When WCW was purchased by WWE, all of WCW's grapplers came into the company under a microscope - so tensions were already high. During one training session, Buff Bagwell - who's never been called down-to-earth - began to brag about his own star quality while putting down co-worker Shane Helms (later The Hurricane). Things escalated, and Bagwell allegedly slapped Helms. Not one to abide such a public affront, Helms retaliated. He took a frozen water bottle, smashed Bagwell in the back of the head with it, and began punching him. By the time the men were separated, Buff had a gushing wound that needed treatment. This conflict was just one of many attitude problems WWE reported from Bagwell, and he was fired only a week after making his televised debut.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
