10 Fascinating WWE King Of The Ring 1996 Facts
1. Davey Boy Smith Objected To How His Wife Was Portrayed
"The British Bulldog" feuded with WWE Champion Shawn Michaels in a story that crossed two pay-per-views, culminating with Michaels retaining the gold at King of the Ring. One key component of the angle was Smith's wife Diana (sister of Bret and Owen Hart). Diana had previously been a peripheral part of angles involving her family, but this one called for her to take a more direct role.
The idea pitched was that Diana would flirt with Michaels, only for him to virtuously reject her advances. Diana would then tell her husband that Michaels made a pass at her, and an oblivious Bulldog would feud with Michaels based on that. Smith thought it made him look like a bumbling second-rate husband, and furthermore thought it made Diana look like an overly-amorous skank. Diana's father Stu even phoned Jim Cornette to ask why this angle was happening in the manner that it was.
In the midst of his discontent, Bulldog fielded offers from WCW, enticed by the high pay and the lighter schedule. In the end, he re-signed with WWE for $250,000 a year, and the Diana angle was dropped.