10 Real-Life Dramas That Made It To Wrestling TV

7. Woman Trouble

Daniel Bryan
VICE

Kevin Sullivan was accused of 'booking his own divorce', when a 1996 rivalry he scripted with Chris Benoit took relations between the Horseman and Sullivan's then-wife Nancy from the fantasy of WCW television to a very real life (and ultimately fatal) relationship.

Initially representing warring factions The Dungeon of Doom and The Four Horsemen respectively, Sullivan and Benoit clashed for well over a year on television and pay-per-view. Tensions were heightened when 'The Crippler' began having the planned 'affair' with Sullivan's wife and valet Woman, but insistence by Sullivan to sell the angle as real called for the two to be together in public as often as possible, and love predictably blossomed for the pair.

It became a deeply contentious issue amongst the wrestlers themselves, but the two were engaged shortly after the quickie Sullivan divorce.

Remarkably, the feud carried on on television until Benoit would 'retire' Sullivan at the July's Great American Bash pay-per-view in 1997.

Despite the professionalism in matches, relations were predictably strained between the two afterwards. Though already planning to leave WCW in late-1999, a behind-the-scenes balance of power shift back to Sullivan around that time crystalised the decision for Benoit.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett