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In the fascinating realm of WWE, suspensions can be scripted as part of regular programming or maybe a legitimate, real-life consequence of a talent's questionable actions.
For real-life suspensions, which will be the primary focus of this piece, no pay is given to the Superstar for the stated duration. It usually also involves the end of an on-screen push and frequently draws the ire of the management.
Here, we examine 5 WWE Superstars who were suspended in real-life and the reasons why those suspensions occurred.
#5. Rob Van Dam's main event push was cut short due to an untimely suspension
At WrestleMania 22, Rob Van Dam became Mr.Money in the Bank. A couple of months later, Van Dam defeated John Cena at ECW One Night Stand to win the prestigious WWE Championship.
He also held the ECW Championship at the time, making him the brand's poster boy. However, The Hall of Famer was caught possessing drugs in his car. Sabu was also with him at the time, and the two men were arrested and later bailed.
WWE was not pleased with "The One of a Kind" Superstar's questionable actions. Van Dam was ruthlessly buried on television, losing both the ECW and WWE Championships in the worst way possible, with Paul Heyman also turning on him. The legendary high-flyer was suspended for 30 days, and his push was over.
#4. Samoa Joe violated WWE's Talent Wellness Policy in February 2020
Although Samoa Joe has had a tremendous career outside of WWE, his main roster run in the most prominent professional wrestling brand was underwhelming. Near-constant injuries and questionable booking decisions marred it. However, the nail in the coffin for his deplorable run was his violation of the company's Wellness Policy.
In early 2020, The Samoan Submission Machine was involved in a deeply personal feud with Seth Rollins, Buddy Murphy, and The Authors of Pain. He was a pivotal ally to Kevin Owens. The program may have launched him into the stratosphere, but his suspension ended those aspirations.
Joe was removed from television, missed the remainder of The Road to WrestleMania, and sat out of The Show of Shows in 2020. The former NXT Champion might have become a massive star in WWE if the suspension hadn't occurred.
#3. Titus O'Neil was suspended for sixty days in early 2016
On February 8, 2016, Daniel Bryan announced his retirement in an emotional address to the crowd. The entire locker room, including Vince McMahon, was on stage to pay their respects to Bryan.
However, at the end of the segment, an odd incident occurred. While Mr. McMahon was walking back towards the curtains, Titus O'Neil held his wrist and jokingly remarked, "Ladies First," insinuating that Stephanie McMahon should lead the way. The Boss didn't like that, and he shoved the veteran away.
O'Neil picked the wrong time to mess with the former CEO, and the incident was caught on camera. He was initially suspended for ninety days, but it was later reduced to sixty due to fan backlash.
#2. WWE infamously suspended Randy Orton in 2006
Randy Orton has been suspended three times during his illustrious career. The latest was due to violations of WWE's Talent Wellness Policy, but the first had several reasons.
The Apex Predator had earned a reputation for being an arrogant individual with severe temperament issues. He was allegedly hard to work with, and many were displeased with his behavior. On an episode of Stone Cold Steve Austin's podcast, he revealed that he was caught "smoking a joint," and his problems came to a head.
The Viper was suspended for 30 days. However, he later got his head back in the game, rectified his attitude, and became a major star again.
#1. Chris Jericho was suspended in 2012
During a live event in Brazil in May 2012, Chris Jericho, a strict professional, took things too far when he disrespected The Brazilian flag by crumpling it into a ball and kicking it out of the ring.
The segment was unplanned, and Jericho raised several eyebrows. He was forced to apologize to the live crowd by the police, who also threatened to arrest him. Y2J also got in trouble with WWE as the company suspended him for 30 days following his actions.
Jericho was a heel at the time, and his actions could've been a way to generate more heat. However, the methods were highly questionable and he was punished.
