10 Kayfabe Wrestling Moments That Became Real
When WWE or WCW moments involving Bret Hart, Batista, Triple H and more turned real.
Wrestling fans are sick of mainstream media's oh-so-"shocking" revelation that the product they watch isn't 100% real. Outlets have battered people over the head with this for generations, and it's tiresome in 2021. Maybe someone needs to sit these stuffy suits down and enlighten them about all the times this industry they seemingly despise so much predicted real life.
It's happened more than you might think.
Every example featured here began as a fictional story or moment, and a few were forgotten about as soon as they passed. Then, at some point in the future, they actually came true. Yes, pro wrestling fantasy became reality, and few saw it coming.
There's a nice mix of injury claims, feuds, seductions, public disagreements and firings here. Each one began as a simple (or, not so simple - WCW is here, after all) plot device designed to entertain. Days, weeks, months and sometimes years later though, these moments rang true outside the ring.
Some are more light-hearted than others, but all of them are pressing reminders that even wrestling's wildest angles have nothing on the silliness of real life...
10. Shawn Michaels "Loses His Smile"... Before Really Getting A Back Injury
Bret Hart thought Shawn Michaels was a lying git when he strolled onto TV in February 1997 and told the world that he'd "lost his smile". A suspect knee injury would keep HBK from returning the favour to Bret and jobbing for him at WrestleMania 13, and the Hitman wasn't happy about it.
Less than one year later, Shawn lost his grin for real.
A nasty casket bump at Royal Rumble '98 tore up his back, and it forced Michaels to grimace through the agony until he could put Steve Austin over at 'Mania XIV. Between January-March, Shawn's performances had an uncharacteristic dullness to them. It was obvious that he was in a lot of pain.
If he was fibbing the previous Feb, then karma bit Michaels hard. Still, nobody wanted him to go through that torture, or for one of the best workers on the planet to face possible retirement. There's something twisted about the way fate played with Shawn's career here.