7 Times Wrestlers Lost Real-Life Fights With Non-Wrestlers

1. Shawn Michaels Got Floored By The Marine

Shawn Michaels The Marine Miz
WWE Network

Easily the most notorious example of a notable wrestler having his clock cleaned by a member of the public is also the most misreported.

The facts of Shawn Michaels' 1995 altercation with a Marine outside a Syracuse nightclub have gradually malformed into a set of received half-truths, initially perpetuated by WWF's propaganda machine.

Yes: Michaels was beaten up for real - though probably not to the extent that necessitated his Intercontinental title forfeiture rather than lose to Kliq bête noir Shane Douglas. To spare Michaels' blushes, a tall-yarn was fabricated attributing the assault to a vertiable battalion of Marines. Legal documents latterly dug up for James Dixon's revealing book Titan Sinking showed that in actual fact, Shawn was on the wrong end up just a single guy whose girlfriend he'd made a lame pass at.

Somehow, this all transformed into a massive sob story for the Showstopper. The head injuries must have been severe though; how else could he explain that tracksuit top when handing the strap to Douglas?

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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.