10 Most Hated WWE Champions
8. Sgt Slaughter
The front face of a company making some extremely ill-advised decisions at the time, Sgt Slaughter's 1990 return as an Iraqi sympathiser during the Gulf War was the crudest cash-in on jingoism the company ever attempted. It was ugly enough to be pretty unsuccessful too.
Performed as if he was a villain insulting the local sports team, the giant-jawed drill instructor ripped into the United States in a show of blind loyalty to Saddam Hussein. His manager General Adnan looking the double of the dictatorial commander rounded out the insane aesthetic.
They'd tap that vein in later years with Muhammad Hassan and his post-9/11 propaganda as well as silly Scott Steiner and his anti-France stance. But these and others never got near the industry's top prize. Slaughter's exploitative rhetoric (as thousands lay dead in battle) was the backing track to a WrestleMania main event against Hulk Hogan.
God forbid 'The Hulkster' engage in a standard pro wrestling dispute like every other baddie he'd made millions against over the last decade. The show was moved from the 100,000-seater LA Coliseum to the 16,000ish Sports Arena down the road for 'security' reasons. Chinny reckon, Sarge.