10 Most Patriotic WWE Moments

In one of the most heated storylines ever, Sgt. Slaughter returned to WWE and turned his back on the U.S. of A, becoming an Iraqi sympathizer and pledging allegiance to Saddam Hussein. This was in the middle of the Gulf War, when the U.S. led a coalition against Iraq in response to the invasion of Kuwait. Tensions were boiling and WWE did itself no favors by incorporating real-life trauma into its fantasy world.

At Royal Rumble 1991, Slaughter defeated Ultimate Warrior for the WWE Championship, and Hulk Hogan won the Royal Rumble, vowing to bring the gold back to the U.S. Although controversy stemming from the storyline led to WWE switching arenas for the event and celebrities dropping out, the eventual match served its purpose as the Hulkster dropped a leg for freedom and won the title.