5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (June 1)

3. WWE Hypocrisy: Then. Now. Forever.

Enzo Raps IV
WWE.com

At Backlash, Nia Jax celebrated her victory over tormentor Alexa Bliss with an horrendously-acted and utterly transparent rise above bullying speech. The crowd jeered what ostensibly was a nice thing to say because they saw through it. They received it equipped with the knowledge that WWE is incredibly hypocritical in this department - but even the most cynical of fans couldn't have reckoned on WWE portraying Jax herself as a bully mere weeks later.

That is the role Jax portrayed on this week's RAW, on which she played "mind games" with Money In The Bank opponent Ronda Rousey. After the sort of tiresome, disingenuous promo virtually every heel cuts in WWE - "What was that thingy? The...the armbar!" - Nia powered out of the outmatched jobber's thingy. Point proven. Only, where's the searingly hypocritical fun in that? To drive the point home, Nia, using the exact same b*tchy verbiage and cadence as Alexa Bliss - the woman she bravely overcame, like, last week - urged the hapless bullying victim to "come on, get up honey!" before obliterating her with a series of power moves.

"You've never been in the ring with somebody the size of Nia Jax," Coach pointed out. "That's true," Ronda replied, "but I think I'm capable of anything." No sh*t: Ronda prepares for doomsday on the basis that she is a superior being with DNA worth preserving for the betterment of mankind. If you're going to turn one of the faces heel with no explanation, maybe make it her?

Still, WWE on the same show managed to book a food fight segment in which lashings of cake didn't end up in Nia's gullet.

Is...is this progress?

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!