10 Most Infamous Backstage Fights In Wrestling History
The action in the ring can sometimes spill backstage and into real life.
Spoiler alert: Professional wrestling is a predetermined sport where competitors know the outcome of the match ahead of time and work together to put together an entertaining and interesting bout.
There, glad we got that out of the way.
However, real life animosity does exists in professional wrestling just like it does in any workplace. Two epople may be booked to work together when they really can't stand each other. Other times, actions in the ring may cause feelings to boil over into the locker room and suddenly the promotion has a fistfight on its hands.
Throughout wrestling history, there have been hundreds if not thousands of confrontations between wrestlers. Most of them are simple enough: Two guys hate each other, they fight, the issue is considered resolved. Most of the time, the wrestling fans never hear about it and business continues on as usual.
In some cases though, the incidents are so violent or outrageous that the stories go down in wrestling lore as another chapter in the wacky world of pro wrestling. Because wrestling is so obsessed with emotions and reactions, it's not surprising that wrestlers themselves will sometimes like their emotions get the better of them.
We thought it would be interesting to pull together a list of verified fights that took place between competitors outside of the ring. In a sport like wrestling, egos and personalities are going to clash and, when they do, the results can be quite explosive.
10. Brock Lesnar vs. Curt Hennig
If you've ever taken a good, long look at Brock Lesnar you've probably figured out that you don't want to meet him in a dark alley. The man is a former UFC heavyweight champion and one of the most intimidating people walking the earth today. However, back in 2002, former Intercontinental champion Curt Hennig found out the hard way that you don't mess with Brock.
This fight took place on the infamous "Plane Ride from Hell", a flight which now lives in wrestling legend. At the end of a European tour, WWE wrestlers were flying back to the United States following a pay-per-view in the United Kingdom and became bored. Naturally, they started drinking heavily (while also doing their usual other substances), leading to chaos and mayhem at 20,000 feet.
Curt Hennig was allegedly hammered drunk and kept teasing Brock Lesnar, saying he was a better amateur wrestler than Brock and he could take him down with no problem. He repeatedly challenged Lesnar, saying he didn't look that tough and that he wasn't impressed by Brock. Lesnar was a rookie at the time and wasn't sure how to react to a veteran calling him out.
Unfortunately for Hennig, Paul Heyman was sitting near Brock and told Lesnar that he needed to shut Hennig up immediately or else he would never hear the end of it. Brock responded by getting out of his seat and spearing Hennig into the plane's door, nearly ripping the thing off the hinges and causing everyone on board to have their lives flash before their eyes.
Brock then slammed Hennig to the ground before the scuffle was broken up by Heyman, Dave Finlay, and Triple H. Hennig was fired from the the company shortly thereafter, having been blamed for starting the whole thing.