There are many instances when fans see WWE superstars getting into an altercation during their appearances on TV shows. Although most of those segments are scripted, sometimes things do get a bit excessive. One such incident happened with WWE Hall of Famer Big Van Vader in the late 90s. The altercation was so big that he was detained in a foreign nation for 10 days.
According to The Sun, the incident took place during WWE’s tour of the Middle East in 1997. The Undertaker and Big Van Vader were invited as guests on a talk show called Good Morning Kuwait. However, things went south when the host asked their opinions on the perception of WWE being fake.
Big Van Vader answered but was arrested and detained for his conduct
During the show, the host stated that people in Kuwait believe wrestling is not a real thing. He then asked The Undertaker and Vader for their thoughts on the matter. Reacting to the question, The Undertaker kept his cool and came up with a very tactful explanation.
However, WWE veteran Big Van Vader was offended, and instead of answering the question, he expressed his anger. The former WCW and WWF champion felt the remarks were insulting to his job. So, he stood up, destroyed the coffee table, and got face-to-face with the host. In fact, the veteran grabbed him by his tie and said:
“Does that f***ing feel fake? Huh? Does that feel fake?… Why don’t you come down tonight and, before I kick his ass, I’ll kick your ass.”
The whole altercation resulted in the police being called and Vader facing house arrest for more than a week. Eventually, the Hall of Famer was sent home with a penalty of $166.
The 450-pounder stated many times afterwards that the altercation was planned with the show’s producer. However, the controversy still resulted in wrestling getting banned in Kuwait for more than 10 years.
The veteran was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2022
From NJPW to WWE, Big Van Vader has given many memorable matches with legends like Antonio Inoki, Ric Flair, and Shawn Michaels. However, the biggest WWE moment for the 450-pounder came at the 1997 Royal Rumble when he defeated The Undertaker. Although Big Van Vader did not stay with WWE for much longer, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.
Nevertheless, at the age of 63, Vader passed away because of congestive heart failure in 2018. Though the legacy he has left will live forever in the history books of pro wrestling.
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