WWE Cancelled Its Most Controversial Angle Of 2024 (... & They Don't Want You To Notice)
From using grief to heat to forgetting about it entirely.
Candice LeRae seemingly moved on from her kayfabe issues with Maxxine Dupri on last week's Raw, when she and Indi Hartwell defeated Dupri and Ivy Nile, five weeks after WWE itself had forgotten about the beef's genesis.
Hartwell and LeRae wrestled Dupri and Nile on the 11 March episode of Raw. When Maxxine, who'd recently attracted intense fan criticism for her in-ring performance on an untelevised WWE live event, attempted to hit a Caterpillar, she was berated by Candice.
Shouted LeRae:
"You know why people are booing you, right? It's because you don't belong here. Did that hurt your feelings? If you think the internet hates you, you should hear what the girls in the locker room have to say about you. Oh, you gonna cry? It's a good thing your dead brother isn't here to see what an embarrassment you've become."
The verbiage was largely interpreted as WWE's attempt at turning the live event backlash into televised heat. Simultaneously, the promotion faced criticism for using the death of Maxxine's real-life brother, Wyatt Zmrzel, in a storyline. Zmrzel passed away in 2017, when he was a passenger in a car accident. He was just 22 years old.
WWE faced a swift, fierce fan backlash. Internally too, the response was negative. Tweeted SEScoops' Aaron Varble:
I asked around about the whole awkward Candice insulting dead brother angle on RAW this week.
I was told, "It was not received well backstage." Working to find out more. That is all for now.
Advertisement— Aaron (@AaronVarble) March 15, 2024
I was also told that "it wasn't received well by anyone." So, to clarify, IDK who TF actually thought it was a good idea to put that creative idea on television this week. https://t.co/Iitr2BOI1T
— Aaron (@AaronVarble) March 15, 2024
Wisely, the promotion pivoted, seemingly taking the criticism onboard. Although Maxxine and Candice have wrestled since 11 March, Wyatt Zmrzel's passing has not been mentioned. WWE has not attempted to use it for heat again, nor have its writers attempted to incorporate the tragedy into Dupri's wrestling character and her storylines.
The situation was likely WWE's misguided attempt at fuelling a LeRae heel turn and presenting Dupri as a more sympathetic figure following the house show incident. Its reaction (and retraction) shows they were in the wrong. While the promotion acted correctly in moving away from it, the idea should have been left on the cutting room floor.
Lauded as he may be, booker Paul Levesque is not immune to questionable promotional tactics.