10 Times WWE Wrestlers Were Punished For Speaking Out

WWE recently canceled its annual Tribute to the Troops event, which the company had been following since 2003 to honor and entertain the members of the United States Armed Forces. In the early years, the company hosted the show for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan before deciding to hold it in the USA from 2010 until 2024.

The 2005 event emanated from the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. While it was optional for the wrestlers to choose to travel to the military bases, it appeared to be only on paper, as the old WWE regime was not fond of anyone who opted not to "voluntarily" agree to be a part of that event.

Jonathan Coachman learned that lesson the hard way.

Coachman discussed it in detail during an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet and reiterated the fact in a tweet. He revealed that he refused to travel to Afghanistan for the event since her wife had given birth to their daughter. However, Vince McMahon didn't take the refusal right and decided to dish out a petty punishment by having Coachman take a beatdown from The Undertaker and Batista.

He revealed that McMahon made him attack the Undertaker after a show went off the air, and the latter apologized to him and told him he didn't want to do this before giving Coachman a beatdown in the ring. But McMahon wasn't finished as he sent down Batista, who told Coachman he was just carrying out orders and gave him three Batista Bombs.

Coachman stated that he was disappointed that he had to endure the beatdown, and claimed to have had no problems traveling to the Middle East and Afghanistan in the past but refused on one occasion so he could be with his wife to welcome their child.