Real Life Heat: Top 5 (Legit) Backstage Fights in WWE History

Pro wrestling is fake.

The results are pre-determined. The maneuvers are manipulated to appear more painful than they look. The characters are just that, characters, who punch a clock and return to their natural disposition once the lights burn out and the cameras stop rolling.

Once the show is over, these WWE employees simply return to their "real" lives as any possibility of a conflict between one's character and their real life persona is few and far between.

Yeah right.

It's all but an unspoken inevitability. Males (and females) + Egos + Merciless travel + Familiarity breeding discontent = Conflict.

And in the cut throat world of the WWE, where top spots are extremely limited and wrestlers fight for their lives to survive, the probability of conflict only escalates on a day to day basis.

Pro wrestling has a rich history of legendary feuds that served their purposes by intriguing fans and drawing money and spectators in arenas all across the world.

Harley Race vs. Ric Flair. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar are just a few examples.

However, it is the feuds backstage that drew (mostly) negative attention and, in turn, highlight yet another ugly aspect of the seemingly harmless field of professional wrestling.

Pro wrestling is fake. Or is it?

Hulk Hogan was once the biggest star in wrestling. Is is any coincidence that he rarely did jobs?

Despite being a legit tough guy and a skilled martial artist and legit tough guy, Santino Marella is seen as anything but a threat to the WWE Championship because of his rather unimpressive win loss record on camera.

Conflicts with booking, arguments over who should be doing the job, personality conflicts, and straight up challenges of one's masculinity all contribute to legitimate fights that do not make it on to the air on Monday or Friday nights.

Yet aren't these the same type of problems that contribute to the 'fake' feuds we see on Monday and Friday nights?

Pro wrestling is a lot more real than you think. These are the top five backstage brawls in WWE history.

And, yes, they were all real.

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5. The Big Show vs. The Great Khali

Source: PWInsider.com

In a fight that likely made the world shake, the two largest athletes on the WWE roster came to blows when inevitable territorial issues reared their ugly heads.

During a Smackdown! house show in Puerto Rico in 2009, a heated (and probably really LOUD) argument between the two big men escalated into a fist fight.

According to insider reports, The Big Show threw the first punch, which Khali was able to block. After Show slipped on a bag, Khali was able to mount the 500 pounder and slap him multiple times.

It took several wrestlers to break up this altercation, the magnitude of which was last seen in Godzilla movies.

All things considered, the universe is lucky that, due to a rather comical miscue by Show, this didn't degenerate into a fierce brawl.

If Khali vs. Show I even came close to its potential, the entire company could have literally crumbled trying to stop it.

Winner: The Great Khali

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4. Chris Jericho vs. Bill Goldberg

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

One of the ironic things about real life backstage brawls, is that they will often change ones perception of a superstar more than all the creative writers in the world and a shrewd booking team ever could.

I grew up idolizing Mr. Perfect, but as I gained more access to backstage happenings, Curt Henning's real life escapades exposed him as a far from perfect individual.

Especially in my book.

The backstage brawl between Chris Jericho and Bill Goldberg was yet another example of how looks can be deceiving.

Jericho and Goldberg had problems dating back to the, now defunct, WCW promotion when Goldberg (the promotion's top star) was averse to doing a program with Jericho.

Reports stated that an unfavorable comment made by Goldberg about Jericho, prior to their program in the WWE, reached Jericho who immediately confronted his fellow former World Champion.

The two engaged in a physical altercation that saw Jericho surprisingly gain control with a front facelock before mounting the larger Goldberg.

Upon first glance, many would be justified in feeling that Goldberg should have no problem having his way with Chris Jericho.

This is the beauty of pro wrestling as, even in real life feuds, the smaller wrestler (and better worker) can resourcefully take down his larger opposition.

Winner: Chris Jericho

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3. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart

Source: Shawn Michaels via RF Video

If Vader and Paul Orndorff were pioneers of backstage heat, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart were the revolutionaries.

The WWF's top rivalry of 1997, both in and out of the ring, occurred between top stars Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart.

The feud was somewhat of a byproduct of a changing culture that Shawn Michaels was able to adapt (almost too willingly) to at the expense and, much to the chagrin, of the more traditional Bret Hart.

Hart's derogatory comments towards Michaels only escalated this feud. The the feud hit its (first) tipping point during an episode of RAW that saw Bret Hart verbally shoot on Shawn Michaels until RAW went off the air.

In response to the unexpectedly long promo, Shawn Michaels made inferences to an affair between Bret Hart and, then, WWF Diva Sunny the following week on RAW during a rather cryptic promo.

The on air comment infuriated Hart, who got physical with Shawn Michaels in a backstage altercation soon after.

According to Shawn Michaels, Hart accused Michaels of "******* with his family" before charging after Shawn and tearing a handful of hair out of his head while the two grappled in the bathroom area backstage.

This feud only continued to escalate and would culminate in the most infamous match in Survivor Series history: The Montreal Screwjob, an event that would prove to be Bret's unceremonious exit from the WWF.

As unlikely as it may seem, one of the most heated legitimate feuds in recent memory is the only rivalry on this list to have a truly happy ending.

Bret Hart's unfathomable return to the WWE this past year saw a public reconciliation, where the two put their differences behind them and embraced as part of a surreal moment for the wrestling world to behold.

The two have had cordial relations since that night, and to this day they even consider themselves friends.

Aww.

Winner: Bret Hart

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Honorable Mention: JBL vs. The World

One cannot possibly construct a legitimate list about backstage heat without including the letters J.B.L.

John Bradshaw Layfield will likely have his likeness encrusted in the Mount Rushmore of backstage brawlers (or more accurately bullies) somewhere in Connecticut.

Bradshaw does not have one single feud that stands out as one of the more noteworthy legit feuds in the annals or pro wrestling history, but he has been involved in so many backstage shenanigans that he deserves an honorable mention.

Bradshaw's pranks, politicking, and hazing backstage have lead to physical confrontations with John Morrison, the departure of former WWE superstar Palmer Canon, and an unfavorable reputation as a bully.

As seen often with the on air product, the big heel would eventually receive his comeuppance from the unlikeliest of individuals.

During the WWE's annual Tribute to the Troops tour, an event championed by Layfield, JBL's incessant hazing of former WWE and ECW announcer Joey Styles became too much for Styles to handle.

Styles eventually confronted a liquored up JBL who had to be restrained by WWE officials yet still managed to break free.

The result would register as yet another pillar in the underdog hall of fame as Styles landed a clean shot on JBL square in the face, quickly dropping the intimidating Cowboy. {Source: F4Online}

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2. Booker T. vs. Batista

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Respect was the underlying issue behind the epic fight between Dave Batista and Booker.

Batista, who experienced a meteoric rise to the top of the WWE roster in a short period of time, was already unpopular backstage due to his lack of respect for those who came before him coupled with a sense of entitlement.

To complicate matters, Booker T's wife, Sharmell, had problems of her own with Batista's old flame Melina Perez.

During a promotional photo shoot for Summerslam, Batista's bad attitude got the best of Booker T as Booker confronted the Animal about respecting his peers.

While it doesn't need to be said that the argument eventually degenerated into a brawl, what was unique about this particular fight was that the superstars who were in attendance allowed this fight to happen for at least five minutes.

According to eye witness reports, Booker T challenged Batista to "[go] into an empty room and go for it."

The two would do battle, in the form of a fist fight, with Booker T managing to gain the advantage by grounding and pounding the Animal.

Before being separated, Batista snuck in one last sucker punch on Booker just as he did immediately after Booker T closed the door to signal the start of this graphic encounter.

While they remained at odds, both Booker T and Batista were able to settle their differences verbally and even co-exist in an ensuing program at Summerslam at the behest of Vince McMahon.

Winner: Booker T

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1. The Plane Ride from Hell

Source: Online World of Wrestling

If backstage fights can be seen as "shoot wrestling matches", the infamous "Plane Ride from Hell" of 2002 can easily be considered the Royal Rumble of such events.

In an unnecessary real life example of why alcohol, planes, and jocks do not mix, the WWE RAW crew virtually imploded during a fateful plane ride back to the states after the WWE Insurrextion pay-per-view in London.

The events during the Plane Ride from Hell played out like a bad, overbooked episode of RAW.

Then road agent and WWE Hall of Famer "Freebird" Michael Hayes was one of the key figures during the chaos that ensued on that plane.

Hayes would enter into a war of words with, you guessed it, JBL. JBL promptly laid out Freebird, thus setting the tone for an ominous chain of events to warrant such a demonic nickname for a flight.

Upon falling asleep, Michael Hayes received an impromptu haircut (many believe Sean "X-Pac" Waltman was the culprit), and the subsequent picture was later posted backstage at the next RAW show.

The fun continued with an intoxicated Ric Flair parading around the plane wearing nothing but his trademark robe.

Providing the evening's entertainment, Dustin "Goldust" Rhodes used the flight's PA system to serenade his ex-wife Terri Runnels in an uncomfortable display.

Oddly enough, Rhodes' serenade was one of the few occurrences that compelled then President of talent relations Jim Ross to enforce his authority by shutting down the impromptu Karaoke.

Curt Henning and a soon-to-be comatose Scott Hall managed to get their hands on canisters of shaving cream.

The contents inside the cream would wind up on multiple individuals.

But the fun didn't stop there for Henning. The man once known as Mr. Perfect had become liquored up enough to challenge NCAA World Class Wrestler and former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar to a fight, insisting he was a better amateur wrestler than Brock.

Did they check these guys for PCP?

In what would prove to be the climax of the Plane Ride from Hell, Lesnar shot in and drove Henning into the side of the plane, coming dangerously close to a plane door.

The events were enough to warrant repercussions that were as newsworthy as the joyride itself.

Both Curt Henning and Scott Hall were released from their contracts as a result of their actions on this infamous plane ride.

In a flight where President of talent relations Jim Ross, road agents Michael Hayes, Gerry Briscoe, Dave Finley, and Arn Anderson, senior writers Stephanie McMahon (the boss' daughter), Paul Heyman, and WWE's conscious The Undertaker were all present, the summation of authoritative stroke on that plane did not stop some of the most outrageous personalities in wrestling from going buck wild.

This, along with the multiple isolated conflicts resulting from one plane ride, and the ensuing casualties, is what makes The Plane Ride from Hell the most infamous shoot brawl between wrestlers in WWE history.

Winner: Anybody who hates pro wrestling. This was indeed a black eye for the business.

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