WWE Rumors: ‘Friday Night SmackDown’ Superstar Reportedly Has Backstage Heat Over Social Media Posts
WWE superstar Jaxson Ryker came under fire on social media this week after he voiced his support of U.S. President Donald Trump on Twitter. This led to several WWE superstars — including Kevin Owens and Dave Bautista — lambasting him on their own social media accounts. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the locker room is fuming at the Friday Night SmackDown star.
As documented by Sportskeeda, the superstar can’t be fired by the company for exercising his right to free speech. However, being so vocal about his controversial politics could still negatively affect his WWE career, according to the report.
Meltzer also noted that there’s an unwritten rule in the company that prohibits WWE employees from criticizing each other publicly unless it’s to enhance a storyline. However, given that the criticism directed at Ryker was a result of him defending Trump’s handling of the riots following George Floyd’s death, the heat on social media from his fellow superstars isn’t part of an angle. The superstars who have criticized him likely won’t be punished either, given the circumstances involved.
After Ryker’s tweet was criticized, another social media post in which he criticized the Black Lives Matter movement was also brought to light by a fan. In the post, Ryker described the movement as “garbage.” This led to even more criticism from fans, but that post didn’t mark the end of the controversy surrounding the superstar’s social media presence.
As The Inquisitr reported this week, a controversial photo of Ryker also popped up on social media. The image depicted him dressed up as a “soul man,” wearing a dark tan. All of these situations added up have led fans and superstars to believe that Ryker is racially insensitive. He has since made his social media accounts private.
You rejected them, so now The #ForgottenSons are rejecting YOU. #SmackDown @SteveCutlerWWE @JaxsonRykerWWE @TheWWEBlake pic.twitter.com/lJkuaQWKrn
— WWE (@WWE) May 18, 2020
Meltzer also stated that, even without Ryker’s support of Trump, it would be difficult to push Ryker’s stable, The Forgotten Sons, moving forward. While the company is quite apolitical, the faction is depicted as a group of veteran soldiers who have been forgotten by society since returning from military duty. Given that the National Guard has recently made headlines for polarizing reasons, the gimmick might be too controversial in the current climate.
It remains to be seen if Ryker will be disciplined by WWE management. Earlier this week, the company released a statement and companywide email regarding its commitment to diversity, and Ryker’s posts aren’t sympathetic to that message.
However, it’s also worth noting that the McMahon family has donated millions to Trump’s campaigns in the past, so Ryker’s personal politics might not have offended some of the company’s higher-ups.
