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While WWE Superstars usually battle inside the ring, a few have had real fights backstage. A few of these incidents are well-known to the WWE Universe, including Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels' brawl in the 1990s. Also, Chris Jericho and Brock Lesnar's confrontation in 2016.
However, a few other backstage fights are lesser-known to WWE fans. While one of these incidents involved two giant superstars, another saw two popular tag teams square off in a real brawl.
Here are five lesser-known real backstage fights in WWE.
Former WWE writer buries Judgment Day HERE
#5. The League of Nations vs. The New Day
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In 2016, The League of Nations (Alberto Del Rio, Rusev, and Sheamus), with King Barrett in their corner, squared off against The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods) in a six-man tag team match.
While fans saw the bout, which ended in victory for The League of Nations, they did not witness the real fight backstage between the two teams just a few seconds before their match.
In 2020, Big E revealed on his podcast that a real fight almost broke out between his team and their opponents at WrestleMania 32. In a recent interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling's Riju Dasgupta, Del Rio confirmed Big E's story and disclosed more details about the incident.
"There was a big fight backstage. On that one, I was involved but it was not me creating the altercation. The person creating the altercation was not against me. The other two and I, we had to put someone in his place before going out. This is one minute before we went out. We went out to the ring and one of us, I'm not gonna say who, had to tell this person, 'Listen, you mother F, we're done with you. You're gonna go out and do this because you're a this and you're a that,'" he said. [1:08-2:13]
Del Rio does not, however, believe that the fight was a big deal. The former WWE Champion stated that such altercations are part of wrestling.
"So, yes, one minute before we went out in that huge packed stadium, a big altercation was happening backstage. It's part of wrestling, unfortunately, these days, situations like that. You talked about it with the [CM] Punk situation. It happens all the time. It happens in the pro wrestling business, it happens in the doctors' business, the lawyers' business, everybody has situations with their co-workers. It's just human nature," he added. [2:14-2:53]
While all members of The New Day are still in WWE, only Sheamus and Barrett remain from The League of Nations. Like The New Day, The Celtic Warrior is currently active on SmackDown. Meanwhile, Barrett is now a color commentator on NXT.
#4. Former WWE Champion The Big Show vs. WWE Hall of Famer The Great Khali
After spending a few years in WCW, The Big Show (aka Paul Wight) signed with WWE in 2000. About six years later, The Great Khali also joined the company. Over the next few years, the two giants squared off in a few one-on-one matches.
Although the Indian superstar never defeated The Big Show inside the ring, he reportedly won a real fight against him backstage.
In his book "The Best in the World: At What I Have No Idea," Chris Jericho wrote about the fight. Y2J and Big Show teamed up to face The Undertaker and Khali at an event in Puerto Rico. However, Show got mad when Khali allegedly used some of his moves.
"We were in the dressing room after the match, and Show was still fuming, steam practically billowing out of his ears. (...) A few seconds later, Show threw the first punch, which connected with a loud smack to Khali's overdeveloped jaw. It rocked him backwards, but he didn't go down and Khali landed a punch of his own. With the opening shots fired, the floodgates opened and the two titans began swinging like Tiger Williams. I counted at least five more smacks and cracks as the blows connected with each other's faces, shoulders, necks and chests. I had a front-row seat for King Kong vs. Godzilla and they were in a fight to death. Nobody in the locker room was too keen to break them up either and besides, how could we? Their fists were as big as my head!" Jericho wrote.
Another superstar who witnessed the fight was Carlito. Although his bag was destroyed while the two giants clashed backstage, the 43-year-old revealed that he enjoyed watching them fight.
"It was just funny to see these two giants all of a sudden going at it, and then just to see my bag get basically destroyed by them,” he said. “But that was just funny to us to see these two giants going at each other. It was a short fight, quick fight, not much damage, but just the visual of those two getting up and falling over. That’s probably the most memorable one [fight]," he told James Romero of Wrestling Shoot Interviews.
While Khali now owns a wrestling school in Punjab, Continental Wrestling Entertainment, The Big Show is currently working in AEW.
#3. WWE Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson vs. Sara Frank & Former Women's Champion Debra
After a brief stint in WCW, Torrie Wilson signed with WWE in 2001. She then shared the locker room with several superstars, including The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Debra.
Debra was married to Austin at the time. In a shoot interview a few years ago, the former Women's Champion disclosed that she once got into a fight with Torrie Wilson after The Undertaker and his then-wife, Sara Frank, told her that she was hitting on her husband.
"I did that once to Torrie. She was hitting on Steve. That was more of a girl to girl, woman to woman, hitting on my husband, which all women can relate to that. I don't play that way. (...) I just grabbed her by the arm and was like 'hey, you need to come here right now and I just told her if she didn't stop I was gonna kick her butt. That was disrespectful. This is my husband. And she started crying. Yeah [she was with Billy Kidman at the time]. She was crying, her nose was running," Debra said. (6:50 - 7:55)
In a video she posted on social media two years ago, Wilson recalled the time The Undertaker's ex-wife Sara attempted to beat her up.
"The Undertaker's ex-wife – she did attempt to beat me up. Ex-wife I said, ex. She was a little crazy. I'm just going to tell you she was batsh*t crazy, and she did think I liked somebody. Not her husband, she thought I liked somebody else and she wanted to beat me up because she thought I liked somebody else's husband. Which I didn't; That's not my game," she said (H/T: 411Mania)
Austin and Debra divorced in 2003. Later that same year, Wilson tied the knot with former WWE Superstar Billy Kidman.
#2. Former WWE Champion Sheamus vs. Former NXT Tag Team Champion Sin Cara
In 2007, Sheamus officially signed with WWE. Sin Cara also joined the company about two years later. While working together in the company, the two superstars once got into a physical altercation backstage.
The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported in 2014 that Sheamus and Sin Cara had a real fight backstage, with the Mexican wrestler allegedly getting the better of the fight.
Although he did not reveal the details, Sin Cara confirmed the rumors during an interview with talkSport last year.
"We had a little misunderstanding, me and him. But the one thing that I mentioned before about men is maybe we can have a misunderstanding and we can battle it out, then the next day, we'll be fine. And I understand, imagine being in a locker room where everybody wants to be number one and fighting for that one spot. I understand there is going to be some misunderstandings, not everyone is going to be on the same page and things like that," he said.
In another interview with Fightful last year, Sin Cara again addressed his fight with Sheamus, stating that he and The Celtic Warrior now have a great relationship.
While Sheamus is currently leading The Brawling Brutes on SmackDown, Sin Cara is now active on the independent circuit.
#1. Former Women's Champion Melina vs. WWE Hall of Famer Sharmell
Although she initially retired from professional wrestling in 2001, Sharmell returned to WWE in 2005 to become a valet for her husband, Hall of Famer Booker T. About a year later, Melina made her main roster debut as a member of MNM, alongside Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro (aka John Morrison).
While working together in WWE, Sharmell and Melina reportedly fought backstage in 2006. According to PWInsider's Mike Johnson, the two ladies had an altercation that almost turned physical before JBL interfered.
Former WWE referee Nick Patrick recalled the incident during an interview with The Pancakes and Powerslams podcast.
"The girls one time, Sharmell [Sullivan] was mad. She had good reason to be. I forgot the other girl's name — Melina. Melina. I thought they were going to come to blows at one time, but they didn't. And they had a big wrestler's court at one time over it. And I got to thinking, 'Geez. We're overseas. We're sitting here over in catering with a big wrestler's court about the girls arguing in the locker room.' I said, 'Moolah would be rolling over in her grave right now,'" he said. (H/T: 411Mania)
At the Wrestler's Court, the two ladies reportedly got into another heated argument that almost turned physical.
Earlier this year, Sharmell entered the WWE Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Melina made a surprise one-off return to the Stamford-based company, participating in the 2022 Women's Royal Rumble Match.
