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We would have been living in an ideal world had the most talented wrestlers captured World titles and those parasitic, backstage bullies been buried in storylines. If that was true, Triple H would have been wrestling in the Indies right now and CM Punk would still have been with the WWE. Sadly, that is not the case.There have been many instances of talented superstars misused and mistreated owing to backstage politics. Hulk Hogan, The Kliq and Randy Orton have all been accused of using backstage finishing moves to damage the careers of fellow superstars. Here we look at five superstars whose careers were damaged by backstage powerplay.
#1 Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston seems to be going places at the moment as part of the New Day faction – but he would know first hand how all that can go away in a matter of seconds. Kofi has been there before!!!
The year was 2010 and Kofi was finally getting a solid main event push – he had an entertaining feud with Randy Orton and seemed just about ready to step in to the WWE title picture. Until, “that match”.
Kofi and Orton were part of a match on Raw and the former botched the ending to the match. A visibily upset Orton was heard yelling ‘stupid’ at Kofi after hitting him with an RKO.
Orton would go on to badmouth Kofi backstage and ensured that the highflier’s push ended almost as soon as it began.
It would take five years for Kingston’s career to recover.
#2 Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas was the one who put ECW on the global map after spitting on the NWA Heavyweight title, signifying ECW’s defection from the alliance. However, when he came to the WWE in 1995 as the ridiculous ‘Dean Douglas’, he was buried almost instantly.
The Kliq led by Shawn Michaels did not like Douglas and used their backstage influence to ensure that Douglas never got a solid push. Michaels was originally scheduled to drop the Intercontinental title to Douglas – However, he found a way to vacate the title instead.
Douglas would win the title soon after – and would lose it to another ‘Kliq’ member Razor Ramon a few days later.
#3 Mr.Kennedy
WWE heavily marketed Mr.Kennedy’s return to the ring in 2009 – and then released him from his contract a mere four days after his first match back. The reason – backstage pressure from none other than Randy Orton.
Kennedy’s first match back on Raw saw him take part in a ten man tag team match involving Orton and John Cena – Kennedy would pick up the win for his team. However, Orton would complain backstage about how Kennedy had hurt him in the ring and how he was a poor worker. Rumours has it that Orton convinced Cena to corroborate his claims with Mr.McMahon as well.
Kennedy would never return to the WWE. 2-0 Orton!!!!
#4 The Patriot
Del Wilkes aka ‘The Patriot’ had competed in WCW as part of ‘Stars and Stripes’ tag team with Buff Bagwell. He felt that the product was heavily influenced by Hulk Hogan’s massive ego and that he would not get a push.
So he came to the land of opportunity itself – the WWE, only to be buried under the influence of not one, but two factions. If the Patriot only had Hogan pulling him down in the WCW, he rubbed both Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels the wrong way in the WWE. Both the Hart foundation and the Kliq would use their considerable influence backstage to ensure that the Patriot’s career was left in the dog house.
The Patriot’s WWE run started promisingly though – a feud with Hart eventually leading to a WWE title match. However, he would be booked to tap out clean in that match and would leave the WWE soon after in 1998.
#5 Chyna
The biggest victim of backstage politics in the WWE, it is ironic that Chyna used to engage in the same before her unfortunate departure from the company. Chris Jericho recounts in his autobiography about how Chyna used to take the help of Triple H to badmouth him in the back during their feud. However, it was Triple H himself who would be responsible for Chyna’s release.
Chyna and Triple H used to date while they were in the WWE – until the Game set his sights on the daughter of Vince McMahon, Stephanie. Chyna would discover love letters written by the duo and would confront Triple H on double crossing her.
There would only be one end to this development – Stephanie and Triple H would make sure that Chyna was fired from the company. Vince McMahon, who used to consider Chyna as a marketable superstar suddenly seemed to lose interest in her.
Triple H would go on to marry Stephanie and acquire WWE shares. Chyna would sink into depression and drugs, eventually forced to move on to a pornography career.
What a sledgehammer shot, Hunter!!!
