5 unusual reasons Superstars had to vacate their Championships

#4 Hulk Hogan uses nefarious means to put down The Undertaker

At Survivor Series 1991, Hulk Hogan battled The Undertaker, with the WWE title on the line. The ending to the match saw Ric Flair interfering and costing Hogan the title, resulting in a rematch being immediately signed for the This Tuesday in Texas PPV, emanating from the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas.

Also read: 5 Superstars who got a taste of their own medicine

This time, Hogan managed to pin The Deadman by blinding him after throwing a handful of ash from Paul Bearer's urn. This was the second chaotic finish in a row, and President Jack Tunney wasn't thrilled one bit. He vacated the title and put it up for grabs in the Royal Rumble Match, which was won by Ric Flair.

#3 Shawn Michaels gets into trouble

When one thinks of the most controversial Superstars in WWE history, Shawn Michaels' name is bound to come up. The Montreal incident is just one of several controversies Michaels was a part of.

In October 1995, Shawn Michaels got into a fight outside a bar in Syracuse, New York. Michaels ended up being on the receiving end of an assault and suffered injuries as a result of the same. This forced Michaels to forfeit his Intercontinental title to the opponent he was scheduled to face, Dean Douglas, at In Your House: Great White North.

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 Kaushik Das