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Professional wrestling has been sustained for decades by "kayfabe," a code that requires wrestlers to jealously guard the predetermined nature of their matches, preserving the illusion of reality. It's a way of respecting the business, which now looks a little more like the characters who break out of their personas on television.
Since then, most wrestling fans have discovered that much of it has always been kayfabe, including former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal.
The basketball star told a story about WWE legends Macho Man Randy Savage, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan on an episode of his show The Big Podcast with Shaq.
"I was hosting a WWE event at my house in Orlando, I think it was in 1993, and I invited big wrestling stars like Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan. I saying, 'Hey, all the wrestlers are coming. Ric, Hogan and Macho Man showed up. A little while after they arrived, I saw that they had all started eating my snacks, talking to each other and laughing out loud. As a young guy, I always thought these guys hated each other."
"The truth is, it was a sad day for me. Even though I'm a professional athlete and I'm making a lot of money, I thought wrestling was real. I thinking at the time, 'What the hell, what my eyes are seeing can't be real,'" said Shaquille O'Neal.
Shaq is ionate about wrestling
In reality, it broke his heart to know there was a script involved, but that didn't stop him from getting in the ring to experience it firsthand. The NBA legend has been involved in wrestling since 1994 with WCW.
After several years away, he appeared on a WWE show in 2009 and was at Wrestlemania 32 as a participant in the Battle Royal in honor of Andre the Giant.
His most recent appearances were in AEW in 2020-2021, where his last match was teamed with Jade Cargill against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet in a mixed tag team match.
He has left his mark on one of his favorite sports, and after a four-year absence, doubts remain as to whether he will return to the ring.