10 Wrestlers Who Intentionally Hurt Their Opponents
When things became much too real in the scripted world of professional wrestling
![APA WWE Bradshaw Farooq](https://d2thvodm3xyo6j.cloudfront.net/media/2017/03/1bab822f542a2644-600x338.jpg)
Every time professional wrestlers step inside the ring, they entrust their safety and well-being to their opponents throughout the course of a match, and it's their responsibility to honor that trust by making sure they nor their opponents sustain serious injuries in their match and not take liberties with each others' bodies.
However, in a tense environment like a pro wrestling locker room, not all performers can honor that code of conduct, and there have been instances of wrestlers going back on their responsibilities due to pent-up resentments, backstage rivalries, politics, revenge tactics, or even a sudden adrenaline rush, and causing intentional injuries to their opponents.
Amidst all those controlled punches, it only takes a moment for things to get real, and wrestlers have faced serious repercussions for their actions, with some losing their reputations and careers and some even facing criminal charges and spending time locked up. There's unprofessional, there's pushing things too far, and then there's outright violence. These ten instances showcase the human factor behind the wrestlers and less generously how emotions can lead them to make decisions that harm them and their opponents.
10. APA vs. Public Enemy
![APA WWE Bradshaw Farooq](https://d2thvodm3xyo6j.cloudfront.net/media/2016/03/VPifvezH-600x338.jpg)
Remember when The Undertaker called the current generation of wrestlers soft for playing video games and having fun backstage? While he did change his opinion after that, there's a good reason behind his original assessment, as things were different during his era. The old eras were infamous for stories detailing tough love, altercations, politics, and betrayals, and "The Acolytes Protection Agency," comprised of Bradshaw and Farooq, were part of quite a few of those tales.
One of the most infamous stories involving The APA is the beatdown they laid out on Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge of The Public Enemy tag team. Public Enemy was already not very well-liked backstage among the WWE veterans owing to their decision to choose WCW over WWE in 1995, and there was also a bit of tension since Terry Taylor, who was also not well-liked, played a part in bringing them to WWE in 1999.
JBL has discussed the incident in detail on multiple occasions, claiming that the pre-match meeting was a disaster, with Taylor advocating for Public Enemy to go over APA. However, they agreed with the match ending in a disqualification after APA put them through a table, which would set the stage for a potential tables match between the two teams.
However, as they were about to make their entrances, Public Enemy backed out of the planned finish and didn't want to do the table spot. APA didn't take it lightly and went on to deliver a vicious beatdown right from the get-go. Bradshaw and Farooq annihilated Public Enemy without remorse. They hit them with anything they could get their hands on, and the referee had to call for the bell after seeing APA dish out the brutal punishment.