Social media has been a great boon for pro wrestling. It's allowed the fans to connect directly to major stars, and several wrestlers use it to enhance their brand. Scores of wrestlers have huge Twitter followings and can be even bigger than before. The companies also use it with WWE, AEW, and even TNA realizing social media is a great way to promote the product. But there is a downside as too often, people will say things online that they would never say in public. Thanks to how nothing is truly gone from the internet, too many wrestlers have paid for comments said in the past.
This means that when a wrestler says something terrible, either online or in public, they can often pay for it. Some see their pushes ending fast and punished. A few can be forgiven for these actions, but others actually lose their jobs over it. It's astounding how so many wrestlers just don't know when it's time to keep their mouths shut. Here are 10 significant cases of folks who got in hot water for their big mouths and that it's often best to just keep quiet.
10 Wrong Way Riley
Alex Riley had been a home-grown WWE talent, rising from FCW to being The Miz's sidekick. He had the ability and charisma to make it big but lacked self-control. That became obvious when he began launching online attacks on fellow workers like Kevin Owens and AJ Styles who he somehow thought beneath him (keep in mind, Styles was winning World titles before Riley ever debuted).
That led to the laughable "Free Riley" campaign of himself trapped in cages that failed to become a meme. All this ended up doing was to ensure Riley's release and "free" him of his job.
9 Jay Briscoe's Tirades
The hot-tempered Jay Briscoe has said a lot of nasty things in wrestling promos. But it was a tweet that got him in bigger trouble. In 2013, Briscoe was ROH World Champion and the face of the company. Speaking on a same-sex marriage law, Briscoe said he would "shoot anyone" who tried to "teach my kids it's okay."
After a massive backlash, Briscoe offered a weak apology. Ring of Honor forced him to donate his entire pay for two big shows to Partners Against Hate. Not long afterward, Jay was stripped of the ROH title over a kayfabe "injury" to prove how this line cost him dearly.
8 Corbin's Poor Judgement
Fans haven't been happy about the massive push Baron Corbin has received in WWE. However, it could have been worse if not for a dumb tweet he sent. In 2017, Corbin was getting his first big push, winning Money in the Bank and set for the main event. Then in a Twitter fight, Corbin ran down a fan as a "loser." The fan responded with a picture of himself in Marine uniform posing with Vince McMahon.
This came after Corbin spoke poorly of the concussion protocols. He failed in his MITB cash-in and spent months with a gimmick of having to show off his poor body in the ring. Corbin might be WWE Champion by now if not for his bad comments.
7 Ryback's Rants
It might be easier to list the times Ryback's comments didn't cause a backlash. Despite a big push from WWE, Ryback suffered due to injuries but also unable to keep his mouth shut. First, his line on how all wrestlers should be paid equally showed a stunning lack of understanding of the business. Then there were his slams on other stars who were far more over such as CM Punk.
Since his release, Ryback has become infamous for outrageous claims of creating the Shield and that he was to face the Ultimate Warrior in a match which everyone denies was ever considered. The guy just can't help putting his foot in his mouth.
6 Brad's Bad Promo
Sometimes, a wrestler can go way too far trying to keep an act going. Brad Maddox learned that the hard way. In 2015, Maddox was getting a push as the RAW General Manager while still doing wrestling. At a house show, Maddox was firing up the Indianapolis crowd in full heel mode, ranting about them and calling them some nasty names.
That may seem low-key, but WWE believed Maddox had crossed a line and fired him almost immediately. Some argue that it was way too severe for a heel promo line, yet it shows how trying for cheap heat can backfire on someone.
5 Punk's Attitudes
CM Punk has never been known for being shy about firing his mouth off. That's cost him a few times. WWE was not happy he went too far with his 2011 "Pipe Bomb" promo, but it was so popular that they couldn't punish him. But other times, Punk was hit by a backlash over his comments.
When Punk spoke out on a controversial same-sex marriage law, a fan complained about it. Punk's response was horribly insulting. Also, during a house show, Punk made a homophobic slur at a fan that went viral. Punk apologized for both incidents but still gets slammed for some of the stuff he says.
4 Lio's Slowed Rush
Right now, Lio Rush is doing great in WWE. He just finished a stint as Cruiserweight champion and has won fans over with his excellent ring work. That's more impressive given there were a couple of times when Rush looked to be on the shortlist to be fired. His initial push in 2017 was ended when Rush tweeted out jokes about the newly released Emma.
He apologized but was taken off TV for a time. Then in 2019, Rush was rising as Lashley's sidekick but was removed in the spring after talking about "being broke." He's been welcomed back, but Rush might have become a star sooner if not for his online actions.
3 Hulk Hogan' Rants
Vince McMahon may love Hulk Hogan but even he has his limits. Hogan had already been in the news in 2015 with everything from a nasty divorce to an ugly legal battle. But the topper was when audio tapes surfaced of Hogan going on a horrific racist rant that dropped multiple slurs and insults.
The media backlash was massive with WWE removing Hogan from the website and even the Hall of Fame. He has been allowed back, yet this remains a black eye on his reputation.
2 Ric Flair and Jim Ross' Bad Game
Ric Flair has gotten to a spot where he can get away with a lot of things. But in 2013, the "Nature Boy" got himself into a serious mess. Flair and Mick Foley were part of a symposium to promote the WWE2K14 video game. Flair went on some bizarre tirades that name-dropped TNA and mentioned his son's passing.
Flair was poor, but Ross, the moderator, was seen slurring his words with some wondering if he'd been drinking. The public backlash led to Ross being forced to retire while Flair's promo was way too wild for WWE.
1 Jim Cornette's Bad Joke
The "Louisville Slugger" has never been known for having a filter. But Jim Cornette made a severe error in judgment in November of 2019. Cornette had been a driving force for "NWA Powerr" which was getting some attention. In one episode, Cornette made a snide joke about Trevor Murdoch's toughness involving some fried chicken.
In the 1980s, this line would have been okay but in 2019, it ignited a firestorm. The episode was yanked off the air to edit the line out and within a day, Cornette was gone. The show's future is up in the air as Cornette's dumb joke may have killed more than just his job.