4 instances of World Champions refusing to do a 'job'

The Austin vs Lesnar match never happenedWhen you are at the top of the mountain, you tend to enjoy the view and not take kindly to people asking you to come down. So is the case of the WWE superstars.Bruno Sammartino did not want to lose to someone who could not beat him in a real fight and held on to the World title for years. Less legitimately, Hulk Hogan rarely put other wrestlers over and had numerous world title reigns.Stone Cold even though he was not WWE Champion at that time walked out of the WWE due to the Creative asking him to lose clean to a rookie Brock Lesnar in an unannounced match on Raw.While Stone Cold might have a valid point, there are WWE Superstars who flatly refused to do the job to other wrestlers while they were WWE Champions.This list takes a look at five such instances where a superstar who was a World Champion at the time refused to lose to other wrestlers.

#1 Ric Flair refuses to drop the title to Lex Luger

Ric Flair refused to drop his WCW title to Lex Luger

In 1992, Ric Flair was the WCW Champion. The ageing ‘Nature Boy’ had agreed in principle to drop the World title to up and comer Sting at the end of his run.However, WCW executive Jim Herd had a change of heart and wanted Flair to drop the title to Lex Luger indeed. Flair vehemently protested, saying that he would drop the title only to Sting and the situation reached boiling point.

Flair’s relationship with Herd was already bad and this difference of opinion was the last straw.A frustrated Flair packed his bags and left for the WWE – taking WCW’s big gold bet to the rival promotion in the process.

#2 Shawn Michaels vacates the title instead of losing it to Bret Hart

Never the best of friends – Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart

Shawn Michaels had won the WWE title from Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 12 and was supposed to lose it back to the Hitman sometime around the next Wreslemania. However, with the real life animosity between Michaels and Hart taking a life of its own, HBK refused to do the job.

Michaels claimed a knee injury, cut his legendary ‘I have lost my smile’ promo and vacated the title. A furious Hart claimed that Michaels was faking the whole thing.

Hart went on to meet Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13 in a match that signaled the true arrival of the Texas Rattlesnake.

#3 Hulk Hogan refuses to lose the title to Bret Hart

Hogan would lose the title to Yokozuna rather than Bret Hart

Poor Hart is in the list again – and not for the last time. Hulk Hogan had uncharacteristically lost the WWE title to the Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania, but did not want to do the job for another up and comer.

At Wresltemania 9, Hogan effectively hijacked the main event and won the title from Yokozuna after the latter’s match with Bret Hart. Hogan was supposed to drop the belt clean to Hart at the ensuing Summerslam, but the Hulkster used his backstage influence to squash that idea.

Hogan would lose the WWE title to Yoko at King of the Ring in dubious circumstances and weaseled his way out of the Hart match.

#4 The Montreal Screwjob

Bret Hart’s refusal to lose the title to HBKwould result in the Montreal Screwjob

Bret Hart finally turns the tide here – The Canadian was the one refusing to do the job this time around. But it is hard not to agree with him considering the fact that his opponent was none other than Shawn Michaels.

Michaels had never returned the favour to Hart for dropping the belt at Wrestlemania 9 and had even accused the married Hart of having an affair with WWE diva Sunny.

Hart, who was leaving for WCW, had made it clear that he did not want to lose the WWE title to HBK and that he would vacate it on Raw the next night. However, Vince McMahon altered the ending of the match unknown to Hart and even Michaels ( if his post-match reaction is to be believed) and called for the bell when Hart was trapped in the Sharpshooter.

The most controversial night in WWE history was born – which ended with Hart laying out McMahon with one punch in the locker room.