By Goose Mahler, Associate Editor
Just another week in 2020, the worst year known to mankind. The ratings in wrestling still suck. Jaxson Ryker committed career suicide. Impact still turns a blind eye to their own issues, as does the WWE which is no shock to anyone. Nia Jax adds another injury to her list of victims. Kacy Catanzaro restored my faith in humanity with her Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter post. Let’s get the show on the road shall we?
No matter how you slice it, the wrestling ratings across the board suck. Raw doesn’t draw. Smackdown is semi-steady. AEW and NXT are lingering in the same areas but have been trending the wrong direction with only a couple bumps. While there is virtually no other sports out there wrestling is shitting the bed no if’s and’s or but’s about it.
As if the WWE needed another black eye, during all the unrest in the world especially the States (I can’t even bring myself to say United because there is nothing United about killing innocent people, looting and rioting). Jaxson Ryker supports 45. He is entitled to his opinion, but to lace it with his wrestling catchphrase, poor taste and his peers didn’t find it amusing at all, no should they.
Like the Lars Sullivan situation, people dug up Ryker’s past and it seems the former NXT, Impact wrestler has a history of bigotry. He can deny it all he wants, make his setting private on social media, whatever he wants to do, the damage is done, opinions are forming, and he might as well carry his bag around with him before someone leaves him an unwanted surprise. Social media strikes again!
The WWE caught a boat load of flax for their take on #BlackLivesMatter and they should. Everyone under the sun knows Trump is their boy. Here’s their official statement:
WWE supports an inclusive society and condemns racial injustice. We stand behind our Black performers, employees and fans around the world, and encourage everyone to use their voice to speak out against racism. We offer our sincere condolences to the family of George Floyd and the families of countless others who have lost their lives due to senseless violence.
Yet, they dump loads of money into a person’s pocket for political gain that thinks Nazi’s are good people. If they cared, they would condemn 45’s lack of response and stop pumping money into his campaign.
Please don’t think I’m picking on the WWE. Remember Impact wrestling? They allowed their current champ a hall pass after it came out about her racist comments and women speaking out against Tessa. They also tried to play the “We care” card.
This might look good on paper, but people that remember what happened, you just can’t buy into it because they did nothing when people claimed their soon to be champ was a bully and racist. The blind eye is deep in the wrestling business. And I do not mean the talent or wrestlers. I mean the people signing checks, writing the shows, and those protecting their own personal agendas.
Onward and upwards. The WWE showed the incident between Nia Jax and Kairi Sane on Raw this past Monday. Let me get something straight here. I am not a dirt sheet writer, I don’t claim to have an insider in the WWE that claims this was not Nia’s fault or is her fault. I am a fan that saw Nia throw Sane into the steps while she was way too close to get her hands up to avoid another head injury.
The question becomes here when does her lineage get thrown out the window and her dangerous ability get put on the table? I will not call for her to get fired, that is callous of people. Send her down to NXT. Make her better or do not put her back in the ring. Simple as that. If the WWE doesn’t do this, rest assure she is a Dark Side of the Ring episode in the making.
I know this is nastily negative right now. Well, the world is spinning out of control. But when you think you might lose your faith in humanity there is always someone there who you might not expect to brighten the day.
With that, I ran across my favorite American Ninja Warrior and current NXT superstar Kacy Catanzaro. Number one, this lady’s smile can light up a world. Number two, watch her video explaining the difference between #BlackLivesMatter and people trying to downplay what it really means.
#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/GI6a7IS9Cx
— Kacy Catanzaro (@KacyCatanzaro) May 31, 2020
Her message is as strong as she is and should be heard and appreciated. Way to go Kacy!
I don’t have much more energy to talk about wrestling this week or the unrest in the States. Until next time, please be safe and if you want to protest please keep it peaceful. #Equality
Mark Mahler is the Associate Editor of TheGorillaPosition.com and the former Editor-in-Chief of Absolute Wrestling. Follow him on Twitter @MGoose37
Want More? Choose another story!
Visit ProWrestlingStories.com - Your daily source of wrestling history and nostalgia!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
