10 Times WWE Hurt Itself By Punishing Its Stars
When they said 'this will hurt me more than it hurts you', they weren't kidding.
There's an old truism in professional wrestling: no one person is bigger than the business. WWE have adapted it, as they have so many other things, for their own personal use: no one person is bigger than the WWE.
That's one of those conceits that seems to make sense on the face of it, until you consider the ramifications. Yes, the company comes first, but the company is built on the contributions of the individuals that work for it, and WWE seem hell bent on asserting control over the independent contractors on their roster as though they were employees.
When a so-called star screws up - shows a lack of respect, breaks some code of etiquette, is responsible for some form of backstage altercation - then they absolutely should be held accountable. The question is how, and whether the consequences of that punishment will have a knock-on effect on others aside from the guilty party.
Today, we look at a selection of instances where Vince McMahon actually cut off his nose to spite his face, by punishing his talent in ways that ultimately, punished himself.