35 Years Ago: Vince Neil and Izzy Stradlin's Big MTV Fight

The MTV Video Music Awards took a violent turn on Sept. 6, 1989, when Vince Neil introduced his fist to Izzy Stradlin’s face.

Guns N' Roses and their clip for "Sweet Child O’ Mine" was up for awards in two categories: Best Group and Best Metal Video. They ended up winning the latter and, as fate would have it, Motley Crue were tasked with presenting and handing out the award to Duff McKagan and Steven Adler.

While Motley Crue was all smiles with the Guns N’ Roses rhythm section, Neil was seething internally. His wife had gone out to the Cathouse club in Los Angeles at some point in the weeks leading up to the event while Neil was on a white-water rafting trip in Idaho. She was allegedly assaulted there by Stradlin.

The rest of Motley Crue later departed the venue after their on-camera appearance, but Neil waited around for Stradlin and Axl Rose to finish their performance of "Free Fallin'" with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to have words with Stradlin.

"When Izzy walked offstage, looking like a cross between Eric Stoltz in Mask and Neil Young, I was waiting for him," Vince Neil wrote in his band's autobiography The Dirt. "'You fucking hit my wife!’ ‘So fucking what?’ he spat. All my blood rushed into my fist, and I decked him. I decked him good, right in the face. He fell to the ground like a tipped cow."

Watch a Report About Axl Rose and Vince Neil's Altercation

Sniping Continues After MTV Awards Show

Neil’s bodyguard grabbed him before he could do any further damage, but as they were making their way outside, Neil was confronted by Rose. "Axl came snarling after us like an overdressed Doberman," Neil said. "'Come on, motherfucker; I’m going to fucking kill you!’ he yelled at our backs."

The situation was ultimately defused, and both singers went on their way. The sniping, however, was far from over.

Rose went on to take several potshots at Neil in the media, claiming he threw a punch "like a powder-puff," and even vaguely offered to fight him in Atlantic City. The Motley Crue frontman responded in kind with his own challenge. But for all the hype it generated, nothing more became of the tussle.