Number 5 – Raven
Back in the days of ECW, Raven was one of the biggest names out there, notable for his
long time feud with Tommy Dreamer.
Raven, along with former colleague Chris Kanyon and colleague Michael Sanders, attempted to
sue World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for "cheating them out of health care and other
benefits".
However, Raven and his colleagues failed to win their case after a federal judge in Stamford,
Connecticut dismissed the case.
In a 2010 interview Levy explained that the case was dismissed due to statute of limitations
running out.
Number 4 – Ricky Steamboat
Richard Blood, who you may know as Ricky Steamboat, attempted to sue the WWE in 1994.
Why might you ask?
Was it because of his intercontinental title loss to the Honky Tonk Man?
No, it was something a bit sillier than that.
Steamboat felt that he was owed more money from VHS sales.
I guess you could say, he wanted more “blood” money.
Number 3 – Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino, who notably had a statue created for him, sued the WWE.
Bruno was on top for Vince’s father for years and years.
He took time off, but with business down, Bruno came back drawing more sellouts.
Sellouts, he learned later, that he’d not been paid what was owed.
Vince, now running his father’s company, settled out of court with Bruno, in part by
adding him to the colour commentary team.
Not only did Bruno bash McMahon in the press, he even appeared against McMahon as an expert
witness in the Charles Austin case, which Austin won $26.7 million.
The bitterness remained until Bruno agreed to bury the hatchet and join the 2013 Hall
of Fame class.
Number 2 – Ultimate Warrior
A highly charismatic wrestler, Jim Hellwig, who you may know as The Ultimate Warrior,
was involved in so many lawsuits with the WWE, especially when Warrior returned to wrestling
in WCW in 1998.
After leaving the company several times on bad terms, Hellwig tried to change his name
legally to Warrior in 1993.
After that disaster, Warrior disappeared until 2005 when WWE revived him in the 2005 DVD
The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior which resulted in Warrior suing the WWE for
libel.
With the case dismissed in 2009, Warrior went AWOL again until WWE brought him back for
his 2014 induction in the Hall of Fame.
This was followed by an appearance on live Monday Night Raw, just a day before he passed
away of a heart attack.
Number 1 – Brock Lesnar
The beast, the conqueror, Brock Lesnar has had many issues with the WWE which have involved
the courts.
Lesnar hated the WWE lifestyle and wanted out of his contract in spring 2004.
The WWE agreed except for one little condition; you can’t do pro wrestling anywhere in the
world for the life of his contract, meaning almost six years.
When Brock’s attempts to play in the NFL failed, Lesnar sued to get out his contract.
However, due to the terms of his contract, WWE counter-sued Lesnar when Lesnar wrestled
for New Japan in 2005.
By June 2006, both parties agreed to drop the lawsuits.
As a result, Lesnar competed in the UFC Octagon in 2008 and then subsequently came back to
the WWE part time in 2012, with full-time pay.