5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (August 24)
Don't you know that you're toxic?
WWE is a toxic company. It still is, even if the days of JBL threatening shower rape are a distant memory.
When Enzo Amore turned the atmosphere sour and p*ssed the roster off on a European tour last year, by sh*tting on the business and claiming he was above it, WWE, taking the matter with the utmost seriousness, suspended him...
...above the ring, in a shark cage, on a high-profile pay-per-view, because he is acrophobic. What if he'd suffered a panic attack? Gauging by everything, they'd have repackaged him as Nervous Nellie, who couldn't amount any offence without fretting over it.
Jim Ross fractured his rib at July's NJPW G1 Special In San Francisco. This caused him a great deal of discomfort and embarrassment. WWE issued a supportive tweet in response, sending the man who lent his voice to the company at its most popular, and who helped secure its future through his expert scouting acumen, their well wishes. Just kidding: somebody relayed the story to Vince McMahon, who popped for it, and instructed Jonathan Coachman to crack a witless jibe at his expense.
He's not allowed to be as much of an ar*ehole as he was once was - you can't say anything these days! - but until Vince McMahon relinquishes control, the culture will never truly change...
5. A Toxic Rib Even By WWE's Standards
Following his loss to The Miz at SummerSlam, Daniel Bryan remonstrated with himself backstage. He was furious with himself for falling prey to his opponent's trademark deception, when he probably should have felt more aggrieved by his "employer" or, more accurately, the company that utilises him on an independent contractor basis but doesn't let him work elsewhere without his permission.
They stuck a medical chart mocking his brain injury right behind him. This wasn't just cheap staging; the poster was stuck on some bloody boxes - next to the word FRAGILE - because in WWE, the funniest ribs are the cruelest. This was callous and despicable stuff, and what's worse, we're expecting this company to conclude a nice wee story in which a lovely man successfully fights for his dreams.
A former independent contractor may yet show the disastrous symptoms of CTE in the near future, but that sounds like a their f*cking problem.
What next?
Maybe we'll next see Nia Jax in catering, in front of a bunch of empty plates. Maybe, during Charlotte Flair's next backstage segment, we'll see a DANGER: EXPLOSION RISK hazard sign level to her breasts. Maybe Randy Orton will start shaking people's hands next week, only for those unfortunate souls to sniff their fingers in disgust afterwards.
He actually already did that last week at a house show, so...