The Disturbing Truth Behind WWE's Backstage Talent Crisis

Lio Rush is a divisive performer, and not just for the flashy, obnoxious heel character he plays onscreen.

His career's first major controversy came at CZW's Once In A Lifetime event (August 2017), when, during a match with Joey Janela, 'The Man Of The Hour' opted to no-sell a powerbomb off a ladder and through a table. A daft move, particularly as it came on the eve of his WWE signing, but one with few consequences beyond raising Jim Cornette's blood pressure.

Two months later, Rush, now under WWE contract, used Twitter to mock Emma's release from the company. A dogpile ensued, but it looked like Lio had learned his lesson until February 2019, when the first whispers of backstage heat emerged. Now, Rush finds himself exiled from main roster television, having "rubbed the locker-room the wrong with" with his reported overconfidence.

Though it didn't rubbish the reports, Rush's first rebuttal was strong:-

'The Man Of The Hour' has been in bullish social media form since then, criticising the "dirt sheets" for the way they've covered the story. This is important. When attacked for the Emma tweet, Rush's apology was as swift as it was sincere. When attacked for this, Rush stood up for himself, and continues to do so on every available platform, with his latest interview yielding a handful of important revelations.

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