7 Most Pathetic Examples Of Backstage Politics In Wrestling
Sometimes the most devasting finishers are executed backstage.
Wrestling has always defined its own boundaries and laws - it has to. In truth nothing else combines scripted content with real life action to create this kind masterful madness. However because it is made from these two, seemingly immiscible parts, there have always been cases of backstage matters interfering with the final product. A lot of times, it’s for the very worst and we are forced to witness some truly horrendous things that should have never been greenlit.
Throughout the years, we have seen countless cases of big stars and company officials using their influence to negatively impact others. Whether it’s burying a rival who could be a threat to your spotlight or refusing to comply with certain creative decisions or even clashes over love interests and adultery, the world of wrestling has never run out of sources of beef between competitors.
While a lot of these have had little to no long term consequences, others would shatter ties and change the very landscape for years and years to come. There’s never a bad time for some retrospective analysis. With that in mind, these are the seven worst instances in the world of wrestling where backstage politics got way out of hand.
7. Hulk Hogan And Shawn Michaels’ Egos Clash
The billing, “Legend vs Icon”, was befitting when these two all-time greats finally got set to collide. It was a dream match in every sense of the word and with some smart booking, this could have been a very entertaining feud. What’s more, Michaels had turned heel for the first since his return. As we all know, few people can garner the kind of nuclear heat that heel HBK can. Unfortunately, the battle happened more in backstage than in the ring.
Originally meant to be a trilogy, the plan had to be scrapped because Hogan claimed an injury. This left them with only one match which the Immortal One was adamant he should win. In a backs to the wall situation, Vice and co. agreed. However, this is Shaw ‘I lay down for nobody’ Michaels. And if Hogan was going to politic his way into a victory against him, then he would at the very least ensure it was as tainted a victory as possible.
The match that followed was the height of farce. Shawn sold everything like he was a ping pong ball in a table tennis match, turning the entire thing into one big joke. Those watching were mostly left utterly bewildered and by the time Hogan dropped the big leg and got the one, two, three, we had seen one of the biggest travesties in wrestling history.