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WWE is a global juggernaut that has dominated the world of pro-wrestling for several decades now. Since its inception, many Superstars have found stardom through sheer hard work and dedication. The WWE roster has always been filled with talented Superstars trying to climb the ladder of success. They often ensure that their personal goals don't come in the way of other Superstars' aspirations.
However, there are bound to be instances where Superstars get into disagreements that affect their relationship for years to come.
In pro-wrestling, where results are pre-determined, it can become difficult for management to decide upon a winner while considering how the performers will perceive it. Issues stemming from creative dissatisfaction and personal problems outside of the ring can also negatively impact the relationship between those involved in an on-screen rivalry.
Here in this article, we will look at five on-screen rivals in WWE who disliked each other in real-life as well. Do share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
#5 Former WWE Champions Batista and Booker T had some issues simmering during their rivalry in 2006
Batista and Booker T feuded over the World Heavyweight Championship held by the latter in 2006 on WWE RAW. The rivalry saw Batista play a face to the heel character of King Booker. But off the screen, a legitimate brawl took place between the two during a promo shoot backstage.
Many fans claimed it was Batista's mistake as he was riding high on the main event level status he had in WWE at the time. However, Booker T himself downplayed the issue in an interview by saying any two tough men are bound to get into a disagreement.
"Men a lot of times don’t agree with each other and that’s all it was. It was a disagreement. Him and I, we settled our disagreement. If I saw him today, he’d get a big hug and I’d say, ‘what’s going on?’ You know? He’s a man, just like I am."
Despite their aforementioned differences, the two wrestled a pair of fun matches at SummerSlam 2006, and later at Survivor Series. It was at Survivor Series where Batista finally defeated the champion.
#4 WWE Superstar Edge had real-life issues with Matt Hardy, which later was translated into a storyline
One of the most infamous incidents in WWE history was the love triangle between Lita, Edge, and Matt Hardy. Hardy and Lita were in a relationship, and the latter became close with Edge while Hardy was recuperating from an injury. When the former WWE Superstar found out about this, he took out his frustrations by making the issue public by writing about it online. As a result, Hardy was released from the company for a few weeks.
However, when he was rehired, the company decided to turn this real-life issue into a storyline. Both Edge and Hardy have claimed over the years that they kept their differences aside for professional reasons. But their personal equation took a hit due to the turn of events. Their rivalry spawned quite a few memorable bouts, like a Steel Cage match at Unforgiven 2005, and a Loser Leaves RAW ladder match on WWE RAW.
More than anything else, this feud cemented Edge's position as a main event level heel. He continued to dominate WWE programming with his heelish tactics for the next few years.
#3 Former WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose disliked Brock Lesnar for his lack of enthusiasm
When Dean Ambrose, a.k.a, Jon Moxley, was booked to face Brock Lesnar at WWE WrestleMania 32, many believed it was the biggest match in the former's WWE career. Fans were salivating at the prospect of these two going all out in a brutal Street Fight. After all, it could have elevated Ambrose to the main event status in the company.
However, the match turned out to be a damp squib, and many termed it as one of the most disappointing bouts in WrestleMania history. During his appearance on Stone Cold's podcast later in 2016, Ambrose was openly critical of Lesnar's lack of enthusiasm towards their match.
"I had a vision for that match to be the craziest thing imaginable, you know what I mean? And I was trying to pitch everything to everyone and had every idea. I put so much effort in and so much work in and other people did too and I was met with laziness.”
The fans never got to witness another bout between the two, and what they got at WrestleMania was certainly disappointing.
Ambrose decided to leave WWE in 2019 to work under the name Jon Moxley in AEW and NJPW. Meanwhile, Lesnar has been on a hiatus since dropping the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36. As a result, it looks seemingly impossible that they will ever go head-to-head in the squared circle ever again.
#2 WWE Superstars Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss wrestled on NXT and RAW despite not being on talking terms
Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss are two of the most successful female athletes in WWE right now. While Banks is the current SmackDown Women's Champion, Bliss is part of a major feud involving Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt on WWE RAW. Though they are on separate brands right now, both women have a surprising amount of history during their early days with the company.
Back in 2014, Sasha had accidentally broken Alexa's nose in a match that didn't sit well with the latter star. In 2015, the two yet again wrestled for the NXT Women's Championship in a very stiff match. The two had a memorable rivalry for the RAW Women's Championship in 2017, but even then, Banks and Bliss were hardly on talking terms. In an interview with Peter Rosenberg in 2018, when The Boss was asked whether she wants to wrestle Alexa Bliss, she politely refused by saying, 'not really'.
However, in recent years, the two have buried the hatchet and are on good terms with each other. With both stars being on different brands, it seems unlikely we'll get another full-fledged feud between Banks and Bliss anytime soon.
#1 Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels had real-life heat with each other in WWE
Arguably the greatest rivals in WWE history, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart had a series of era-defining matches during their rivalry in the 90s. However, the two stars disliked each other backstage. Hart was a wrestling purist who believed in the traditions of the business. Meanwhile, Michaels was his cocky counterpart who brought a kind of edginess into WWE that was desperately missing.
One of the earliest high-profile clashes between the two occurred at Survivor Series 1992, where Hart retained his WWE Championship. However, after this event, Michaels became extremely popular. Subsequently, the two started having different takes on the outcome of their matches against each other.
It all added up to the infamous Montreal Screwjob incident at Survivor Series 1997. Michaels was secretly booked to win at the PPV without Hart having any knowledge of this outcome. It was the final time Hart appeared in WWE for years.
Hart was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. The two rivals reunited when Hart returned to RAW in 2010. Though they aren't the best of friends, both of them have made peace with each other.
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