5 real backstage brawls where the favorites lost

#3 Big Van Vader vs. Paul Orndorff

Mr. Wonderful fought a younger, stronger man and still prevailed.

Big Van Vader was a dominant force for WCW in the early 1990s. He captured the world title twice, which included dominating the main event scene for most of 1993. He had a reputation for being a beast, too. He was a stiff worker who was so big and powerful that enhancement workers, in particular, were legitimately frightened to get in the ring with him.

Paul Orndorff was a powerful man with a killer physique. He’d earned his spot as a legend of the wrestling industry via his deceptively great ring work, and giving Hulk Hogan some of the best matches of his first world title reign. For as respected as he was, though, few would guess that he could hold his own in a fight with Vader—at least when Vader was in his prime and Orndorff was well past it.

The two clashed when Orndorff was working in a behind the scenes role, and was charged with getting talent to the right places at the right time in the arena. From Orndorff’s account, Vader refused to head where he was needed and gave him lip. So the two got in a scuffle and he beat up the Mastodon.

Vader’s account is a bit different, suggesting that WCW management had directed him to be in two places at once and he was legitimately confused. He claims that Orndorff went after him and he didn’t fight back to stay out of trouble. There does seem to be some credence to Vader’s claims; while Orndorff might have won a legit fight between them, it’s harder to believe Vader wouldn’t have landed at least a few good shots if he were trying.