Australian WWE Superstar gets into confrontation on talk show, threatens to punch floor manager
Australia will be hosting this year's Elimination Chamber . WWE has begun to promote its upcoming premium live event, with Australian native Grayson Waller and fan-favorite LA Knight currently making television appearances in the country. However, things didn't go to plan in a recent interview with 7News.
The hosts asked LA Knight if he could show them one of his "finishing moves" live on air. Of course, the request was declined due to the setting and the risk factors involved. Things then went from bad to worse as the anchors continued to joke around with the two wrestling stars, leading Waller to become visibly irate. As the floor manager for 7News appeared on screen, he began to shadowbox in front of the two stars, further intensifying the situation.
"I don't think you understand," Waller said. "If I come over there, we are going to have the police here because I'm not going to give you some fake punch. I am going to punch you straight in the jaw. The disrespect you have even talking to me — no, you want to talk to me like this and say this ain't real? Don't act all tough... we don't mess around with that!"
The situation was de-escalated without any incident. Nevertheless, it's understandable how the situation arose. Yes, professional wrestling is scripted. There are moments in matches that are generated by the creative department. However, the risks the athletes take are real. The injuries are serious, and some of the stunts can be life-threatening.
Asking for moves to be demonstrated in a studio setting can easily be construed as being disrespectful to the sport, regardless of how it was meant to come across.
WWE will likely deal with the matter in-house. As a company, it has always been image-conscious and will likely be frustrated at how the interview turned out.
Looking beyond that, though, Elimination Chamber projects to be a huge success in Australia. Having a home-grown talent on the card will also be a significant draw for Australian fans. Hopefully, the remainder of the company's promotion can continue without another slight hitch in the road.
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