10 Wrestlers That Lied To Get What They Wanted

7. ‘Mass Transit’ Says He’s Trained

Vince McMahon Santino Marella
YouTube/Pro Wrestling Rarities/VICE

Beware, because this is grim.

OK, so most wrestling fans will know the 'Mass Transit' story by now, but it's still worth giving a little heads up to anyone who isn't. Long story short, 17 year old Erich Kulas convinced ECW promoter Paul Heyman he was 21, fully trained and had worked shows put on by grappling great Killer Kowalski.

Suitably fooled, Paul E agreed to let Kulas replace Axl Rotten on a card in Massachusetts. The problem? Erich, as the gimmicked 'Mass Transit, irked notorious violence-machine New Jack backstage and ended up on the receiving end of a vicious beating. Naturally, legal action followed.

The Kulas family sued Jack, Heyman and ECW as a whole, but their suit sagged because of the lies Erich had told. He'd made everything up so he could live out childhood dreams of playing pro wrestler. Not only was that dangerous, it was also practically suicidal given New Jack's reputation.

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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.