Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre, a late insert into the fray.
McIntyre had opted to cash in his newly-won Money in the Bank briefcase barely an hour after securing it, outlasting the competition in the men’s ladder match that kicked off the show.
The Scot had previously threatened to win that bout and leave Canada the World Heavyweight Champion by getting involved in the Rollins and Priest encounter – duly keeping his promise by striding down to the ring and getting into the thick of it.
Things did not go to plan for the Rangers superfan.
Just as at Clash at the Castle Scotland earlier this summer, he was thwarted by arch enemy and chief WWE troll CM Punk, who quickly arrived on the scene to ensure he got nowhere towards winning the match.
Punk delivered a brutal beat-down to McIntyre that, in the end, enabled Priest to take advantage and secure what had seemed an unlikely championship retention.
Following the match-up, however, fans online were fixated on something that happened in the midst of the madness – an apparent mix-up that left wild theories flying around.
While the match was just Priest and Rollins, the challenger looked to have had the title won when, after a Falcon Arrow, Priest failed to kick out of the pin attempt.
The match appeared to be saved by a quick-thinking referee who intentionally stopped his own count, trying to give the impression that Priest had indeed stopped the count.
It was a moment of obvious confusion. The match was certainly never scheduled to end there given the spot came before all of the McIntyre and Punk drama, viewers very much divided on what they believe went wrong.
One theory was that it was a production error and that the count had meant to have been interrupted by McIntyre’s entrance music and arrival.
This is supported by the fact that the arena lights lit up as they would have done for the Scot’s music, which did then hit a few seconds later.
“I wouldn’t want to be someone in production right now,” one fan said on social media. Someone clearly missed their cue.”
Another said: “I think Drew’s music was supposed to hit earlier causing the ref to stop counting, rather than Damien kick out. It didn’t hit on time and that’s what caused confusion.”
A further user concurred: “Clearly with the botch count it looks like production botched Drew’s music.”
Other theories pointed to something altogether more unsettling, fans pointing out that Priest appeared to have been disorientated just after the count had been broken, his hand seemingly shaking or spasming at one stage before he was seen communicating something to Rollins and covering his face with his hands.
That, some have insisted, is the real cause of the mishap, with one fan musing: Priest had to be dazed. I don’t buy that the ref was supposed to be distracted by Drew’s music.”
Another added: “That dude got knocked out cold… he was clearly not there. He looked concussed, and his hand shaking and his eyes being disoriented are clear signs of that.”
A third posted: “That was terrifying to watch. Priest was clearly out of it during the pin so props to the ref for calling it on the fly.”
Fears of a serious injury to Priest were somewhat eased by the fact he finished the rest of the match without any visible issue – Head of Creative Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque also commented in the post-event press conference that WWE had got through the night without any significant injury issues.
It was an eventful night for fans in Toronto, who were paid a surprise visit by legend John Cena who appeared at the event to announce he is to retire from WWE.