10 Times A Wrestler Exercised A Creative Control Clause
These wrestlers weren't having any of what creative had planned
9. Shawn Michaels having none of Vader time at WWE SummerSlam 1996
The late, great Big Van Vader was one of the most unique wrestlers to ever grace the planet. His freakish combination of size, power, and agility made him a main-event player wherever he went, except in WWE.
The Mastodon was brought into WWE in 1996 and, by SummerSlam of that year, he was fighting for the world title against golden boy Shawn Michaels, who was in the prime of his backstage meddling.
The plan was for the two men to have a multi-month programme over the belt. Shawn would defend at SummerSlam, drop the title at Survivor Series, and then win it back at the Royal Rumble in his hometown of San Antonio.
Shawn was having none of that, though, and he got the series cut down to the one SummerSlam match, with claims of Vader being a bit “snug” not working for HBK.
This was ultimately one of the last times Vader was taken seriously as a main-event player in WWE.
Instead of Vader, Michaels would drop the WWE Championship to Sycho Sid at Survivor Series, before reclaiming the gold from the big man at Royal Rumble, as originally planned for Vader.
