Thirty years ago today, a bitter dispute between two wrestling legends escalated during a European tour – with almost fatal consequences.
Bret “The Hitman” Hart, “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, the Undertaker: The three other stars who reigned as WWE champions in 1997 are remembered as legends and Hall of Famers.
The fourth man, who was enthroned at the top of the WWF at the time, falls somewhat short in comparison – even though he was also a memorable figure: Sid Eudy – better known as Sid Justice, Sid Vicious and Psycho/Sycho Sid – had a successful career as champion in the nineties, both with WWE and its rival at the time, WCW.
However, the 62-year-old is also remembered for unpleasant reasons: Because of the horror accident that ended his career on the big stage in 2001. And because of a dark, almost fatal backstage scandal for a famous colleague that permanently damaged his reputation 30 years ago today.
1992 WrestleMania opponent of Hulk Hogan
The 2.06-meter man from West Memphis in the US state of Arkansas was introduced to wrestling in 1987 through an encounter with WWE icon “Macho Man” Randy Savage, who died in 2011.
Eudy’s impressive stature and charisma gave him a rather stellar career, which earned him a prominent role on the big stage within a few years: In WCW he was a member of the “Four Horsemen” around Ric Flair from 1990, in the WWF he challenged Hulk Hogan as Sid Justice in the main match of WrestleMania VIII in 1992.
A year later, after a move back to rival WCW, he was in the headlines for completely different reasons.
Sid almost killed Arn Anderson with scissors in 1993
During a tour of England with the League, a bar and hotel stay in Blackburn on October 27, 1993, led to a violent argument with former Horsemen colleague Arn Anderson, which escalated in a life-threatening manner under the influence of alcohol.
According to reports, the argument, which began in the hotel bar, got out of hand when Sid chased Anderson into his hotel room with a broken chair. Anderson defended himself with a pair of scissors, which the two then fought over and stabbed each other – Sid received four stitches, Anderson 20.
An intervention by fellow wrestler Charles Skaggs (2 Cold Scorpio) against Sid, who ended up going completely crazy, could have saved Anderson’s life. Heavyweight Vader (Leon White), who died in 2018, also helped to avert a fatal scenario: He held one of Sid’s stab wounds closed until paramedics arrived on the scene.
Both Anderson and Sid had to be taken to hospital
The reason for the life-threatening brawl, which brought back dark memories of the murder of icon Bruiser Brody a few years earlier? Bruised egos.
At the time, WCW was in a generally bad mood due to the poor business situation, and against this backdrop Sid Anderson is said to have provoked Anderson with a frustrated rant. Tenor: I have to become champion, the legend Ric Flair, who was the focus of the promotion at the time – a good friend of Anderson’s – should get lost. According to Sid’s own account, the argument escalated when he told Anderson that Flair should retire.
Sid, who should have actually become World Champion, was instead fired, in part because of a booth rebellion by fellow wrestlers who demanded management take action against him. Sid and Anderson later reconciled.
Scandal faded to anecdote
In this day and age, with WWE seeking more mainstream publicity, Sid’s career might have ended after the unbelievable incident and never reached its prime.
At the time, however, Sid was given a prominent place in the scene again relatively quickly after a period of shame had passed: WWE rehired him, although he had also left there in 1992 on bad terms – as the Wrestling Observer reported, Sid had already failed a drug test before the WrestleMania match against Hogan and would have quit when he was due to serve his suspension.
When Sid returned in 1995, his career reached the next level: originally presented as an evil adversary for the then champion Diesel (Kevin Nash), a certain cult developed around the giant’s psychopathic appearances, which carried Sid himself into the role of crowd favorite and to higher honors.
Sid was WWE Champion twice
Sid won his first World Title against Shawn Michaels at the 1996 Survivor Series in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Despite being positioned as an unfair “heel” in the match, he was cheered frenetically by the New York crowd, who turned on the then-controversial Michaels – the constellation had been similar against Hogan four years earlier.
Michaels won the title back, but then gave it back with his infamous “I’ve-lost-my-smile” tearful speech. Sid returned as champion for a second time with a win over Hart, and a (lost) second WrestleMania main event against The Undertaker capped off his most successful WWE tenure.
The scissor kick scandal faded to anecdote over the years, later used several times as an insider reference in Sid’s feuds.
Horrific leg break in 2001 ended career on the big stage
After leaving due to injury, Sid resurfaced as Sid Vicious (a tribute to the Sex Pistols bassist who died young) in competitor WCW in the summer of 1999. After a kick-off feud against Bill Goldberg, he also held the World Title there twice more.
His involvement ended in January 2001 under dramatic circumstances: In a four-way title match against Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett and Road Warrior Animal at Pay Per View Sin, Sid landed with his full body weight on his left leg during an unsuccessful aerial maneuver, resulting in an open horror fracture.
In a two-hour operation, Sid was implanted with a 43-centimeter-long metal rod. While he was recovering from the injury, the run-down WCW ceased operations.
Some years later, Sid made another comeback in minor leagues, but the WWE comeback he said he was working towards never materialized. He only made two cameo appearances in 2012, in which he dispatched undercarder Heath Slater, who was feuding with various WWE veterans at the time.
Horrific leg break in 2001 ended career on the big stage
After leaving due to injury, Sid resurfaced as Sid Vicious (a tribute to the Sex Pistols bassist who died young) in rival WCW in the summer of 1999. After a kick-off feud against Bill Goldberg, he also held the World Title there twice more.
His involvement ended in January 2001 under dramatic circumstances: In a four-way title match against Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett and Road Warrior Animal at Pay Per View Sin, Sid landed with his full body weight on his left leg during an unsuccessful aerial maneuver, resulting in an open horror fracture.
In a two-hour operation, Sid was implanted with a 43-centimeter-long metal rod. While he was recovering from the injury, the run-down WCW ceased operations.
A few years later, Sid made another comeback in minor leagues, but the WWE comeback he said he was working towards never materialized. He only made two cameo appearances in 2012, in which he dispatched undercarder Heath Slater, who was feuding with various WWE veterans at the time.
Sid’s sons followed their father into show business
Sid’s wrestling career has been over for good since 2017, and he is now focusing on his lifelong passion for softball and his family: he has been married to his wife Sabrina for almost 40 years, and his two sons have followed him into the entertainment business
Younger son Gunnar Eudy has become a wrestler himself with less success to date, while first-born Frank was a contestant on two Big Brother seasons in the USA.
