WWE: 12 Shocking Real-Life Incidents Wrestlers Want You To Forget

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin Beats Up Women

Those fans with long memories might find the whole CM Punk sabbatical thing going on at the moment to be oddly familiar. This is because in early 2002, Stone Cold Steve Austin had also had it up to here with the company and famously "took his ball and went home", claiming he was fed up with the creative direction for him and that he was feeling burnt out. And hopefully, that's where the similarities will end. In June of 2002, an incident of domestic violence occurred between Austin and his then-wife, WWE Diva Debra Marshall. Police were called to the Austin residence in San Antonio, Texas to find Debra bruised and hysterical. Austin had left the property beforehand and was asked by officers not to return. Debra went on to claim that Stone Cold was a steroid user and this assault was due to "roid rage". In August that same year, Austin pled no contest to a charge of domestic abuse and was given a years probation, a $1000 fine and 80 hours of community service. Debra would have a gag order placed on her by the WWE, as they were worried about the scandal a domestic abuse story would bring. The couple were divorced the next year. It pains me to say that this would not be the last time Austin faced charges of battering his spouse, as in 2004 he was again accused of domestic abuse by his girlfriend, softcore porn actress Tess Broussard. However, Steve claims that in the course of their relationship, she had pointed a gun to his head, verbally and physically abused him, refused to leave his property and stabbed his business manager with a steak knife. So, swings and roundabouts. Austin married his current wife in 2009, and they seem happy in his retirement. Hopefully, this is the last we see of him in police rapsheets.