True Story Behind One Of WWE's Darkest Days

Stephanie McMahon Vince McMahon Linda McMahon Shane McMahon
WWE

WrestleMania 36 happened.

Incredibly, inexplicably optimistic reports of a self-imposed shutdown surfaced. This didn't happen. WWE instead planned to pre-tape in bulk, and then, halfway through the very first taping, Vince had it. He snapped. He seemed to hate the idea of conforming to the rules of a world beyond his own, and further corrupted that world in order to not feel like a normal human being with a responsibility not to risk the very lives of those dependent on him. This was horrifically negligent to begin with, and we had entered episode three of the outrageous Netflix true crime drama miniseries this will inevitably turn into. A donation of $18.5M pledged by a pro-Donald Trump super PAC driven by Linda McMahon founds its way into the greased hands of Orlando and Tampa. WWE was deemed an essential business that very day. The show rolls on. For some, anyway.

WWE could not have handled their response to a deadly crisis any more irresponsibly, nor more underhandedly, but WWE at least practised responsible hygiene by washing their f*cking hands of the men and women they couldn't bear to lose weeks prior when they might have finally, after years and years and years of monopoly, found themselves adequately compensated by a different company.

The loss of any job is heartbreaking and terrifying, but the nature of some of these cuts, man.

CONT'D...(2 of 5)

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!