During the 1990s and early 2000s, WWE was far more than just intense matches and heroic storylines; it was a wild, testosterone-driven environment reminiscent of a chaotic fraternity house. Backstage, wrestlers often treated the locker room like a prison yard or a comedy club, filled with pranks known as ribs—some harmless, others less so—that sometimes crossed the line. From fake gambling scams to dangerous moments like nearly crashing private jets, many of these antics would be unacceptable in today’s WWE, where professionalism and human resources policies have strict oversight.
One notorious aspect was the so-called wrestler court, a toxic power dynamic where punishments for breaking unspoken rules ranged from cash fines and public humiliation to bizarre tasks. Newcomers were automatically guilty and subjected to ordeals like the Miz being locked out of the locker room to eat alone or Goldberg forced to perform strange rituals. While some ribbing was meant to be lighthearted, others bordered on bullying and harassment, highlighting issues of forced compliance and retaliation in the workplace.
Jonathan Coachman’s involvement in a staged illegal gambling ring exemplified the extreme lengths to which these pranks went. As a rookie, he was humiliated when real police showed up during a supposed sports betting scam, all orchestrated by Vince McMahon and Gerald Brisco as a practical joke. Such stunts were risky and could have led to serious legal trouble.
Perhaps one of the most infamous tales involves Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who found that someone had defecated in his lunchbox—a vile prank meant to break spirits fueled by locker room jealousy. Despite this shockingly repulsive act, The Rock turned the humiliation into motivation, eventually rising to become WWE’s biggest star and a Hollywood icon.
The notorious “plane ride from hell” in 2002 was the peak of WWE’s backstage chaos, involving drunken mayhem, fights near emergency exits, inappropriate behavior by wrestlers like Ric Flair and Goldust, and allegations of sexual harassment. This wild transatlantic flight led to lawsuits but no criminal charges, highlighting how reckless conduct on that scale would be unthinkable today with modern standards in place.
Fan Take: This glimpse into WWE’s darker backstage history reminds fans how much the industry and its culture have evolved, emphasizing the importance of respect and professionalism. Understanding the past helps fans appreciate the positive changes that protect performers and the integrity of wrestling today.
