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Part one of AEW Grand Slam 2023 is in the history books. The first part of the show was broadcast as a special on Rampage last night, and the next and final part will run on Dynamite this Friday. The matches and the results are grabbing social media attention, and referee Rick Knox has generated the most buzz.
It's rare for a referee to become the talk of the town - unless the referee is a professional wrestler. So, here's the answer to the question, 'Why is the AEW referee trending after an unplanned Grand Slam finish?'
Why is AEW referee Rick Knox trending?
Rick Knox was the official for the AEW International Championship match between Jon Moxley and Rey Fenix at the Grand Slam. Near the finish of the match, Fenix hit Mox with his finishing move, the Fenix Driver. However, the ref only counted till two, even though Moxley didn't move.
Fenix had to hit his finisher once again on an injured Moxley, and only then could the referee give a decent ending to the botched finish. Botches are not extremely rare in wrestling, and fans on Twitter are demanding for the referee to be suspended.
Check out some fan tweets below:
All About Rick Knox
Knox is a wrestling referee and is currently with All Elite Wrestling. He's been refereeing since 2003. He's originally from Riverside, California, USA.
A quick look at his professional Facebook page shows that he's been a referee in several pro-wrestling promotions, including the Lucha Underground, PWG, and the PCW. He has even uploaded a picture of him with the legendary New Jack as well.
Rick's Facebook profile has snaps of several All Elite events, including the recent All In PPV, where he's holding the Tag Championships with The Young Bucks looking on. The social media profile is a feast for pro-wrestling fans because the photos are from a unique angle, rarely seen otherwise.
Knox's profile shows that he's been in the business for a long while, and probably that's why the botch is all the more surprising.
What do you think about Knox and the botched move? Tell us in the comments section.
