10 WWE Battles With Fascinating Backstories

10. Batista Vs. King Booker (SummerSlam 2006)

On the surface, a battle for the World Heavyweight Title between Booker T and Batista in 2006 would be considered nothing more than a match featuring two of SmackDown's biggest ever stars. Although things had cooled a little by the time SummerSlam came around, the match came about with some tension behind the scenes.

In May of the same year, Batista and Booker attended a WWE photo shoot. The aim of the session was to hype up the impending SummerSlam clash. Things didn't go well, as Batista disrespected his peer by completely ignoring him, something that irked the veteran Booker.

As a locker room leader, he was keenly aware of the importance of respect in the industry, and felt slighted by Batista's arrogance. A short, bloody brawl broke out, with Booker reportedly gaining the upper hand over 'The Animal'.

By the time SummerSlam rolled around, things were more amicable between the pair, but it's nonetheless true that promotion for the title bout had involved a much more violent fight than fans who ordered the pay-per-view would witness.