The process of wrestling matches involves high levels of co-operation between the wrestlers involved, as they essentially are responsible for their own and their co-worker’s well-being. But this element has been removed on a few occasions over the years in WWE.
A few WWE matches diverted from the script and turned into real fights, whether for a solitary moment during a match or its entirety. They make for quite the spectacle, but things can break down quickly. In some instances, the wrestlers reverted to normalcy, but that wasn’t always the case.
Let’s take a look at five such instances where WWE matches turned into legitimate fights.
#5 Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax (WWE RAW - August 30th, 2021)
Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax this past week on WWE RAW, was not the smoothest. The bout did not go to plan, and things broke down pretty quickly. Flair and Jax ended up throwing real punches and slaps at each other during it.
Both women seemed to sabotage each other’s offense, but the match did get back on track. The finish went as planned, with Nia Jax going over. WWE has booked a rematch for next week with no reported backstage tension between the two, with the RAW Women’s Championship on the line.
#4 Perry Saturn vs. Mike Bell (WWF Jakked - May 7th, 2001)
Despite debuting alongside the likes of Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn’s WWE career was pretty forgettable. This match from a 2001 episode of Jakked contributed to that. Saturn faced enhancement talent Mike Bell, who performed a sloppy hip toss that almost caused him to land on his head.
This enraged the former WCW star, who attacked his opponent with real intent. Saturn dumped Bell headfirst out of the ring and slammed his head into the steel steps. Following this incident, Perry Saturn was given a comedy gimmick involving a mop that ended his chances of being a credible star in WWE.
#3 Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kane (WWE Royal Rumble 2018)
Brock Lesnar is as legitimate as a WWE Superstar has ever been. He is hard-hitting in the ring, as many names have seen over the years. Braun Strowman found this out the hard way. He challenged The Beast Incarnate for the Universal Championship at Royal Rumble 2018, also featuring Kane.
Early into it, Strowman hit Lesnar in the face with a stiff knee. The eight-time WWE world champion responded with a hard fist while telling him to slow down. This isolated incident did not deter the match, which saw Brock Lesnar retain his title. The two men even laughed about it backstage afterward.
#2 The Acolytes vs. The Public Enemy (WWF Sunday Night Heat - March 7th, 1999)
Former ECW tag team, The Public Enemy made their way to WWE in 1999, with one of their first matches coming against Farooq and Bradshaw, The Acolytes. The plan involved one of the members of The Public Enemy going through a table. However, they refused to do the table spot just before heading to the ring.
According to JBL, The Acolytes were instructed to go ahead with the planned finish. They proceeded to destroy both Rocco and Johnny Grunge with stiff shots and eventually squashed them. Grunge was put through a table. The Public Enemy were released from WWE shortly afterward.
#1 Kurt Angle vs. Daniel Puder (WWE SmackDown - November 4th, 2004)
WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle conducted an unscripted segment of Tough Enough when it was part of SmackDown in 2004. This was done with the expectation that the Olympic gold medalist would steamroll all comers, but that was not the case.
The eventual Tough Enough winner decided to showcase his MMA background opposite Angle. Angle defeated one of the contestants in a legitimate shoot wrestling match, before challenging any others. Daniel Puder accepted. After a brief takedown, Puder trapped the former WWE Champion in a Kimura Lock.
Kurt Angle rolled over him while referee Jimmy Korderas fast-counted an awkward pinfall as he risked serious injury or embarrassment at the hands of a “rookie” in front of the fans. This could have ended badly for Angle, who was visibly livid at what had transpired.
Daniel Puder was supposedly ‘punished’ for this incident at Royal Rumble 2005. Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Hardcore Holly hit him with a series of hard chops during the match. That was his last appearance for WWE.
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title: “5 Wwe Matches That Turned Into Real Fights” ShowToc: true date: “2023-02-01” author: “Ashley Styron”
As Sports Entertainment, the WWE has played host to countless stories throughout the decades, each one bringing something new to the table, in the hopes of pleasing fans across the world.
From Austin’s fight against the system to John Cena’s rise to Superstardom, there’s plenty for fans to be invested in.
But sometimes, a Superstar will go into business for themselves, attacking people for real.
Here are five WWE matches, that shockingly turned into real life fights.
#5 Bret Hart Vs. Shawn Michaels/Vince McMahon
We all know about the Montreal Screwjob, but in case you’ve had you’ve been living under a rock for the past 22 years, I’ll fill you in.
As Bret Hart was approaching the end of his contract, the Hitman’s real-life beef with Shawn Michaels made things difficult.
As they approached their WWF Title match, Hart did not want to lose the gold to HBK in Canada, and the plan was for Hart to retain, and vacate the gold the next night.
Instead, Vince McMahon ordered referee Earl Hebner to ring the bell when Michaels locked Hart in the Hitman’s own sharpshooter.
After the match, an irate Hitman raised a storm backstage, clearly frustrated about how he’d been cheated. This included confronting McMahon, who had been hiding in his office and had to be lured out by The Undertaker.
Decking the boss with a swift punch, Hart broke McMahon’s nose, and the fall sprained his ankle.
It goes to show, don’t mess with an angry Canadian.
#4 Andre The Giant Vs. Akira Maeda
Andre the Giant is a true WWE legend, a former WWF Champion and the very first Hall of Fame inductee.
But when the eighth wonder of the world headed to Japan, things took a shocking turn.
Facing one of the nation’s stiffest workers, Akira Maeda, things were never going to end well, as some believe that Maeda had been disrespectful to Antonio Inoki (an unofficial former WWF Champion), and the latter asked Andre to teach him a lesson.
Allegedly drunk during the match, Andre was having none of Maeda’s offense, refusing to sell his submissions, and swiftly kicking Maeda in the face.
Very loudly telling Maeda to pin him, Andre clearly didn’t want any part of the match, and Inoki had to appear, to bring this slugfest to a shocking end.
#3 Perry Saturn Vs. Mike Bell
Perry Saturn may have been a much bigger deal in WCW, but when the Radical came to the WWF, he failed to have the same success.
Despite partners like Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit becoming World Champions, Saturn was often relegated to lower matches.
Appearing on Jakked in 2001, Saturn faced jobber Mike Bell, in what should’ve been a normal match.
Unfortunately, Bell hit a sloppy arm drag, that nearly caused the Superstar to land on his head. Enraged, Saturn attacked Bell, slamming his head into the steel steps, and it was a miracle the jobber wasn’t injured.
Though Saturn wasn’t fired, he was given the Moppy gimmick, believing a mop was his girlfriend as punishment.
As for Bell, though he wasn’t injured, he’d never be seen in the WWE ever again.
#2 JBL Vs. The Blue Meanie
When WWE had an ECW reunion show in 2005, not everyone was happy.
As part of the storyline, several Superstars from WWE RAW and SmackDown came to the event hoping to crash the party, led by JBL.
In the climax of the night, these Superstars faced off in the ring against ECW originals, in what should’ve been an epic brawl that saw the invaders packing.
And though that did happen, the former WWE Champion took it upon himself to make a statement, attacking the Blue Meanie, leaving the BWO star a bloodied mess, even for ECW.
As speculation began to grow about why Bradshaw attacked someone, a match between the two was set up, with the Blue Meanie using an unprotected chair shot on the wrestling god, saying “he had it coming.”
#1 Kurt Angle Vs. Daniel Puder
Though the company currently hones it’s next stars in NXT, in 2004, the WWE hosted Tough Enough, a reality competition aiming to find the next breakout star.
With a million dollar prize on the line, everyone involved wanted to impress, including Daniel Puder.
After challenging Kurt Angle to a match, Puder and the Olympian went back and forth, with Puder using his MMA background.
In the closing moments, Puder used an armlock that could’ve genuinely broken Kurt’s arm, if the former WWE Champion hadn’t rolled over him, with the referee fast counting Puder’s shoulders to the mat.
Though Puder would win the tournament, defeating a young Miz, his actions had consequences, as the company were furious he’d go off-script, and he was gone from WWE not long after.
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