One of the biggest stars in the history of professional wrestling left life in the squared circle behind in order to perform his duties as a public servant. WWE Hall of Famer Kane, whose real name is Glenn Jacobs, currently serves as the Republican Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.
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Jacobs, whose political leaning mirrors that of Senator Rand Paul, took to Twitter to celebrate the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling that overturned Roe v Wade, thus overturning a highly dubious law with no basis in the Constitution. The issue has now been returned to individual states who are free to ban, legalize or place restrictions on abortions as deemed fit by their constituents.
Jacobs wrote on Twitter in light of the SCOTUS decision, “Roe v. Wade has been overturned! This clears the way for states like TN to pass stronger protections for the unborn, and is an answer to a prayer for so many. #RightToLife #Victory”
While Jacobs may represent the Republican base in the state of Tennessee, the world of professional wrestling is a much different story. Over the last decade, pro wrestling has opened its door to a radical left-wing progressive group of wrestlers who have been mirrored by an equally progressive left-wing fanbase.
When fellow pro wrestlers from multiple promotions saw Glenn Jacobs’ tweet, the overwhelming majority of them responded with vitriol and anger.
Canadian Impact Wrestling wrestler Rosemary commented at Glenn: “You literal piece of s***”
You literal piece of shit
— The Demon Assassin (@WeAreRosemary) June 24, 2022
Rosemary proceeded to call for extreme measures, saying “Abolish Christianity. Then you’ll see. They were never doing any of this for any deity. They wanted to be the deity. This is their demand of sacrifice.”
Abolish Christianity..
Then you’ll see..
They were never doing any of this for any deity..
They wanted to be the deity..
This is their demand of sacrifice..
— The Demon Assassin (@WeAreRosemary) June 24, 2022
Major League Wrestling (MLW) star Taya Valkyrie called the Mayor of Knox an “absolute idiot.”
Idiot, absolute idiot. STFU https://t.co/XaVurbmWuu
— TAYA VALKYRIE (@thetayavalkyrie) June 24, 2022
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) wrestler Britt Baker said “No wonder you couldn’t cut it as a dentist. #idiot”
No wonder you couldn’t cut it as a dentist. #idiot https://t.co/39sZVzUfQ8
— Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (@RealBrittBaker) June 24, 2022
British wrestler, World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Paige said: “Glenn you were an idol of mine and I sung your praises to anyone I met. But this is the biggest piece of shit take from you ever. Very disappointing that you think controlling women’s bodies and taking away our rights is a “victory.”
https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/1540484137831653376
It wasn’t just the comments of Glenn Jacobs that set off explosive reactions from pro wrestlers within the industry. The announcement of the repeal of Roe v Wade caused a massive backlash, with pro wrestling ranged from attacks on men, the rich, Republicans, and of course, on Christianity itself.
AEW’s Athena: “WTF”
Wtf
— Athena is ROH and All Elite! (@AthenaPalmer_FG) June 24, 2022
AEW’s Abadon: “Human rights, America doesn’t like those. Absolutely disgusting.”
Human rights, America doesn't like those. Absolutly disgusting.
— Abadon_AEW (@abadon_AEW) June 24, 2022
AEW’s Danhausen posted a picture of AEW’s CM Punk wearing pro-abortion t-shirts on the show.
— Danhausen (@DanhausenAD) June 24, 2022
AEW’s Scorpio Sky: “I am extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court. You have done a disservice to your country.”
https://twitter.com/ScorpioSky/status/1540362654916653056
WWE wrestler Titus O’Neil: “Please not lose sight of the fact that most of those people that refer to the Bible to justify their position…their Ancestors were also slaveowners and rapist themselves…. And they used the Bible to justify that evil too”
Please not lose sight of the fact that most of those people that refer to the Bible to justify their position…their Ancestors were also slaveowners and rapist themselves…. And they used the Bible to justify that evil too😏 https://t.co/7Vm0evX9va
— Titus O'Neil (@TitusONeilWWE) June 25, 2022
Irish WWE wrestler Becky Lynch responded to a tweet from former wrestler Gunner who criticized her for supporting abortion, after recently giving birth to a child. She responded saying: “Yes. I chose to be mother. To a daughter. That I could safely deliver and afford to raise. A daughter who deserves autonomy over her own body. Banning abortions doesn’t stop them. It stops safe ones. God bless you, your ignorance and lack of uterus.”
Yes. I chose to be mother. To a daughter. That I could safely deliver and afford to raise. A daughter who deserves autonomy over her own body.
Banning abortions doesn’t stop them. It stops safe ones.
God bless you, your ignorance and lack of uterus https://t.co/mKaWiz2UHE
— Rebecca Quin (@BeckyLynchWWE) June 25, 2022
WWE’s Liv Morgan have given out links to abortion groups across the country.
— LIV Morgan (@YaOnlyLivvOnce) June 25, 2022
WWE wrestler Bayley stated how proud she was in Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom for making California a safe haven state for abortion.
Proud to be born and raised in California https://t.co/sJ0z3omSil
— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) June 25, 2022
Impact Wrestling’s Andrew Everett: “But don’t worry because White Republican Politician daughters will still be able to get abortions because it’s totally different.”
But don’t worry because White Republican Politician daughters will still be able to get abortions because it’s totally different.
— Andrew “The Giant” Everett 223cm (@_AndrewEverett) June 24, 2022
Canadian pro wrestler AEW’s Shawn Spears: “Freedom should include the right to choose. No longer the land of the free. #HerBodyHerChoice”
Freedom should include the right to choose.
No longer the land of the free. 💔#HerBodyHerChoice
— Shawn Spears™️ (@ShawnSpears) June 24, 2022
WWE’s Mustafa Ali: “They don’t care about your born or unborn. they care about money and power.”
they don’t care about your born or unborn. they care about money and power.
— Mustafa Ali (@MustafaAli_X) June 24, 2022
AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa: “I had been thinking about #RoeVsWade decision. We must continue to fight for our rights and the betterment of this country. We can (b)e better than this…”
I had been thinking about #RoeVsWade decision. We must continue to fight for our rights and the betterment of this country. We can e better than this…
— Thunder Rosa (@thunderrosa22) June 25, 2022
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Australian Independent Wrestler Jonah: “This is just fuckin Dumb. Also the fact that the majority of voters in this country are more represented in the senate doesn’t mean shit when there’s 6 prehistoric arseholes on the supreme court who call the shots.”
This is just fuckin Dumb.
Also the fact that the majority of voters in this country are more represented in the senate doesn't mean shit when there's 6 prehistoric arseholes on the supreme court who call the shots.
— BIG BRONSON REED (@BRONSONISHERE) June 24, 2022
Pro Wrestling Legend Jim Cornette: “The most creative, innovative country in the world is being held hostage by it’s most backward, simple-minded minority. Superstition over science, fear and fantasy over fact, radicalism over reality–Trump the useful idiot enabled the GOP‘s plan. Welcome to the 1800’s, America.”
The most creative, innovative country in the world is being held hostage by it's most backward, simple-minded minority. Superstition over science, fear and fantasy over fact, radicalism over reality–Trump the useful idiot enabled the @GOP 's plan. Welcome to the 1800's, America.
— Jim Cornette (@TheJimCornette) June 24, 2022
WWE wrestler MVP: “Rich people will still get abortions. Including many of those politicians and people of means that publicly applaud the overturning of Roe v Wade. (Shhhhhhh…)”
Rich people will still get abortions. Including many of those politicians and people of means that publicly applaud the overturning of Roe v Wade.
(Shhhhhhh…)— MVP (@The305MVP) June 24, 2022
Earlier this year, AEW wrestling star CM Punk wore a shirt that says “Abortion Rights Are Human Rights” on an episode of AEW Dynamite. It was the second time he wore an pro-abortion shirt on AEW TV. Last December in Dallas, Punk wore a shirt that stated “Get your own, then tell it what to do,” referring to a women’s uterus and the act of terminating a child via abortion.
Punk also took to Instagram to slam those supporting the repeal of Roe v Wade ruling as “Elite, Rich, White, Terrorist Religious Fascists.”
Punk stated on Instagram at the time “For my wife, my sisters, for mothers and women who are helplessly watching their rights over their own bodies stripped away by elite, rich, white, terrorist religious fascists. Being human means I cry when injustices masquerade as religious rights. HER BODY, HER CHOICE.”
For the last 20 years, the popularity and fanbase of pro wrestling has dwindled to all time lows from the record highs it enjoyed during the Attitude era in the late 1990s. Major promotions such as WWE have seen a decline of almost 45% in viewership since 2015.
All Elite Wrestling, the 2nd biggest promotion in the US, is currently averaging about 950K viewers in 2022 as the company negotiates with Warner Bros Discovery for an extension to stay on TBS past 2023. Other lesser known wrestling promotions such as Impact Wrestling have viewership well below 150K for their weekly shows.
Since the fall of the Attitude era, the wrestling community has shifted from a Republican fanbase to an aggressively left wing base, which some people point to as a cause of its declining viewership. The fallout of the repeal of Roe v Wade has been intense from progressive circles, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing anytime soon.
What are your thoughts on the world of pro wrestling becoming a hotbed for progressive politics?