7 New Wrestling Champions Who Immediately Did Something Stupid

7. Ricky Steamboat

In just about any other profession, there'd be absolutely nothing stupid at all in asking your boss for some well-earned time off just weeks after contributing to the company's biggest ever money-spinner.

In 1987, poor Ricky Steamboat forgot precisely who was working for.

In the weeks following his classic Intercontinental Championship victory over Randy Savage at WrestleMania III - an event which generated $10.3 million in pay-per-view buys, and a further million at the gate - The Dragon asked his WWE uppers if he could briefly step away from the ring to be with wife Bonnie, expecting the couple's first child. So far, so reasonable.

Steamboat wasn't slammed with a Punkesque flat-out refusal - but his request was met with contempt. As punishment for daring to put personal life above professional, the new mid-card champ was penned to drop the strap to comedy wrestler Honky Tonk Man. After he returned following the birth of his son, it was to absolutely no fanfare.