10 Most Controversial WWE Firings Ever
8. Dave Finlay
WWE loves the military. If it involves waving flags, wearing camouflage, making grandiose speeches and showing the world the American way, you can bet your bottom dollar that Vince & Co are going to be involved somehow, somewhere. The US Army is second only to Vince in the WWE hierarchy of care, although you could argue that the list doesn't extend much beyond that.
Disparaging the military, therefore, is never a good idea, as legendary wrestler Fit Finlay discovered in 2011. Then working as a backstage producer, Finlay decided it was a good idea to have The Miz interrupt a rendition of the American national anthem at a live event in Illinois. If ever there was a creative decision to get some molten heat, this was it, but the whole thing spiralled out of control. Members of the US Army National Guard were in attendance, you see, a key WWE sponsor, and the whole gimmick soon became a PR nightmare that was going to require a fall-guy.
The Belfast Brawler was that guy. Eager to show the NG that the situation was being taken care of, Finlay was given his marching orders and released. He was rehired a year or so later, but the controversy surrounding his 2011 release lived on.
Imagine being sacked for having a heel interrupt a song? Wild.