10 Unusual Demands Made By Wrestlers

To think, Vince McMahon almost had an MCU of his very own...

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WWE

work as a top star in both Japan and the U.S, harkening back to the days of true independence last enjoyed by the likes of Vader.

If an AEW wrestler wanted to work the unregulated freedom an indie afforded, they could. If they wanted to pack it in for a while and do business for Dragon Gate, they could, knowing their value was coveted.

Things are looking decidedly more bleak now. AEW is full or very close to it, Impact is barely a proving ground much less a destination, ROH is dead, it's hard to travel to Japan, WWE only wants premium college athletes whose ignorance of the craft is a preference (!).

Imagine reading "Less experience than industry professionals is essential" on literally any other job application.

Consider this list a throwback to the days when the North American pro wrestler wasn't told to like it or f*cking lump it...

10. Scott Steiner Gets Out Of A Drug Test

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WWE

Allegedly.

Scott Steiner by the early 2000s was an incredibly muscled specimen. Not to bury the man or anything - his '90s work is sublime, and he's capable of smashing in the faces of his critics - but he took the '80s route to stardom a good decade too late. He evolved into Superstar Billy Graham with problematic patter just as Graham's disciple Hulk Hogan exited the fashion cycle.

His quest for a monster of a physique limited his explosive physicality, and while his promo game was still a riot, it was difficult to understand what he was on about half the time. He entered WWE in late 2002, at which point the...process behind his physique was questioned by management.

Proving that he wasn't quite as daft as he looked, Steiner per his own account avoided scrutiny by making an unusual demand. He was happy to take a piss test and prove that his body was all natural...

...provided that Triple H do the exact same thing alongside him.

Steiner claims that he was not asked to undergo testing subsequently, from which we can only infer that Triple H was simply too busy juggling the responsibilities of in-ring action and his informal creative role.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!