It's said that pro wrestling friendships are a thing of rarity. Because it's such a competitive genre, both on and off-screen, it can be difficult to build enough trust and commonality in wrestling, to generate genuine friendship. Of course, there have been and still are several instances of close bonds being formed by pro wrestling personalities.
Unfortunately, in some cases, these relationships are subject to disintegration. Here are a list of ten wrestling friendships that fell through, and in some cases these conflicts resulted in long-standing hard feelings - just take a look at what happened between CM Punk and Colt Cabana.
10 The Bella Twins and Maryse
The Bella Twins and Maryse were a fixture in the WWE Divas divsion in the late 2000s. What started off as a friendship between the three, was damaged when Maryse alleged that the twins blocked her from what would have been a lucrative television opportunity. Ironically enough, this would be chronicled during an episode of Total Divas.
In a slightly uncomfortable dinner scene, Maryse confronted The Bellas, and expressed a sense of betrayal over the ordeal. It's possible that the three have gone onto patch up their differences, but one has to wonder if they are as close as they once were.
9 Juventud Guerrera and X-Pac
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
While Juventud Guerrera and X-Pac's careers aren't exactly inextricably linked, they did begin to grow friendly after rooming together in Mexico. The trouble began when Juventud appeared on a radio broadcast, and divulged some very personal information about X-Pac. The results of him doing so had a domino effect of misfortune for X-Pac, that culminated in having his then girlfriend's son removed from their custody.
Things continued to exacerbate when both Jack Evans and Konnan got involved. Though both Juventud and X-Pac have most likely matured since this time, their friendship is likely forever compromised.
8 Enzo and Cass
Enzo Amore and Big Cass were once one of the hottest up and coming acts in WWE. Their dynamic was unique, and the pair had a distinct chemistry. Unfortunately, their run in WWE seemed snakebit from the start. The pressure would eventually drive a wedge between the two, and they distanced themselves from each other, for some time.
Recently, they have made appearances together for other promotions so it at least seems that they are back to being cordial with one another. One can't help but speculate, what could have been for Enzo and Cass had things gone differently for them.
7 Ken Kennedy and Hardcore Holly
-1.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
On paper, Hardcore Holly and Mr. Kennedy seem an unlikely pairing. Kennedy is known for being brash and unspoken, while Holly is notorious for his no nonsense approach. The trouble between these two came when Holly claims Kennedy threw him under the bus for being in possession of stolen painkillers.
The incident would lead to Holly getting fired from the company. Hardcore Holly would go on to make several threats towards Kennedy, seemingly putting an indefinite end to this friendship.
6 Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid
Widely regarded by wrestling fans as one of the greatest tag teams of all time, The British Bulldogs once shared a seemingly unbreakable bond. The trouble began when Dynamite Kid's personal life and in ring career, began to unravel. He suffered a back injury that would eventually lead to the end of his run as an active wrestler.
Davey Boy Smith would continue to use the British Bulldog moniker as a solo act. Dynamite felt betrayed by this (as Smith had trademarked the name), and the two became estranged. It's unclear if the two were able to bury the hatchet before Smith's 2003 passing, but this remains one of the more saddening stories in wrestling history.
5 Bruce Prichard and Jim Cornette
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
It's no secret that Jim Cornette is one of the most polarizing figures in all of wrestling. Nonetheless, Cornette and Bruce Prichard formed a bond while working on the WWE creative team in the 90's. Recently, Prichard divulged on his podcast with Conrad Thompson that he and Cornette had a falling out.
In the past, Jim Cornette has referred to Prichard as the "artful dodger," which could allude to the source of their dissention. Whatever the case, it seems that the former friends have yet to fully come to a mutual mediation.
4 Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan
The relationship between Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage was always a little strained, due to their larger than life and intense personalities. The two would eventually go on to form the legendary Mega Powers tag team in the 80s, that would lead to one of the best told storylines in company history. In this case, it was art imitating reality.
In a story that was chronicled during a recent A&E biography on Savage, The Macho Man would accuse Hogan of facilitating Ms. Elizabeth's purported infidelity. The incident would allegedly lead to Savage striking Hogan, resulting in a black eye that Hogan sported at WrestleMania IX in Las Vegas. Hogan would later claim that he and Randy had reconciled before Savage's death in 2011, but that has never been substantiated.
3 Ric Flair and Arn Anderson
It's well known that Ric Flair and Arn Anderson were at one time as thick as thieves, in and out of the ring. So it was quite surprising when Flair revealed that he and Double A's friendship had virtually dissolved. The divide between the two former Horsemen was caused by the tragic death of Reid, Ric's youngest son.
Flair claims that Arn never reached out to offer condolences of any sort upon the passing of Reid. Ric said he was devastated by Arn's apathy and lack of compassion, forever staining this once brotherly bond.
2 Jim Cornette and Dave Meltzer
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
In one of the more recent examples of friendship gone awry, Jim Cornette and Dave Meltzer once shared a mutual respect due to their knowledge and appreciation of wrestling history. It's been the creation of Tony Khan's promotion, AEW, that has been the catalyst for the dissolution of the friendship between the two.
While Cornette has been very critical over the creative direction and overall presentation of AEW, Meltzer has been an ardent defender of it from day one. Recently Cornette went on a legendary rant, directed at Meltzer on his podcast, saying in no uncertain terms that he was through with Dave, for good. Due to Cornette's well documented outburst, it's likely that these two will never see eye to eye, again.
1 CM Punk and Colt Cabana
This is a case of crumbled friendship that has been well documented to this point. However, there was a recent twist in this story, when both Punk and Colt Cabana became contracted to AEW, leaving rampant speculation over the status of their relationship. CM Punk and Colt Cabana both trained under the tutelage of Ace Steel in Chicago, and became fast friends. It would be a podcast appearance on Cabana's podcast by Punk, following his abrupt and acrimonious departure from WWE, that would land both men in court, due to a lawsuit by the company.
After ultimately emerging victorious in the case, Punk and Cabana would then have a falling out due to monetary issues. Cabana would then file a lawsuit against Punk that would eventually reach a settlement. With both men now back in the same company, it remains to be seen what the future holds for this once close freindship.