10 Most INSANE Things Wrestling Companies Did For The Money

5. Shawn Michaels = KFC’s Colonel

Shawn Michaels KFC SummerSlam 2017
WWE

The above is probably how WWF fans in 1995 thought Shawn Michaels would look during his retirement tour in 2023. It's actually HBK as the Colonel of KFC fame; he was dressed like that so the fast food restaurant padded company bank accounts with a healthy wedge of moolah at SummerSlam 2017.

Keep in mind that this daft nonsense happened before Shawn returned to rings for a disastrous bout in Saudi Arabia the following year. So, the first real glimpse fans had of Michaels striking his familiar poses in years happened as he cosplayed a chicken restaurant's mascot.

This wasn't the first time KFC had paid WWE megabucks to promote their food either. Dolph Ziggler also played the part in 2016, but Michaels' is more memorable because, well...Shawn was retired and people were desperate to see him wrestle again at the time.

Ric Flair was earmarked for the gig, but health problems prevented that. So, HBK did some posing and folks awkwardly applauded whilst hating on corporate shilling.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.