In the mid-to-late 1990s, the maintenance of kayfabe was still a point of pride amongst the oldest of the old school, no more so than with Kevin Sullivan, at one time (several times, actually) the booker behind World Championship Wrestling, as well as an on-air performer in his own right. Feuding with Brian Pillman in 1996, Sullivan would out the hard way why they called him the Loose Cannon Pillman had entered into a secret deal with WCW boss Eric Bischoff to be fired for breaking kayfabe live on Nitro. Pillmans sudden departure would force Sullivan to find a quick replacement, entering into a feud with Chris Benoit, who was an intense, stiff technical marvel, but didnt have Pillmans mic skills or manic energy. Sullivan thought of a way to heat up the feud: hed introduce his valet, Woman, into the equation, booked Benoit to gradually steal Woman away from him. The problem was that, as old school as Sullivan was, he demanded that kayfabe be kept up at all times. Benoit and Woman had to travel together, share hotel rooms, be seen together in public at all times. Sullivan, on the other hand, couldnt be seen in public with Woman, couldnt share a car or a restaurant with her. Why was this a problem? Woman was played by Nancy Sullivan Kevin Sullivans actual, real life wife. Forced together on the road, forced to act as if they were together even when not on television, it wasnt long before Benoit and Nancy were together in real life. The Sullivans separated for real, and then divorced: Nancy would become Mrs. Benoit shortly afterwards. During this time, Benoit and Sullivan were still feuding over ridiculous pro wrestling angles, trading blows in the ring when there was legitimate, significant heat between them. That Sullivan never took advantage of the situation to badly hurt Benoit is testament to his professionalism: after all, he was old school, and that also means respect, never going into business for yourself. Nonetheless, it had to have smarted, knowing that hed essentially played matchmaker for his kayfabe rival and his shoot wife.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
