Thoughts on WWE and the Scabs they now employ

"I'm a WWE Superstar!"

World Wrestling Entertainment has rapidly lost the graciousness it never deserved. 

The conversation surrounding the company immediately following WrestleMania 42 has been incredibly grim, and TKO's increasingly disruptive presence should make even the most hardened Fedcel admit the honeymoon phase has long passed. A wide array of talent, from raw youngsters to industry veterans, was unceremoniously released. Then, the shocking news broke that the New Day were departing the only place they'd called home for nearly two decades, reportedly after declining TKO's request to restructure their contracts for lesser pay.

It was Mike Johnson of PWInsider who revealed the next domino to fall: "a pretty majorly pushed" WWE talent was asked - and ultimately accepted - a 50% salary reduction, with supplemental reports from various outlets revealing multiple talents were approached with the same request from TKO. I've been very critical of Johnson's WWE coverage for being far too favorable, but let's give him our kudos for breaking a story that will have ramifications across the entire professional wrestling industry.

Truthfully, I'm unsure of where to even begin with this one. 

My Twitter mentions have been predictably filled with blanket defenses of WWE and the Scabs who accepted any pay reduction, though a few people have privately reached out to me to understand why they should care about this story. Let's get into it:

Let's say WWE employs Wrestlers A, B, C, and D. All of these wrestlers are occasionally well-pushed individuals, perhaps the type of names who could conceivably be one of WWE's World Champions. They're WWE lifers who enjoy the structured environment of TKO/WWE (as intimated by Voice of Wrestling's Joe and Rich). They are getting paid handsomely to work in a comfortable environment, finally free from Vince McMahon's clutches. 

One day, these four wrestlers are approached by TKO executives with a request: "We think you're earning too much money, and would like to pay you significantly less. If you agree to these new terms, you can stay. If you don't, well, there's the door, and don't let it hit you on the way out." All four of these wrestlers decide to accept a drastic pay reduction.

They have now set an extremely dangerous and poisonous precedent for their peers, past, present, and future. How? Well, let's say TKO approaches wrestlers W, X, Y, and Z, talent who are placed at the lower end of the roster. TKO can - and will - approach them with the same request. Now, put yourself into their shoes: they aren't making a ton of money to begin with, and are now being asked to accept even less. They might push back until a TKO suit responds with something like, "Well, Wrestlers A, B, C, and D took less, and they're much bigger stars than you are." 

TKO now knows they can place enormous pressure on the entire roster to earn less money. Wrestlers A, B, C, and D handed them an extremely powerful weapon to wield during negotiations. TKO has already proven that no one on their roster is safe, with only two or three tippity top names as exceptions (for now). If they can be "team players" and agree to earn less money after decades of success, then so can the curtain jerkers and midcarders. 

Fightful Select reported yesterday afternoon, "Sources in the talent and agent communities told @FightfulSelect that this round of cuts and pay reductions is expected to significantly impact how wrestlers negotiate with TKO and WWE going forward." Again, put yourself in the shoes of a free agent: why on earth would you consider signing with TKO-controlled WWE? It doesn't matter if you're a 20-year veteran, an up-and-coming prospect, or a legitimate legend of the craft. They have shown that they can and will release you before their contracts expire, and can ask you to accept a drastic salary reduction, and now have the expectation that you're dumb enough to accept it.

It's plain to see TKO's strategy moving forward: continue their efforts to restructure current contracts to favor TKO, sign talent on the cheap, release them whenever they'd like, and replace them with talent who might work for an even lower price. They are establishing a dangerous, vicious cycle aimed at normalizing their behavior over time - and with the media's help.

There are numerous names circulating in the rumor mill, and it's up to the media to reveal their identities as soon as they receive concrete confirmation. This is not about tribalism or obtaining new ammo to hurl at WWE Superstars, but rather the fate of the entire industry. Fedcels and the usual grifters love to wax poetic about WWE's superiority over the industry, yet cannot bring themselves to acknowledge how terrible this is for their favorite wrestlers. They have grown outright dismissive, suggesting grown men and women should know what they're getting themselves into.

Well, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you...

It certainly appears most wrestlers have no idea what they're actually getting themselves into; in fact, many of them have been convinced to "bet on themselves" (earn a low wage) with the hopes of eventually becoming a WrestleMania main eventer after dedicating themselves to the company. We aren't allowed to label these bootlickers as "marks," though. No, that term should only be hurled at the people dumb enough to still support this company. 

Joe Lanza and Kratesch of Voices of Wrestling had a fascinating discussion during their most recent Flagship episode:

Lanza and Rich went on to discuss this further on The Flagship, and you should consider subscribing to their Patreon (it's well worth it). Lanza touched on a bit of an open secret within the industry: you would be surprised at how many wrestlers actually listen to and value the insights of Eric Bischoff, Bully Ray, and the other typical grifters because they've "actually been in the business." Again, we're the marks, right? 

On the surface, it's understandable why a wrestler would trust the words of individuals with decades of industry experience, who usually serve various roles throughout their post-wrestling careers. Here's the issue, though: a lot of wrestlers are fucking dumb, and do not see the larger picture for a multitude of reasons. 

I've often stated that WWE planned to infiltrate the mainstream media, and that's clearly happened, but they've also made an effort to establish a dedicated network of former talent and front-office executives to push their propaganda, free of charge. WWE understands that talent facing the twilight of their careers are looking to stay in their good graces, because they're ultimately desperate. It's a spectrum of veterans who are looking for one final run, a Hall of Fame induction, a Legends deal to keep their legacies alive through toys and video games, or anything that keeps their name associated with the industry leader. 

It's a strategy that has largely worked, but may soon be undone by TKO. We've heard Kevin Nash levy criticism of TKO's approach against legitimate legends like Stone Cold Steve Austin, and it's likely to get worse. Ask yourself this: Do you think TKO has the appetite to pay individuals who are not actively performing for the company? Do you think they want to continuously pay to keep performers they've never respected or revered? It wouldn't surprise me if TKO "restructures" its approach to retaining retired talent, and we'd really see a lot of true colors come out.

I want to make something abundantly clear: I am not advocating for the media to release these individuals' salaries. They are not part of a union, and shouldn't be held to the same standards as athletes from major sports leagues like MLB or the NBA. 

But we must know their identities. We must know who decided to poison the well for the next generation of wrestlers, and they must be shamed and shunned by fans and promoters alike. They have betrayed their brethren of the past, present, and future, and do not deserve protection from the ridicule they deserve. I would never hire these TKO-loving mutants if I were a wrestling promoter. I don't care how over you are, or how great a fit you'd be on my roster. You are, and forever will be, a bootlicking Scab who put your own interests ahead of everyone else. 

You are the enemy of professional wrestling. I don't care if you paid your dues on the independents, are responsible for some of my all-time favorite matches, or if you've main evented numerous WrestleManias. All of that is now meaningless, and this should define you for the rest of your lives. Your Wrestling Observer obituaries should simply be, "Wrestler A, best known for being a scab and hurting the futures of countless wrestlers, died." That's it. 

I'll be honest: I don't have much faith that the media will reveal their names for a multitude of reasons, including their personal fondness for the individuals. They must tell us, however, and it must be done quickly. This may come as a shock to the Fedcels and Grifters, but some people do not want their hard-earned money going into the pockets of ghoulish billionaires rather than the talent who actually perform for them, and they especially do not want to support a scab. They don't want to purchase their action figures, t-shirts, trading cards, or any gimmick of a scab.

We're in a peculiar time in our history when ordinary people want to embrace the mainstream, and that's only amplified by WWE. There is a genuine hysteria whenever I, or anyone else, levy any level of criticism about TKO, WWE, and their talent. These people genuinely see WWE as a victim, a powerful entity that's consistently and unfairly under attack by a loud, vocal minority. 

To those people, wrestlers and fans alike: go fuck yourselves. You are grossly ignorant and ultimately deserve the fate WWE will likely face in the near future. You deserve  5-match Premium Live Events, Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll in Mania main events, and the dread of knowing your favorite wrestlers are that expendable. 

Switchblade97, a follower of mine on Twitter and someone I interacted with often on the F4W Board, made a fair point: what would've happened had Wrestlers A, B, C, and D not agreed to a salary reduction? I wouldn't be advocating for Tony Khan to sign them, and he's probably right (some far more than others). It does highlight the need for a third major promotion in this country, one with proper financing and zero relationship with WWE. It's not up to Khan to employ whomever WWE releases, and I would urge talent to consider that point before signing with WWE.

At the end of the day, though, any talent who chooses to sign with WWE deserves the ominous fate that awaits them. They are marks. They are sellouts. They are chasing a childhood dream that no longer exists, and that's a sentiment coming from bona fide WWE legends like Shawn Michaels and AJ Styles. They listen to the dumb grifters who came before them, and smugly think they understand the business. Well, go get 'em! Let me know how it works out for you.

And to the fans who stick with WWE through thick and thin: fuck you. You are stupid, and I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire. You are empty vessels, and dangerously uncurious about the world around you. You comfort yourselves by reveling in being fans of "the number one wrestling promotion" in the world and excitedly citing ticket sales, ratings, and Danhausen's merchandise sales as proof of their superiority, which makes you feel superior by extension. You disgust me. You are the Disney Adults of our fandom, except far less knowledgeable. You are easily manipulated, and I'm embarrassed for you.