WWE slammed for "extreme insensitivity"

WWE has been slammed for extreme insensitivity. The promotion has come under fire for its recent decisions, and it looks like it cannot catch a break at the moment.

Last week, following a brawl between NXT and TNA stars on the global juggernaut's developmental brand, the Stamford-based promotion made a major announcement. WWE has decided to bring back the Invasion event, which will be held on October 7, featuring talents from NXT and the Nashville-based company.

This brought back a lot of memories for fans from the invasion storyline that the company executed in 2001, with then-WCW talents taking over World Wrestling Entertainment's weekly programming. However, the decision to bring back the name and the date on which the NXT TV special will be held has led to criticism.

A report from Israeli publication Israel Hayom has called out the global wrestling giant for picking the name "Invasion" and selecting October 7 as the date. The report notes that October 7 is the anniversary of when Hamas attacked Israel, killing both Israeli and American citizens in the process, in 2023.

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"The choice of the name and the date, a day when Israel commemorates the memory of the massacre from October 7, 2023, is viewed as extreme insensitivity," the report noted.

The report also questioned who within WWE made the decision, adding that the selection of the name and date "prompts reflection." TKO Group owns World Wrestling Entertainment, with Nick Khan serving as its president, while Triple H is the chief content officer of the promotion.

"The term 'Invasion,' on such a sensitive date, which directly recalls the infiltration of Hamas terrorists into the southern communities and the mass ki**ings of Israelis and Americans, raises questions about who in the organization is responsible for this preposterous decision," the report added. [H/T: Israel Hayom]

The Israel Hayom report also pointed out CM Punk and Sami Zayn wearing attire featuring the colors of the Palestine Liberation Organization and mentioned that the WWE management has repeatedly disregarded the criticism from the Israeli audience.

WWE faced backlash following the WrestleMania 43 venue announcement

A few weeks ago, World Wrestling Entertainment announced that WrestleMania 43 will be held in Saudi Arabia. Triple H made the announcement in Las Vegas in the presence of several talents.

However, the move received immense backlash from fans online. Then, during the WWE x AAA Worlds Collide event on September 12, fans in attendance heavily booed when the video package of the announcement aired.

Chants of "You sold out" echoed in the arena, as fans let their displeasure be known.

About the author

Sherjeel Malik is a writer at Sportskeeda and covers pro wrestling. He was hooked on the product from the moment he saw The Hardy Boyz jumping off ladders during the Attitude Era. While he comes from an engineering background, Sherjeel’s love for pro wrestling and content writing led him to pursue a career in sports journalism. Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Sherjeel worked at other reputable organizations for five years.

While writing articles, he ensures that he only relies on credible sources for information and covers relevant subjects that do not project an agenda against a particular person or association. WWE legend Paul Heyman once shared Sherjeel’s work on his social media handle.

Sherjeel’s earliest memory of pro wrestling is watching Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker square off for the WWE Title in the main event of a pay-per-view in 1998. His favorite wrestlers are Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy. While he admires Orton for his character work as a heel, he looks up to Jeff because of his unique wrestling style and risk-taking ability.

If he could go back to the Attitude Era, Sherjeel would like to manage Ken Shamrock and be his mouthpiece. He feels Shamrock’s promo skills prevented him from becoming a main event-level act in WWE. Hence, he would like to help the UFC Hall of Famer get over with fans.

When not writing about pro wrestling, he likes to read classics and fiction books.

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Edited by Sherjeel Malik