8 Most EVIL People In Wrestling History

To run through every crime/misdemeanour committed by pro wrestlers in a single setting such as this would take up more bandwidth than any other list in the history of this lists website. A business that can be criminal has naturally fostered alleged criminals. Alleged criminals that in some cases may have allegedly gotten away with their alleged crimes. It stands to reason then, regrettably, that a business that can sometimes be evil has fostered evil people.

Over the last several years, the extent of the allegations against Vince McMahon that have emerged from Janel Grant case shocked many within and beyond the industry. His talismanic position at the top of the entire business ensured it. McMahon resigned in disgrace in 2022 and 2024 from his roles in WWE and TKO respectively, but as more and more information about the situation was revealed, it became clearer these decisions were made for business reasons rather than ethical or moral ones. Emotion doesn't pay, but you know what they say does.

It's been rough to learn of, and there's even more of that to follow here. If this isn't what you want to read, feel free to click away. 

T/W - The criminals and their crimes discussed within this list include references to physical/domestic abuse, sexual abuse, assault and murder. If you've been affected by these issues, the's UK 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Jose "Invader 1" Gonzalez is, to this day, one of the most controversial figures in the history of professional wrestling and it has very little to do with anything that took place bell-to-bell, or certainly not anything strictly within the confines of a traditional match. 

In July 1998, Gonzalez stabbed Bruiser Brody while the two were both working for World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico. Per multiple accounts - including a detailed one from Tony Atlas on a Dark Side Of The Ring episode about the case - Gonzalez called Brody into the shower area of a locker room under the impression that the two were simply going to have a private conversation and air various grievances. Instead, Brody was stabbed during the encounter. Atlas described hearing a scream before discovering that Brody had suffered serious wounds. Despite all of that, Gonzalez wrestled that night, while Brody died in hospital.

In the aftermath, Gonzalez was arrested and charged with murder, but ultimately acquitted in a subsequent trial. The jury were willing to accept that he'd simply acted in self-defence, but even that was clouded with controversy - Atlas and fellow key witness Dutch Mantel have stated on recorded that their subpoenas were not delivered until ten days after the trial had already concluded, preventing them from appearing in court. Atlas in particular had an eye-witness account, though it's been highlighted since that the knife was never recovered from the scene. Gonzalez' life continued completely as normal, and remained active performer into the 2020s, while also holding down a corporate position with World Wrestling League in San Jaun.