5 WWE Superstars who complained to management about colleagues

#3 Shawn Michaels complained to WWE officials about Vader

Shawn Michaels retained the WWE Championship against Vader at SummerSlam 1996 in what was supposed to be the first of three title matches between the two men.

Unfortunately for Vader, the SummerSlam encounter included a series of botches and miscommunications, including one spot where a frustrated Michaels kicked his opponent in the head because he failed to move out of the way of an elbow drop.

The match also featured an awkward spot where Vader did not kick out of one of Michaels’ pinfalls. The referee knew that the SummerSlam main event was not due to end at that moment, so he only counted to two and allowed the match to continue.

Speaking on his Something to Wrestle With podcast, WWE director Bruce Prichard confirmed rumors that the company changed their storyline plans due to Michaels being “livid” with his SummerSlam match against Vader.

The original plan called for Vader to win the WWE Championship in a rematch at Survivor Series 1996 before losing the title back to Michaels at the 1997 Royal Rumble, but Sycho Sid ended up being used in that role instead.