10 Fascinating WWE Survivor Series 2006 Facts

7. WWE Tried To Get Ricky Steamboat To Replace Piper

Survivor Series 2006
WWE

Prior to going with Ron Simmons, the first choice to fill in for 'Hot Rod' was another old kayfabe nemesis of Flair's, one Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat. Steamboat hadn't wrestled since 1994, but as WrestleMania 25 would later prove, he was still capable of performing at a remarkable level, age considered.

There was one major problem, though: he didn't own the rights to his ring name. When Steamboat divorced wife Bonnie, for whatever reason, she got the rights to his wrestling persona in the settlement. At the time, she was refusing to let her ex-husband use the name for wrestling endeavors.

WWE reportedly tried to talk Bonnie into allowing Steamboat use of the name for Survivor Series and some surrounding television shows, but she said no. Clearly, something did eventually change, as Steamboat regained his working persona in time for his 2009 Hall of Fame induction.

Contributor
Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.