One of the most intriguing aspects of professional wrestling is the drama that unfolds behind the scenes. From the conflicts between top wrestlers to power struggles with management, the happenings in and around the ring are often as captivating as the latest reality TV gossip or celebrity romance.
In the world of professional wrestling, walkouts are more common than one might think. Wrestlers leaving venues before or even during shows can cause significant disruptions, especially when the show is set to air live on television.
Sasha Banks and Naomi Walkout
Sasha Banks and Naomi are among the latest wrestlers to make headlines with their walkout before the May 16, 2022, episode of “Monday Night Raw.” The duo, who were the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions at the time, reportedly walked out due to issues with their booking. They were scheduled to compete in a 6-pack challenge for a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship. The controversy intensified when WWE publicly addressed the situation during the show, stating that Banks and Naomi felt disrespected as tag team champions and were uncomfortable in the ring with certain opponents, despite having wrestled them before.
The fallout from Banks and Naomi’s walkout continued for months. Both wrestlers were removed from WWE’s video intros, and their merchandise was pulled from the WWE Shop website. While neither wrestler has publicly commented on the incident, they have been removed from WWE’s internal roster.
Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Walkout
In 2002, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s walkout was sparked by creative differences with WWE management. Leading up to WrestleMania X8, Austin was not booked as the top star, partly due to the push given to the New World Order (nWo) faction. Austin was originally scheduled to face Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8 but ended up facing nWo member Scott Hall in a match that was not part of the main event. Frustrated with his booking, Austin no-showed the following “Monday Night Raw” and criticized his treatment on WWE’s web show “Byte This!”
The situation came to a head when Austin learned he was going to lose to Brock Lesnar in a King of the Ring qualifying match. His walkout was acknowledged on “Raw,” where he was criticized by several WWE personalities, including The Rock. The following week, Vince McMahon addressed the situation in a now-iconic promo, saying Austin “took his ball and went home.” However, Austin and McMahon eventually reconciled, and Austin returned to WWE the following year.
Jeff Jarrett and The Roadie Walkout
In 1995, Jeff Jarrett and The Roadie (later known as Road Dogg) walked out of WWE following Jarrett’s loss of the Intercontinental Championship to Shawn Michaels at In Your House 2. The planned segment after the match, where The Roadie was revealed as the real voice behind Jarrett’s song “With My Baby Tonight,” did not happen as both wrestlers left the building and quit WWE.
Jarrett later expressed regret over the situation, acknowledging that he and The Roadie were unhappy with their split and that he wished he had not taken The Roadie with him when he left.
Kaira’s Thoughts:
Wrestling walkouts can lead to significant controversy and have long-lasting effects on wrestlers’ careers and relationships with promotions. While some walkouts are the result of creative differences or dissatisfaction with booking, others are more nuanced, involving personal and professional conflicts.
