Vince McMahon views the line between respectful and horrendously disrespectful as a jump rope.
He goes back and forth over it time and time again, and one day it's just going to snap altogether and he'll be exposed for all of the cruel things he's done over the years. Now, with that horrible start to the article out of the way, let's talk about screwjobs.
We all know them and we all love or hate them dependent on our preferences.
Trending
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
Whatever the case may be, nobody can deny that they're extremely effective in getting the people talking when it comes to professional wrestling. Unfortunately, a number of the incidents on this list didn't take place in front of a camera - but instead transpired behind the scenes.
Does that make them any worse than if they happened in front of a live televised audience? It's hard to say.
What we can state with absolute confidence is that Vince McMahon is in no way a saint, and there have been numerous occasions over the years where it's felt as if he's just gone a little bit too far. Some may disagree, however there's likely alot of people reading this and nodding their heads simultaneously.
So without further ado, let's take a look at five wrestlers who were screwed by Vince McMahon and where they are now.
#1 Bret Hart
We all know the story so let's cut to the chase - the Montreal Screwjob was one of the most controversial moments in the history of professional wrestling.
Both sides had their reasons for doing what they did, and fans will continue to debate the issue until the day they die. But hey, Bret ended up coming back so we should probably just sweep it under the rug right?
Also read: 5 times Vince McMahon proved he could get away with anything
Wrong. Vince screwed Bret over big time as much as he will claim that he didn't, and Bret probably still harbours a touch of animosity towards him to this day.
At present, Bret is appearing on numerous podcasts whilst also appearing on WWE television from time to time. He's made up with the company now as we all know, but his bitterness continues to manifest every so often.
Onto a man who Bret has always had quite high praise for.
#2 CM Punk
Once again, everyone is aware of the situation surrounding CM Punk. If you need a refresher, go and listen to his Art of Wrestling podcast with Colt Cabana. It's around two hours long, but it'll definitely be worth it.
After walking out of the company due to a number of frustrations created off the back of people like Vince McMahon and Triple H, Punk did the unthinkable. He made the switch over to the UFC, where he is currently residing.
Despite owning a 0-1 record following his first round knockout at the hands of Mickey Gall, Punk is eager to get back inside the octagon and seems determined to remain with the company for the foreseeable future. Good for him, as it's always nice to see fan favourites prosper even after leaving the WWE.
However, Dave Meltzer recently claimed that WWE indeed would love to have CM Punk back, that is if the former WWE Champion is willing to bury all differences.
From a mixed martial artist to a man that's still wrestling.
#3 Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes was given every god awful gimmick one could imagine and yet he somehow managed to spin each and every one of them into gold. Hell, he was even parading around as Stardust fo a long period of his WWE tenure and was even entertaining in that role.
However, once his father Dusty Rhodes passed away, Cody reportedly insisted upon switching back to being just Cody again.
The WWE supposedly refused, which eventually signalled the final straw for Rhodes as he would leave the company a few months later.
It's been one of the best decisions of his life too, as he's been prospering all over the world in promotions like NJPW, WCPW and several others. Rhodes seems to be having the time of his life, and we're thus more than happy to see him remain on the independents.
Over to a man who had a great deal of potential during his first WWE run.
#4 Kenny Dykstra
As part of the Spirit Squad, Kenny was just another name in the crowd. However once the group broke up, a lot of people had high expectations for him and some were even tipping him to become a champion of some kind one day.
Unfortunately, that didn't come to fruition, with Vince deciding to stick him on Sunday Night Heat after his initial push didn't really work out.
He really wasn't given much of a chance at all and the rumours have been present for years that an incident involving himself, John Cena and Mickie James had led to his dismissal from the company.
It was obviously a tough pill to swallow for Kenny, however, he has continued to wrestle, having his whole career ahead of him at the age of 30. Hell, he even came back to WWE for a short stint in 2016.
We conclude with a man who never seems to stop talking about how WWE and Vince treated him.
#5 Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas was one of the most influential figures in ECW, with his infamous stunt with the championship belt still remembered to this day.
Unfortunately, a lot of his work there has been overshadowed in recent years by the continuous stories about how he was treated in WWE. Buckle up, folks - it's another tale about how awful The Kliq were back in the day.
Apparently, the group took a disliking to Douglas for reasons unknown, and they influenced Vince when it came to how Douglas would be booked in the company.
As a result, he was repackaged as a different character, eventually fizzling out and leaving not long after. In the present day, Douglas still has a deep love for the business, but a lot of his interviews are centred around those dark days in WWE.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
