5 WWE backstage fights that almost happened but didn't

From Bret Hart and Vince McMahon to Batista and Booker T, plenty of stories have been told over the years about backstage fights in WWE.

Superstars are tasked with the responsibility of protecting their opponents whenever they do battle inside a WWE ring. However, on some occasions, in-ring altercations can become very real and spill over to the backstage area.

In 2016, for example, did you know that The New Day were involved in a heated real-life discussion with their WrestleMania opponents? Later that year, Brock Lesnar was also at the center of a behind-the-scenes confrontation after a controversial finish to a WWE event.

In this article, let’s take a look at the full stories behind five fights that almost took place backstage in WWE:

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#5 The New Day and The League of Nations almost fought backstage in WWE

The League of Nations defeated The New Day in a six-man tag team match at WrestleMania 32. Before the match, a fight almost broke out between the teams backstage due to The League of Nations’ alleged attitude problems.

Xavier Woods said on The New Day’s Feel The Power podcast in 2020 that he was “on another level of heated” that day:

“This was my first time being in an advertised match at WrestleMania and it just completely fell apart at no fault of our own, so I was on another-level mad, because it shouldn’t have been like that. There shouldn’t have been arguments, there shouldn’t have almost been a fight, so I’m on like another level of heated,” Woods said.

While The New Day wanted to produce an impressive performance as a unit, Kofi Kingston said The League of Nations had different intentions. The villainous group was made up of four WWE singles superstars – Alberto Del Rio, Rusev, and Sheamus (w/Wade Barrett) – who preferred to work individually.

Kingston added that The League of Nations did not want to be involved in the WrestleMania 32 match at all. As a result, they allegedly had an “I’m in this for myself” approach while putting the match together.

#4 Mr. Perfect and Tom Fleming almost fought backstage in WWE

Mr. Perfect once got involved in an altercation with former WWE costume designer Tom Fleming during a row about Adam Bomb’s wrestling singlet. Perfect felt the design was too similar to his attire, so he confronted Fleming backstage.

Speaking to Pro Wrestling Defined’s Jonathan O’Dwyer, Fleming said he seriously thought the WWE Superstar was going to hit him:

“He was this far from me [presses hand close to nose], and there was a moment, I have to admit, where I looked at him and I was like, ‘He’s not one of the bigger guys.’ I was like, ‘I think he’s gonna hit me, and if he hits me, it’s going down,’ and I was like, ‘Holy cr*p,’” Fleming said.

Fleming told Mr. Perfect to take up the issue with Vince McMahon. The former Intercontinental Champion “screamed and yelled” about the situation, but McMahon simply laughed and did not have a problem with Adam Bomb’s singlet.

According to Fleming, Mr. Perfect “punched a locker and stormed off” after failing to get what he wanted.

#3 Jacques Rougeau and Rick Steiner almost fought backstage in WWE

Jacques Rougeau and Rick Steiner had real-life issues after The Quebecers beat The Steiner Brothers for the WWE Tag Team Championship in 1993. According to Rougeau, The Steiners Brothers were jealous that Vince McMahon booked The Quebecers to win the titles on their RAW debut as a team.

In an interview with WSI’s James Romero, Rougeau said Rick Steiner spoke negatively about him to Shawn Michaels in the locker room. When Steiner threw a peanut at Rougeau, the French-Canadian "lost it" and retaliated by throwing an apple in his direction.

“When it got to his face, it hit a pole right in the middle, a small pole. Don’t ask me how that happened! The apple hit the pole and exploded really hard in front of him. I looked at him like, ‘F*** you, what the f***?’ Everybody just looked at us and then it died down. Those are altercations that I’m not proud of,” Rougeau said.

Rougeau thought The Steiner Brothers acted in a “childish” way after The Quebecers defeated them for the WWE Tag Team Championship.

He also told a story about the time Rick and Scott Steiner cut the tires on Ludvig Borga’s car and blamed it on The Quebecers. Borga, a WWE Superstar in 1993-1994, discovered Rougeau was not involved and shook his hand.

#2 Bob Holly almost fought Kenny Bolin in WWE’s OVW developmental system

Bob Holly once became involved in a heated discussion with legendary wrestling manager Kenny Bolin in WWE’s OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) developmental system. Holly thought he was owed $700 from an OVW meet and greet session, but Bolin claimed nobody made any money from the public appearance.

Bolin said on Tru Heel Heat Wrestling that Holly was prepared to beat him up because he was adamant the money belonged to him.

“I said, ‘How the f*** did I make $700? Your personal appearance drew 34 people. How do you think I made $700? And if I did, how do you think you’re entitled to it? Nobody f***ing came to see you.’ So he was gonna beat me up at television and [thought] I was gonna give him $700,” Bolin said.

Bolin added that Holly was a “roided-up f***” who was capable of beating him up. However, he knew that the former WWE Superstar’s career in the wrestling business would be over if he attacked another employee.

Jim Cornette, OVW’s lead booker, told Holly to help the brand’s younger talents or “f***ing go away” back to the main roster. In the end, Holly allegedly agreed to stay and help out WWE’s stars of the future.

#1 Brock Lesnar and Chris Jericho almost fought backstage in WWE

Despite having no part to play in the match, Chris Jericho reacted furiously backstage after Brock Lesnar busted Randy Orton open at WWE SummerSlam 2016.

In 2019, Jericho recalled on Jim Norton and Sam Roberts’ Sirius XM show that he confronted Lesnar after the match. The AEW star joked that he was even prepared to bite Lesnar’s nose off if the two men ended up legitimately fighting.

“I was face to face with him and I just remember thinking he’s got the biggest, ugliest nose, and I'm like, ‘If he does anything I'm just gonna bite his nose off.’ That was my plan because he’s going to kill me either way, but he’ll kill me with no nose,” Jericho said.

Jericho became angry due to the manner of Lesnar’s victory over Orton. The Beast Incarnate forced his opponent to bleed after repeatedly connecting with a series of elbow strikes to the head. At the time, it was unclear whether the TKO finish was planned or if Lesnar genuinely lost his cool.

As nobody would tell Jericho what really happened, he incorrectly assumed that the former UFC Heavyweight Champion had gone off-script. The confrontation ended when Jericho received assurances that Lesnar was instructed to bust Orton open at the end of the match.