In the scripted world of professional wrestling, anything can generally happen within the confines of the ring. There have been instances, however, where dubious acts were committed outside the squared circle. Dedicated members of TheSportster who investigate these felonies are members of an elite squad of fans who can pin-point the heinous acts and differentiate between the crimes, and the in-ring action.
During the '80s and early '90s of WWE's Golden Era, it was still fairly easy to decipher the good guys from the bad. However, lawlessness was rampant and for the most part, perpetrators were eventually addressed in big matches where they would get their comeuppance somehow.
10 The Islanders & Bobby Heenan Dognap Matilda
Any silly angle Bobby Heenan was involved with was always very memorable. During a match between his Islanders, Haku and Tama, against The British Bulldogs, their lovable mascot Matilda kept going Weasel hunting. So the trio decided, "to heck with the match," and ran off with the dog.
There was no sign of the pooch for several weeks, until President Jack Tunney suspended the tag team until they returned the pooch. At WrestleMania IV, they, along with Bobby in a hilarious dog trainer’s getup, would take on The Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware. The heels might have won, but Matilda got to chase the Weasel to the back.
9 Randy Savage Crushes The Dragon’s Throat
Before they could reach their moment at WrestleMania III, the Dragon and the Macho Man had to get their program started. During a match between the two, Savage has delivered his patented ax handle to Ricky Steamboat onto a guardrail.
But despite being a vile act, it was at least within the confines of a match and therefore legal. But after countout victory, Savage decided to commit the crime of trying to crush The Dragon’s larynx with the ring bell.
8 Roddy Pipers Assaults Jimmy Snuka With A Coconut
With the growth and advent of a more PC community, there literally will never be another Roddy Piper. On Piper’s Pit, there was nothing he wouldn’t do or say to garner the white-hot heat he was famous for.
The Hot Rod’s most infamous moment came during an interview segment with Jimmy Snuka. After berating him for a few moments, Piper assaulted an unsuspecting Snuka with a coconut in an act of violence that could even be classified as a hate crime.
7 She Was Mine Before She Was Yours
Harassment, stolen identity, and doctoring photos was the name of the acts committed by The Nature Boy en route to WrestleMania VIII. Once the match was made between The Macho Man challenging Ric Flair for the WWE title, pictures had come out of Naitch cavorting with Miss Elizabeth, Savage’s manager, and more importantly, his wife!
The storyline didn’t suggest that Liz had cheated on her man, but rather Flair had continued to insinuate that she was with him before she was with The Macho Man.
6 Smashing Hogan And Snakes
The great John Tenta arrived in WWE and almost instantly targeted Hulk Hogan and delivered several of his huge Earthquake smashes on the Brother Love show to test Hulkamania’s newfound immortality to the test.
The horrific act would’ve been fine in a match, but on the hard stage of the Brother Love show, ‘Quake tried to murder the Hulkster. If that wasn’t terrible enough, when Earthquake was feuding with Jake The Snake Roberts, he did in fact murder Jake’s beloved Damian and then served them up to the broadcast team as “Quakeburgers”.
5 Earl Steals Dave’s Identity
Heading into the first event Main Event, the hotly anticipated rematch between Hogan and Andre The Giant, The Million Dollar Man tried to purchase the WWE title from the Hulkster. When that didn’t happen, DiBiase did several things to steal the title. Firstly, he hired Andre to deliver him the WWE title.
While that was questionable, what was really the criminal act is that prior to the match, DiBiase hired a man to impersonate referee Dave Hebner and make the fast count and/or the big call no matter the circumstances to ensure The Giant would win the world title
4 Unwanted Haircuts And Horrific Spur Cuts
For several years before and after he got a nasty taste of his own medicine, Brutus The Barber Beefcake would put his enemies to sleep and then give them terrible haircuts that would force his opponents to either walk around with a terrible chop job or get it fixed.
Two wrongs certainly don’t make a right and prior to his big challenge for the IC title at SummerSlam 1988, The Outlaw Ron Bass would put Brutus out of commission by raking his spurs across The Barber’s face.
3 Shawn Michaels Assaults Marty Jannetty
One of the most vile and disgusting acts in all of WWE history, not happened outside of the ring, but it happened between two former best friends. Shawn Michaels should have been arrested for this heinous double cross.
On The Barber Shop, Brutus tried to bring The Rockers together to discuss and air their grievances and possibly reunite. But instead, Shawn Michaels double-grossed Marty Jannetty and delivered a Superkick. Marty was so terrified that he tried to escape The Barber Shop through the plate glass window and tried to frame HBK as if he tossed him through it.
2 The Undertaker Puts Warrior In A Coffin
For months as The Undertaker devastated and destroyed opponents he would terrorize them even more by actually placing them in a body bag and bringing them to back. But if treating journeymen like dead weight wasn’t bad enough, The Phenom actually tried to murder The Ultimate Warrior!
While the neon-painted madman was a guest on Paul Bearer’s Funeral Parlor and when he tried to accost Paul, The Undertaker attacked and not only put the Warrior in a coffin, but he locked it shut and left. It terrified the maniac enough that he even sought out the services of Jake Roberts to help him face his fear.
1 The King Cobra Bites The Macho Man
Jake The Snake Roberts’ demented idea of a wedding gift to the Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth was putting a cobra inside one of the boxes. Since that night, despite being forced into retirement, Randy Savage had been doing all he could to try and get at Roberts.
Jake had the audacity to call The Macho Man out as he was so close to being reinstated. Savage charged the ring but Jake got the jump on him, tied him in the ropes and unleashed a vicious King Cobra on The Macho Man. Roberts swore up and down that the viper was de-venomized, but with Randy practically delirious afterwards, it was very hard to be sure.