A former WWE champion was 'excommunicated' from the locker room over a chicken-related incident which breached one of the wrestling industry's long-lasting traditions.
Though these days huge stars like John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins have their own buses which they travel and get changed in before and after shows, the bulk of WWE's talent still get dressed and spend time together in the locker room.
That is, unless they are not allowed access to the locker room alongside their fellow superstars. Former WWE champ Kofi Kingston and tag team partner Xavier Woods of the New Day faction were recently denied that privilege, having been told they were not welcome following a shock turn on their long-time friend Big E.
But while that was part of a storyline on WWE's programming, there have been times where people have been kicked out for real.
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Asked about whether he has seen people genuinely booted out of the locker room, Kingston referenced an infamous instance of one of his peers being shunned many years back and stressed that the sanctity of the locker room is very much preserved in the modern era.
WWE star was banned from locker room for six months
"I think a tradition which has been kept and passed on is the sanctity of the locker room," he told SPORTbible in an exclusive interview.
“We don’t allow just anybody to come in there. Even though we’re in an era where people know or think they know – information might leak out or rumours get started – we do still preserve the sanctity of the locker room.
“People get kicked out all the time, you used to hear with The Miz how he got kicked out for eating chicken over someone’s bag.
“At the end of the day we’re all going through a similar experience. If anyone knows the struggles of being a WWE superstar, it’s the other WWE superstars.
“The bonding and camaraderie that we have, we see each other more than we see our families. The bond that we have is inevitable. If you get excommunicated by the majority of the group, with us, we don’t want to be in there anyway. We haven’t really done anything wrong, and it is what it is. We’ll be alright.”
The Miz was early in his tenure in WWE at the time and his actions, though not intentional and likely exaggerated, were deemed to be disrespectful and despite an apology, he was made an example of.
While performing for the sports entertainment giants, the former reality TV star was forced to get changed in the janitor's closet or hallways at the arenas and also had to use the same bathrooms as the fans who were paying to attend the shows.
"It was almost like I was taking the chicken and just throwing it in the locker room and just smearing it all over the place and all over stuff,” The Miz recalled in his WWE 24 documentary.
"That’s what I felt like, and I’m appalled. ‘I am so sorry, I did not mean to do it. I’m just trying to do the right thing here.’ And he goes, ‘You are not allowed to dress in our locker room. I think you should just stay out of the locker room.’”
The Undertaker reversed the rule on The Miz's WWE locker room ban
The humiliating ordeal where Miz was not seen as "one of the boys" lasted around six months until he stepped in the ring with The Undertaker, a WWE legend and the leader of the locker room.
The Miz impressed the Deadman and sought permission from him to be let back in, which was duly granted in a move which shifted attitudes towards him.
He explained: "I asked Taker. I go, 'I've been out of the locker room for six months, I feel like I've learned a lot these past six months and I feel if you let me back in I would show respect to all of the WWE superstars and everyone in the back'. He said you can come to the locker room again and I never felt so better. He gave me the kind of seal of approval to others."
The 44-year-old proceeded to forge an incredible, Hall of Fame career in WWE, main eventing WrestleMania and winning two world titles, as well as being an eight time Intercontinental champion, two-time US champion and eight-time tag team champion.
WWE brings WrestleMania to Las Vegas on April 19 and 20. In the UK and Ireland, Netflix subscribers can tune in live to watch. All past WrestleMania events are also available on the streaming service.
Topics: The Undertaker, WWE, Spotlight
Josh Lawless