And the hits just keep on coming...
Today, an explosive exposition of negative treatment toward female wrestlers (both in the industry and trying to break in) by many wrestlers (including world champions such as Tessa Blanchard) have broken into social media on the basis of the #SpeakingOut hashtag.
I'm not going to delineate everything, as
this SquaredCircle Reddit megathread can do a better job than I can of at least SOME of the allegations involved.
But here's a small list of some of the allegations involving names you may or may not have heard of:
- Jim Cornette is back on the Shit List again (not like he fucking cares, but there you go!). This one comes from a wrestler trying to break into the business during Cornette's time with Ohio Valley Wrestling. The wrestler alleges pretty much anyone not coming to OVW under a WWE contract had to perform sex acts on his girlfriend Stacey (often with him watching!), and anyone refusing was not going to be able to wrestle in that part of the country at all -- and, on top of that, very realistically could be assaulted in the dark of night with no one knowing or caring. I'm not really sure what could be done with Cornette, short of offing the guy, that's really going to DO anything at this juncture. Outside his Arcadian Vanguard podcast series and his "Cult of Cornette", he has pretty much been cancelled from every major wrestling promotion there is left -- often at his own hand (which see his NWA incident from NWA Powerrr).
- Liz Savage has accused prominent pro wrestling reporter and podcaster Dave Lagana of sexual assault. Lagana is also Executive Producer of Billy Corgan's NWA reboot. Corgan just can't buy a fucking break -- or is it that there is so much slime out there that you CAN'T avoid it, and, hence, Corgan has thrown a lot of "good money after bad" here?
- It is believed, in the book "Ring of Hell", that Lagana was fired from an influential position in WWE in 2008 because he was doing many of the same things (as well as more direct leveraging of power for sex for advancement -- both genders!) in the WWE, and that "Human resources was compiling a strong case against Lagana when they received numerous complaints from young women who were trying to break into the business". (page 303, thorugh Josef Samael's Twitter)
- Joey Ryan and Ring of Honor booker/NWA main-eventer Marty Scurll are both being accused by a group attempting to expose (and probably end) professional wrestling, ExposeWrestling on Twitter. Both are being accused of inappropriate conduct toward 16-17 year olds at wrestling parties. No victims have come forward as of yet. ... however, at least Ryan, one of the most sexually-controversial figures in wrestling the last five years with YouPorn PenisPlex and the like, would surprise next to no one. Both are MAJOR independent/RoH/Impact Wrestling-level players.
- Another prominent player, Jimmy Havoc, is being accused of abuse by his ex-girlfriend. Havoc is not only a wrestler in Major League Wrestling (probably the top indie out there at this point), but is also in AEW as well.
- Travis Banks of the NXT UK brand has been apparently harassing fellow UK wrestler Millie McKenzie, resulting in her 2019 rejection of an NXT UK contract.
- Jordan Devlin of NXT UK is now under official WWE investigation for allegations of abuse by his ex-girlfriend, including pictures of her with bruises.
- Joe Coffey of NXT UK will probably be similarly investigated, as the same group who talked about Ryan and Scurll also has him in the crosshairs, with pictures.
- ExposeWrestling also has a bead on major NXT UK player Tyler Bate, one of the few over in the UK brand who's crossed over to the United States.
- The WWE has apparently called an emergency high-level management meeting over the allegations.
- At least one accusation appears to indicate that Will Ospreay of New Japan and Bea Priestley of AEW got a British female wrestler blackballed from the sport for accusing a friend of Ospreay's of rape.
- Chasyn Rance, though not in any of THESE accusations, still is in the wrestling business and owns at least one school in Florida, at least a year after his disastrous situation with Kenny Omega. Rance is a registered sex offender, and has tried to get famous female (some young -- I'm looking at you, Izzy!!) to be in his school.
- There is at least one party who appears to be accusing former TNA World Champion Ken Anderson/Mr. Kennedy/Mr. Anderson.
- And one accusing Lanny Poffo of sexually going after her and 3-4 other women at a 2020 indie show.
- It appears as if a significant portion of the entire British professional wrestling scene (one of the great untapped markets in pro wrestling) has been accused over the last few days. A list circulating seems to indicate at least 50 talents have been accused at one time or another, most in the British scene.
- And the worst news may still be to come: There are more names planned to come out tomorrow. This is just 12 hours of it today.
- And doesn't account for people who have already been accused of abuse like Impact World Champion Tessa Blanchard, Michael Elgin, Enzo, Sexy Star, Teddy Hart, and others.
- EDIT TO ADD: 205 Live cruiserweight WWE talent Gentleman Jack Gallagher has been accused.
- Recently-promoted to Smackdown wrestler Matt Riddle (who's had public beefs with both Goldberg and Brock Lesnar) is being accused by an ex-girlfriend of a 2018 sexual assault. Not known whether this was rumored to be in his last days in the indies or his first in NXT. Riddle was in line for some degree of initial Smackdown push. That will definitely draw an investigation now.
- Numerous UK promoters are being alleged as well.
I think we are well in line, at this point, that there could be a forced shutdown of what professional wrestling is left worldwide at this point.
I've been a pro wrestling fan for 40+ years now. I go back to Verne Gagne and the AWA and "All-Star Wrestling" Sunday mornings at 11 AM on independent channel 9 in the Twin Cities (back at the time).
None of this surprises me. Absolute... zero.
I'm not saying all the allegations are true, I'm not saying all the accused are guilty. (Their inclusion on this list only indicates they are accused, most at some point through the #SpeakingOut situation Thursday).
But if you have paid one REMOTE OUNCE of attention to the professional wrestling scene, especially at lower levels, you know sex for power for advancement (including pedophilia, which see Rance) has been a common thread of professional wrestling for DECADES.
And that also attends to the fans as well -- the "ring rats" which wrestlers would often use for sexual favors from town to city to territory to territory.
I guess I've always thought of that girl from Florida: Izzy, Isabel Silyagi, now 13. Working her butt off to chase the dream of being a professional wrestler in the WWE. I do have to wonder, though, when (NOT IF) she's going to be abused by one of these types.
Stay tuned. I sense this is going to get ugly. Not just for an individual talent situation -- but if even a small portion of the NXT UK accusations prove out, would that be enough for a permanent cessation of the NXT UK brand?
I think we are at the point, however, that a full suspension of professional wrestling worldwide would not be out of order at this point.
