6 WWE/WCW stars who refused to shake another wrestler's hand
It is not uncommon for two babyface WWE Superstars to shake hands in the middle of the ring after a competitive match. The post-match handshake has taken place throughout WWE history between fan favorites and almost always draws a round of applause from fans in attendance.
Away from the ring, shaking hands is also viewed as the ultimate sign of respect among superstars in real life. The men and women of WWE often greet each other at arenas by shaking hands, while opponents usually shake hands backstage after matches.
The unwritten handshake rule has been followed by most WWE Superstars over the last few decades, with the exception of a select few.
In this article, let’s take a look at six WWE/WCW stars who did not shake a co-worker’s hand.
#6 Andre the Giant initially refused to shake Shawn Michaels’ hand in WWE
While Andre the Giant is one of the most respected WWE stars of all time, he is almost among the most feared.
Legendary stories have been told about Andre disliking certain members of the locker room during his time in WWE. The 520-pounder famously had issues with other big guys, notably Big John Studd, while he also had a problem with the up-and-coming Shawn Michaels.
In 2015, Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso wrote an article about Michaels’ WWE career. He mentioned that The Heartbreak Kid attempted to shake Andre’s hand in the late 1980s, but the Frenchman repeatedly rejected him.
“Michaels desperately wanted to be accepted, and he walked over to shake Andre’s hand,” Barrasso wrote. “But the Giant ignored him. For six months, both he and [Marty] Jannetty would greet Andre, only to be ignored. Jannetty decided he’d had enough, but Michaels stayed consistent for a year, providing a glimpse into his character and desire to succeed in the business.”
Andre finally accepted a handshake from The Heartbreak Kid after they teamed together during a WWE European tour.
Michaels told Barrasso that Andre later admitted to disliking him when they first met. As for the constant handshake refusals, The Eighth Wonder of the World said that was his way of playing a joke on Michaels.