Top 10 Crazy Rules WWE Superstars Are Forced to Follow

Ok, so winning a WWE title can be a big deal, bringing with it an increased visibility on the roster, and potentially a bigger pay increase. But, do superstars have to wear those big, gaudy belts everywhere they go. Well, not exactly, but winners of the Money in the Bank briefcase are expected to travel with their prize-which enables them to "cash in" for a WWE title opportunity-and that can prove to be one giant pain in the ass. Getting from town to town is a challenge in itself, never mind having to remember to pack an extra prop along the way, and losing the briefcase simply is NOT an option.

We just mentioned the potential pay increases that come with being a WWE champion. However, there are other aspects to being a money player in the company that don't exactly...well, bring in extra money. Although contracts do vary from wrestler to wrestler, promotional appearances, such as those on late night talk shows, are sometimes written into the performers' contracts as part of their job in promoting the brand. As such, these appearances aren't paid extras for them, other than having their hotel and accommodations comped, and is instead just another "part of the job" for Vince McMahon's sweaty traveling circus.

Today, most professional wrestlers aren't considered "employees" under the law, but rather "independent contractors," and as such aren't covered for basic employee rights, such as health care. Transportation is also not usually provided for the wrestlers to get from town to town, with all but the biggest main eventers like John Cena being required to rent their own cars, and paying for these services out of pocket. It's tough getting from town to town on an overnight drive, and the fact that all of the expenses are still coming out of the performers' pockets is just crazy to us.

Ok, so the impact of this unwritten rule has certainly been lessened over the years since the death of kayfabe, the code of silence that protected the hidden truths and inner workings of professional wrestling. Still, one need only take a glance at the WWE Network series "Ride Along" to see that heels and babyfaces still don't tend to travel together all that often. In the older days, this rule was meant to protect the "good guy" versus "bad guy" aesthetic of the business, but even today we see many of the same heel and face factions traveling together on the road, keeping at least a little bit of that old school kayfabe memory intact.

The art of the pro wrestling promo is no longer the wide open wild west country it used to be, back in the day. Performers were largely trusted with coming up with their own spiel to say on the mic before a match, with little, if any, editing done to the process. Superstars such as The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin made careers out of ad libbed promos, but this is a huge no-no in the modern era. Instead, most wrestlers have their promos written ahead of time by WWE's creative team, and are expected to deliver them, line by line, in front of the camera. Some superstars are allowed to offer their own input, but this sadly isn't used nearly as much as it was with their predecessors.

This next rule just sort of goes without saying. Today's wrestling climate is beginning to get more competitive than it has in years, with promotions such as AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling offering intriguing alternatives to the monopoly McMahon had previously enjoyed. As a result, WWE employees are expected not to visit events held by direct competition, although co-branding with collaborative companies, such as Evolve Pro Wrestling, seems to be O.K. Essentially, it just wouldn't look good for a high profile superstar to give their stamp of approval to another promotion. In the world of WWE, it's best to pretend these other companies don't exist, rather than to validate them via any attendance, even if it's just for "surveillance" purposes.

There has always been a sort of hierarchy when it comes to the WWE rosters, with many "jobbers" never rising above the lowest ranks of the totem pole, while other superstars just seemed destined to rocket up the card to main event status. The backstage locker room is a reflection of this hierarchy, with many of the lower level superstars sharing changing space in separate quarters, away from the private areas for big money superstars such as John Cena or The Undertaker. Furthermore, there have been stories of superstars such as that of The Miz, who was forced to find somewhere else to change early in his career, after reportedly annoying Chris Benoit by eating chicken near Chris' gym bag. You can't make this stuff up.

This next rule is another that has been slightly softened in recent years, as the public's appreciation of "professional wrestling" versus "sports entertainment" seems to shift further towards the former. Still, even a cursory glance at WWE's major network programming offers a clear glimpse into the world Vince McMahon is determined to promote...with very specific word choices. For starters, pronouns are a no-go, with WWE commentators going out of their way to use performers' proper names at all times. Talent are referred to as "superstars" far more often than "wrestlers," "championships" are substituted for "title" while generally any sort of insider terminology gets nixed right from the get-go. Less said about that whole ‘performance fighter’ thing, the better.

The age of Ric Flair's "stylin' and profilin'" fancy dress may seem like a gimmick unique to the Nature Boy, but WWE superstars are actually expected to follow a "business casual" dress code, even on the road. Male performers are expected to wear suits during public appearances, but are allowed to wear athletic gear when traveling to the next town, or at the airport. The company's sponsorship deal with Tap Out makes this latter detail a bit easier for talent who may want to feel at least a little comfortable while on the road, but the WWE dress code is definitely designed to retain the company's prestigious brand reputation at all costs.

We could've filled our list with all of the reported quirks and idiosyncrasies of one Vincent Kennedy McMahon, but we've narrowed it down to just one head-scratching peculiarity: sneezing. Yes, sneezing. That involuntary act that we all do, sometimes uncontrollably, at any given moment. Therein lies the key word, however: control. McMahon is a notoriously hands-on creator, who demands total control at all times. Therefore, rumors have surfaced that the industry icon simply hates sneezing, to the point where employees have decided to hold them in, if at all possible. Vince reportedly sees it as a sign of weakness, especially if its himself who happens to be caught in a sneezing fit.