18 Biggest Wrestling Stories Of 2017
3. October - A Rush Of Blood To Lio's Head
October saw a spate of WWE talent seeking future endeavours, kick-started by the somewhat surprising release of Emma. The Australian had been involved in an unusually even programme with Asuka, leaving many scratching their heads when her contract was terminated just a week later.
NXT starlet Lio Rush completely lost his, seeing the dismissal as an opportunity for some backstage point scoring. In a clumsy attempt to big up Emma's recent (on-screen) conqueror, Rush tweeted, "I guess these are the things that happen when you're not truly ready for [Asuka]."
Whatever Rush's intention, it was clearly lacking in basic professionalism or compassion given the context of someone losing their job. Unsurprisingly, the youngster was roundly jumped upon for his comments - including by many of his colleagues.
The tweet was promptly removed, and Rush offered a half-hearted apology in which he didn't quite accept responsibility for his idiotic attempt at a joke as much as many would have liked. The controversy landed Rush in a lot of bother backstage, and over a month removed from what in all honesty was a fairly trivial incident, his position within WWE remains tentative.