5 times WWE used a Superstar's real-life issues in a storyline

#3 The Edge-Lita-Matt Hardy love triangle

By mid-2005, the real-life issues involving Matt Hardy, Edge, and Lita had become public knowledge, via the internet. Fans booed Lita on WWE TV even though she was a babyface at the time. Lita had been romantically involved with Matt Hardy for years, and fans were furious over the fact that she cheated on Matt with Edge. On the road to SummerSlam, WWE used this real-life story on TV, and it did exactly what it was supposed to do.

Fans were heavily invested in the angle, as they were well aware that these three Superstars were involved in a real-life feud. At WWE SummerSlam 2005, Edge defeated Hardy after the latter's head hit the ring post and he was unable to compete. Hardy took revenge at Unforgiven by defeating Edge in a Steel Cage match.

A few weeks later on RAW, Edge defeated Hardy in a "Loser leaves RAW" Ladder match with help from Lita, finally putting an end to the feud. Hardy soon made his way to SmackDown while Edge went on to become a top star on the red brand.

About the author

Abhilash Mendhe is a pro wrestling journalist at Sportskeeda with nearly five years of experience. He completed his MBA from the Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management in 2016 and worked with multiple banking institutions, including Tech Mahindra. While he started writing WWE articles for Sportskeeda in 2019 as a hobby, it eventually became a significant part of his professional journey.

Abhilash checks his articles thrice before sending them to the editing team, ensuring his work is highly accurate and reliable.

He has interviewed prominent pro wrestling personalities like Noam Dar, Angry Miz Girl, Brendan Cobbina, and Jesse Lambert. Abhilash is a big fan of AEW star Orange Cassidy, as he believes the former International Champion’s on-screen gimmick of an extremely lazy guy resonates with him.

Given the opportunity to script WWE’s next big storyline, Abhilash would treat fans to the second installment of The Bloodline Civil War. He would book Roman Reigns to re-form The Bloodline with The Usos and Sami Zayn upon his comeback. The angle would see The Tribal Chief-led group go head-to-head with The Rock, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu in a blockbuster family feud.

When not reporting on pro wrestling, Abhilash likes to work out, go on walks, read, and explore new eateries.

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Edited by Nishant Jayaram