10 Most Brutal Faction Betrayals In Wrestling History

Taking from the old concept of manager stables, and of course, The Four Horsemen, the WWE began using more and more factions around the time of The Attitude Era, with the thought that the company would be able to build the wrestlers in the stable and make them top singles star.

If you’re going to attempt to move a star out of the faction and up the card, then you have to craft an angle to oust the guy from the faction. These angles have gone down as some of the most memorable and brutal betrayals in wrestling history.

10 Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down - Randy Orton’s Out Of Evolution

Evolution was created to do just what the name implied - evolve the business. Wrestling’s past (Ric Flair), present (Triple H), and future (Batista and Randy Orton) was on display. The way the group completely imploded instantly became iconic as well. T

he day after Randy Orton won his first world title, Batista hoisted The Viper on his shoulder as Trips was giving his prodigy of a protégé the thumbs up. HHH’s expression immediately changed as he then had the thumbs down as Batista delivered a nasty Electric Chair, effectively kicking Orton out of the group.

9 Corporate Degenerates - Chyna And HHH Join The Corporation

Since early 1997, Triple H and Chyna were inseparable. Towards the end of the year, they helped formed DX with Shawn Michaels and Rick Rude. They took up the ball when they both split and formed an even bigger army with X-Pac and The Outlaws. In the beginning of 1998, the group was in lockstep against The Corporation, until the day that Chyna delivered a nasty low blow to HHH, turning on him and DX to align herself with Kane and the Corporation.

But at WrestleMania 15, she would turn her back on Kane and fans rejoiced as her and Hunter embraced and DX was whole again, until a few matches later when HHH and Chyna turned their backs on the group they help founded to help Shane McMahon defeat X-Pac.

8 Sting Wants A Shot - The Stinger’s Out Of The Horsemen

For several years, Sting had chased down Ric Flair for the world title. Mutual respect between the two forged a bond, and a tag team as they defeated The Great Muta and Terry Funk in the first ever Thundercage Match. Several months later, The Stinger was indoctrinated into The Four Horsemen. But once he became the number one contender, he wanted to be The Man. That only meant one thing, toss the future Icon from the group a need attempt to damage his knee beyond repair.

7 The Hounds Get Put Down - Seth Rollins Betrays The Shield

For nearly a year and a half, The Shield just didn’t dominate the WWE, they completely took it over. They set themselves up to be the major success stories that they all went on to become. But leave it up to a guy that thinks he’s a messiah to try and ascend. The very night after The Shield once again laid waste to Evolution, Batista quit the company. Rather than just back off, HHH went to “Option B.” Seth Rollins, with steel chair in hand laid waste to his now former brothers instead, jumpstarting his run to singles superstar glory.

6 Hollywood’s The Only Champion - The Giant Gets Kicked Out Of The nWo

As the saying goes, when you’re nWo, you’re nWo 4 Life. Except you become the number one contender and want a shot at Hollywood Hogan and the nWo Heavyweight title. When The Giant won the 1996 World War 3 battle royal, he also won the number one contendership. Asking for the shot he won caused a rift in the nWo, and The Giant was ousted from the group on the last Nitro of the year in 1996.

5 Adam Ends An Era - Adam Cole Turns On Kyle O’Reilly

From the moment Adam Cole and reDRagon debuted in NXT, they were inseparable as The Undisputed Era. But during the early part of 2021, Bobby Fish went down with and injury and seemingly Finn Balor had formed some sort of alliance with the group.

The then-NXT champion had a sporting contest against Kyle O’Reilly. But since Adam Cole couldn’t handle sharing the spotlight, he turned on everyone, effectively ending The Undisputed Era and starting a war with Kyle O’Reilly that lasted until Cole left NXT.

4 Finn Casts Judgement - Edge Is Out Of Judgement Day

Sure kicking Edge out of the group he created twenty minutes ago was a little headscratching, but it was still pretty brutal. About two minutes after he had invited anyone and everyone to join him, Finn Balor (who started The Bullet Club many years ago), took him up on the offer. But immediately he, Damian Priest, and Rhea Ripley turned their backs on the group’s founder and Finn choked The Rated R Superstar out with a piece of a steel chair, the very weapon of choice Edge had been using since his return.

3 Out With The Old, In With The New - The Leaders Are Out Of Bullet Club

The Bullet Club has had a long-standing tradition of being a brash bunch of Gaijin wrestlers trying to dominate New Japan. As its leaders get bigger and bigger, other companies come calling, which means from a storyline perspective, they have to leave the club. Life is easiest when they just kick you out. That has become a long-standing tradition as well for The Bullet Club. Prince Devitt, AJ Styles, Adam Cole, and every single leader of Bullet Club have been ousted violently. Perhaps the worst one was The GODS turning on Kenny, The Bucks, and Cody all at once.

2 Vipers Don’t Make Corporate Pets - Randy Orton Betrays The Authority

The Texas Rattlesnake taught the entire WWE that you don’t trust a snake and as Jim Ross famously put it, “Rattlesnakes don’t make good corporate pets!” Clearly, the McMahon family didn’t learn from their last mistakes when trying to tame Randy Orton, a different type is snake, but a snake nevertheless.

Once The Viper had his fill of cow towing to Triple H and Stephanie in favor watching Seth Rollins get to the top of the food chain, he unleashed an RKO on the Architect and escaped a beat down from the rest of The Authority.

1 Exiled From The Nation - The Nation Of Domination Turns On Farooq

Backstage, the entire Nation Of Domination and the rest of the locker room has a level or respect for Ron Simmons that is unmatched. Onscreen however, there was tension bubbling under the surface between Farooq and a young brash member of the Nation - Rocky Maivia. When Farooq asked the crew to assume their spots with their leader, The Nation Of Domination fell in line with The Rock’s leadership and stomped on Farooq.