One MIND-BLOWING Secret From Every Year Of WWE History
36. 1989 - A Little-Known Racism Scandal

When you study WWE history and stretch back to a few decades ago, you’re likely to encounter two scandals: the steroids scandal that almost saw Vince McMahon imprisoned, and the ring boys scandal in which office employee Terry Garvin and ring announcer Mel Phillips were each accused of grooming and molesting underage boys.
Completing a rather less-than-ideal trifecta, these two national headlines have throttled, in retrospect, a racism scandal that erupted in 1989.
On a European tour, former wrestler Koko B. Ware had a bloody scrap with an executive named Jim Troy. The argument was originally a verbal one, but when Troy used racial slurs during it, it descended into the physical.
Bruce Prichard discussed the incident on his podcast and while he wouldn’t confirm if a racist remark escalated it, he did mention that Troy, as a former ice hockey pro in the minor leagues, bragged that he was tougher than “the boys”. Koko took exception to that and “more than held his own”. The resulting scene apparently looked like a slaughterhouse, that much blood was spilled.
Koko was originally fired before more details emerged, Troy resigned, and Koko was brought back.