5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (Oct 26)

We learned this week that, where it comes to promoting matches in WWE, nothing is beyond the pale.

We knew this already, of course; for decades, the recognised global leader in all of sports entertainment has led the way in shamelessly using awful real life events to drive its fictional narrative.

In 1991, the WWF attempted to exploit the Gulf War by presenting Sgt. Slaughter as an Iraqi sympathiser. The gambit failed; the would-be stadium show was downsized to an arena. Undeterred, Vince McMahon stood up for the WWF in 1997 by badgering Brian Pillman's widow Melanie to absolve his company of any complicity in her husband's death. Her eyes blackened by grief, just 24 hours after his passing was announced to the world, a visibly distraught Melanie was probed by Vince to agree that Pillman, of his own volition, had taken too much pain medication to mask the effects of an injury the WWF had him work through. "How are the children?" Vince then asked, under the pretence of genuine concern. This was a piece of sh*t move.

So too was exploiting the death of Eddie Guerrero for about half a year, and comparing the 9/11 terrorist attacks to Vince McMahon's federal indictment. Stephanie, the Saudi's are on Vince's side. Just like selling, you got it all wrong!

This week, in addition to propagandising a murderous Saudi Arabian regime, WWE put forth some dishonourable mentions for the Wrestling Observer's Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic of 2018 award...

This week's RAW opened with a moment so heartbreaking that it made an entire community of fans reconsider wrestling's line between fiction and reality: Roman Reigns, and credit to WWE for not revealing this sooner as a means of putting the Big Dog over as a babyface, revealed that he has resumed his battle with leukaemia.

But let's hold our applause.

Many reconciled their perception of Roman Reigns the performer with Joseph Anoa'i the man, and took to social media to extend their warm wishes and support towards a performer whose deeply sad struggles with a serious illness have brought into focus just how little a manufactured pro wrestling push matters. In response to this separation of the work and the shoot, WWE being WWE blurred that line by accelerating Dean Ambrose's heel turn. Originally mooted for around the time of Survivor Series, Vince, in full carny mode, realised that cancer is heat, pal!

Subjectively, this wasn't offensive. There's no way Roman didn't consent to the angle, and the angle itself was portrayed with surprising nuance; Ambrose agonised over his decision, and Rollins understood his brother's outburst. "It's OK," he said. Ambrose, the red mist flooding his rational mind, intensified his assault. Ballsy, shameless, insensitive, whatever, it was effective - and Christ knows we complain enough about the all-encompassing lameness of heels under WWE's sports entertainment approach. WWE booked a WrestleMania main event on Monday. This being WWE, we'll see it in about three weeks at the latest, but still.

Objectively, this was an astonishing only-in-wrestling decision. For better or worse, this was warts-and-all WWE stuff absolutely uncaring of its own perception - despite the microscope looming above its head.

It might get real weird, depending on how Monday unfolds, but for now, this was wrestling at its highest, lowest, and most batsh*t.