5 Times WWE used real-life events in a storyline

#1 Randy Orton goes too far during his feud with Rey Mysterio following Royal Rumble loss

Randy Orton

Eddie Guerrero's untimely death left the WWE in a state of utter disbelief. WWE held full-fledged tribute shows in memory of the fallen legend on RAW and SmackDown, and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. On the road to WrestleMania 22, Randy Orton came close to winning the Royal Rumble match, but Rey Mysterio eventually eliminated him to bag a shot at the World title at The Show of Shows.

Randy Orton is one of the most despised WWE heels in history

Orton began playing mind games with Mysterio on SmackDown, leading to the infamous segment where he stated that Eddie Guerrero is in hell. The segment was poorly received by the WWE Universe, with fans calling out the company for taking it too far by involving Eddie Guerrero in the angle. Eventually, Rey Mysterio won the World title in a Triple Threat match against Kurt Angle and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 22, and dedicated it to his best friend who was looking down on him with nothing but pride.