WWE: Wrestling is most exciting when the fights on screen feel real. As long as the audience cannot tell if two wrestlers are acting or actually hate each other, the show feels thrilling. But sometimes, the fights we see are just stories, while behind the scenes, there is real hate going on.
This article talks about famous wrestlers who have not stopped hating each other even outside the ring.
WWE pro wrestlers with real-life fights that went beyond the ring
Bret Hart and Goldberg
Bret Hart got a concussion during his match with Goldberg at WCW Starrcade 1999. He said Goldberg kicked him too hard on purpose, which later ended his wrestling career. Hart called Goldberg one of the most unprofessional wrestlers ever. Goldberg replied that the kick was an accident and said that if he really wanted to injure Hart, Hart wouldn’t be able to talk today.
CM Punk and Ryback
CM Punk said working with Ryback was painful and called him careless. He said Ryback broke his ribs and never said sorry. Ryback replied that Punk lied about him and hurt his career. When Punk had to get surgery after becoming AEW Champion, Ryback tweeted “Karma rules.”
Hurricane Helms and Shawn Michaels
Helms tweeted that Shawn Michaels only made himself look good in the ring. He said Michaels hurt his career on purpose. But today, they both work in WWE and are getting along fine.
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Becky and Charlotte were close friends in NXT. But during a SmackDown segment, Charlotte went off script to make Becky look weak. After that, they had a fight backstage. Becky said they don’t talk anymore and it’s hard to wrestle someone when there is real tension.
Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart
Bret Hart always spoke badly about Hulk Hogan. He said Hogan didn’t know real wrestling moves and was not very skilled. Their problems started when Hogan refused to lose to Hart at WrestleMania IX. Hart continued to insult Hogan even years later.
Will Ospreay and Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins called AEW a minor league and said WWE was the top place. Will Ospreay replied, “I’m alive.” Rollins said Ricochet was better than Ospreay and asked to compare bank accounts. Fans thought Rollins was just supporting WWE too much.
Scott Steiner and Ric Flair
Scott Steiner and Ric Flair were both stars in WCW. But Steiner believed Flair gave a bad performance on purpose to hurt him. Steiner later spoke against Flair on live TV and still says he hates him.
Konnan and Joe Hennig
Konnan once said on Twitter that Joe Hennig had no charisma. A fan agreed and Hennig replied by calling both of them “marks.” Hennig also said that Konnan was someone his father never liked.
Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli
Eddie Kingston said he did not like Claudio Castagnoli. He said Claudio was supposed to let him win before going to WWE but didn’t. Kingston said if Claudio comes to AEW, there will be a real fight.
Batista and Bully Ray
Batista said Bully Ray didn’t like him or Randy Orton during their early days in WWE. In a match, both teams got injured and Batista believed Bully Ray did it on purpose because he was jealous.
Hardcore Holly and The Kliq
Hardcore Holly said he hated The Kliq group in WWE. He said they had too much power backstage and hurt the careers of others. He also said they were not united and often betrayed each other.
CM Punk and Triple H
CM Punk said he didn’t want to wrestle Triple H because Triple H needed him, not the other way around. Triple H later said he didn’t know Punk had a problem and wished Punk had spoken up earlier.
Pro wrestling is not just about fake fights. In real life, wrestlers also deal with emotions, ego, and anger. Sometimes, because of injuries or backstage politics, these fights become real.
For fans, learning about these real rivalries gives a new way to understand the sport. When real-life stories mix with the ring, the matches feel even more powerful.
