Wrestling Rewind: This Week In History (July 17 - July 23)

When Chris Sabin relinquished his X Division title in favour of “Option C” and a title shot against TNA Champion, Bully Ray, at Destination X 2013, few would have predicted the shocking outcome that would occur as a result.

With the ring surrounded by Bully Ray’s Aces & Eights and the newly reformed Main Event Mafia as backup for the Sabin, the match was somewhat reminiscent of the classic Flair/Sting encounter from Great American Bash 1990; pitting the hated heel with his faction in tow against the beloved challenger flanked by fellow babyface enforcers watching his back.

Following some inevitable brawling between the outside parties, the plucky underdog in the ring would capitalise on a convenient ref bump, striking Bull Ray with the very hammer he had introduced into the match moments earlier, before covering the former Dudley to secure the three count. Sabin was crowned TNA Champion (achieving Triple Crown status in the process) and the Aces & Eights stranglehold on TNA was no more...well, for about a month anyway.

Unfortunately for Sabin, his time atop the TNA mountain was short-lived and the Motor City Machine Gun would lose the title back to Bully Ray 28 days later in his very first title defence. Sabin would quickly return to the X Division, where he would remain until his departure in May, 2014.

Coincidentally, in a bizarre, Russo-esque turn of events, Bully Ray would eventually wind up legitimately dating Sabin’s ex-girlfriend, Velvet Sky, some years later once both men had moved on and left the company. Despite the history, this fact has never been acknowledged on TV and the feud between the two has yet to be revisited; proving that sometimes the craziest wrestling stories are the ones that happen off-screen.