10 Real-life WWE stories we learned this week: Why Vince McMahon almost released top Superstar, The Undertaker accidentally set 2-time World Champion on fire
On-screen, this week’s WWE shows featured all the fallout from The Horror Show at WWE Extreme Rules, with Sasha Banks continuing to play a prominent role following her controversial RAW Women’s Championship ‘victory’ over Asuka.
Elsewhere, Drew McIntyre agreed to give Dolph Ziggler one more shot at the WWE Championship after retaining his title against his former tag team partner on Sunday, while “The Fiend” re-emerged during the Wyatt Swamp Fight to ensure that Bray Wyatt defeated Braun Strowman in WWE’s latest cinematic PPV match.
Behind the scenes this week, The Undertaker recalled the time that he accidentally set one of his WWE colleagues on fire in a hotel room (yes, this really happened!), and we learned the reason why Vince McMahon almost released John Cena back in 2002.
Let’s take a look at the full details behind those stories, plus eight others, as we count down 10 of the most interesting real-life stories that have been revealed about WWE Superstars and storylines this week.
#10 The Undertaker accidentally set Yokozuna’s hair on fire
WWE released a special ‘Tales From The Deadman’ episode of ‘Undertaker: The Last Ride’ last week. The show featured lots of stories from the man behind the ‘Taker character, Mark Calaway, including one that involved his former in-ring rival, Yokozuna.
Calaway recalled that he was once hanging out with Yokozuna, among others, in a hotel room and he was trying to hit people with matches that he had lit on fire. One of the matches flew over Yokozuna’s head and landed in the back of his hair, setting his hair on fire.
Around five people had to “pound him to death” to put the fire out, but Yokozuna saw the funny side and laughed it off.
#9 Why Vince McMahon almost fired John Cena from WWE
In October 2002, John Cena was set to receive his release from WWE until Stephanie McMahon heard him rapping on the back of a bus. She asked him to portray a rapper on television, leading to his “Doctor of Thuganomics” character being born.
Speaking to Sportskeeda’s Chris Featherstone on this week’s episode of UnSKripted, Rico Constantino – Cena’s former colleague in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) – explained that the future 16-time WWE World Champion was almost fired for the simple reason that Vince McMahon did not understand his character.