If you’ve ever tuned into Spittin’ Chiclets, you know Paul "Biz Nasty" Bissonnette isn't exactly a wallflower. He’s loud. He’s unfiltered. He’s a former NHL enforcer who carved out a massive post-playing career by being the guy who says the things other players only think. But for years, one specific story has followed him around like a bad penalty minute: the Biz Nasty bar fight.
People love a good "hockey player in a brawl" story. It fits the brand. But when you actually dig into the weeds of the various scuffles Bissonnette has been involved in—or the ones the internet thinks he was involved in—the reality is a lot more nuanced than a simple Hollywood-style roundhouse to a stranger's jaw.
Honestly, the term "bar fight" is a bit of a catch-all here. Usually, when fans search for this, they are looking for one of two things: the legendary "Coyote ugly" days in Arizona or the more documented, high-stakes altercations that happened during his playing days in the AHL and NHL. We aren't just talking about a drunken stumble. We’re talking about the reputation of a guy who made his living with his fists and then had to transition into a world where those same fists could get him cancelled or sued.
The Reality of the Biz Nasty Bar Fight Reputation
Let’s get one thing straight. Paul Bissonnette was an enforcer. He has over 50 NHL fights on his resume. When you’re a guy like that, your entire identity is built on physical confrontation. If you go to a bar in a hockey town and someone recognizes you, there is a non-zero chance some "tough guy" in a Tapout shirt is going to try to test you. It’s the Enforcer’s Curse.
The most famous "real" incident that people associate with a Biz Nasty bar fight actually traces back to his time with the Phoenix (now Arizona) Coyotes. Biz has been remarkably open about his lifestyle during those years. He lived hard. He was the "fourth-line personality" who became a Twitter (X) sensation before teams knew how to handle social media.
But here’s the kicker: most of the "fights" people whisper about weren't televised brawls. They were brief, ugly flashes of friction. Bissonnette has alluded to various "dust-ups" in Scottsdale and beyond. He’s talked about the tension of being a pro athlete in a nightlife setting where people are looking for a reaction. Sometimes he gave it to them. Other times, he was smart enough to walk away.
Why Hockey Culture Fuels These Rumors
Hockey is weird. It’s the only major sport where fighting is a sanctioned part of the game. This creates a psychological overlap for fans. If Biz Nasty can drop the gloves with George Parros or Brian McGrattan on Tuesday, fans subconsciously assume he’s doing the same thing at a dive bar on Saturday.
But the stakes are different. In the NHL, a fight gets you five minutes in the box. In a bar, it gets you a lawsuit, a team suspension, or a permanent ban from the league. Bissonnette was always self-aware enough to realize his "Biz Nasty" persona was a brand he had to protect. You’ll notice that most of his wildest stories involve him being the "glue guy" or the "party starter," rather than the guy catching an assault charge.
The Infamous "Chiclets" Storytelling Factor
You can't talk about a Biz Nasty bar fight without talking about how he tells stories. On Spittin’ Chiclets, every minor disagreement becomes an epic saga. This is where the lines between fact and "good radio" get a little blurry.
He’s mentioned encounters where things almost went south. There’s a specific nuance to his storytelling where he often plays the "victim of his own stupidity." He’ll describe a situation where he’s chirping someone, things get heated, and then he realizes he’s outnumbered or that the person he’s arguing with is "actually a psycho."
- He admits his faults.
- He highlights the absurdity of the situation.
- He rarely comes off as the "hero" of the fight.
That’s why he’s relatable. He doesn't pretend to be an undefeated street fighter. He portrays himself as a guy who sometimes lets his mouth get ahead of his brain—which, let's be real, is why people love him.
The Legal and Professional Stakes
Back in 2010 or 2012, the NHL was a different place. Teams were a bit more willing to sweep "boys being boys" behavior under the rug. Today? Not a chance. If a Biz Nasty bar fight happened in 2026, it would be on TikTok within thirty seconds. It would be analyzed by every sports blog on the planet.
Bissonnette’s transition to a media powerhouse at TNT and Barstool Sports means he has way more to lose now. He’s no longer a bubble player fighting for a contract; he’s a multi-million dollar media asset. The "bar fight" version of Biz has largely been replaced by the "Biz who gets bottle service and makes sure everyone has a good time" version.
What People Get Wrong About Pro Athletes and Bar Brawls
There is a massive misconception that pro athletes—especially enforcers—are looking for trouble. Usually, it's the opposite. If you’re Paul Bissonnette, you know that your hands are legally considered weapons in certain jurisdictions (a bit of a myth, but the civil liability is very real).
Most of the time, when a "fight" breaks out involving a player like Biz, it’s a defensive move. It’s "get this guy away from me so I don't lose my job." Bissonnette has frequently discussed how much he hated the anxiety of fighting in the NHL. Why would he want to do it for free in a sticky-floored bar in Tempe?
The Evolution of the Persona
The "Biz Nasty" we see today is a carefully curated version of the guy who used to grind on the fourth line. He’s lean, he’s into fitness, and he’s focused on the business of being Biz. The bar fights of the past—whether they were verbal jousts or physical altercations—served a purpose in building his "legend," but they don't define his current reality.
Wait, did he actually get into a massive, career-ending bar brawl? No. If he had, he wouldn't be on national television every Wednesday night. He’s had his scrapes. He’s been in the middle of "situations." But the "Biz Nasty bar fight" is more of a meme and a testament to his rough-and-tumble image than a specific, singular event that changed the course of history.
How to Handle This Information as a Fan
If you’re looking for a specific video of Biz Nasty KO-ing a guy in a bar, you’re probably going to be disappointed. What you will find is a decade's worth of podcast episodes where he breaks down the lifestyle of a pro athlete who didn't take himself too seriously.
- Check the source: Most rumors of him "cleaning out a bar" are exaggerated fan fiction.
- Listen to the podcast: Biz usually addresses these things head-on. If it happened, he’s probably joked about it.
- Understand the brand: "Biz Nasty" is a character. Paul Bissonnette is a businessman.
The takeaway here is pretty simple: Bissonnette's real fights happened on the ice, where he was paid to do it. Anything that happened off the ice was usually the result of being a high-profile guy in a high-testosterone environment.
Moving Forward: The Safe Way to "Biz"
If you ever find yourself in a bar with Paul Bissonnette, don't be the guy who tries to start a Biz Nasty bar fight.
- Be cool. He’s generally known for being incredibly nice to fans who aren't jerks.
- Don't chirp the career. He knows he only had seven goals. He’s made more money talking about it than most people make in a lifetime.
- Respect the boundaries. Athletes are people, not circus performers there for your entertainment.
The real "action" with Biz Nasty these days isn't in a parking lot; it's on the screen. He’s changed the way we consume hockey media by bringing that "locker room" feel to the masses, without the actual bruises and legal fees that come with a real-life bar room brawl.
If you want to see him actually fight, go find his highlights against guys like Derek Boogaard. That’s where the real damage was done. Everything else is just noise in the social media machine.
Actionable Insight: To get the true story behind Paul Bissonnette’s various career "incidents," look for specific Spittin' Chiclets episodes from the early 2018-2019 era, where he was more prone to sharing raw, unfiltered stories from his playing days in the AHL and Phoenix. Always cross-reference "bar fight" rumors with verified news outlets, as many viral clips are often misidentified or taken out of context to drive clicks.