11 Fascinating WCW/NJPW Collision In Korea Facts

6. Scott Norton Almost Got Arrested

The first show of the two-night extravaganza was headlined by IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto going up against the American behemoth Scott Norton, and whilst the 20-minute match is considered to be a bore by pretty much everyone who has seen it, Norton can consider himself lucky to have even been in the ring that night.

Norton wanted to call home to check on his wife and family, but the only way to do so at the time was to call via an operator in China. The paranoia that the DPRK inspires meant that Norton was convinced that his call was going to be monitored. He wasn't wrong.

An argument broke out between Norton and his wife. Mrs. Norton accused Flash of partying and cheating on her, at which point Norton told her the truth about the situation in North Korea, referring to the country as a 'sh*thole'. The phone immediately went dead.

Keep in mind that westerners have been arrested in the DPRK after being accused of saying negative things about the country. Here was Scott Norton caught on tape referring to the country in less than savoury terms. Norton was quickly taken out of the hotel and to a secret location to be grilled - a grilling that was interrupted by an official looking disgustedly at Norton. The big man was convinced that his time was up.

For reasons that may never be entirely clear, Norton was allowed to walk. He was told not to say anything bad about the country for the rest of his time there.