WWE has been on the receiving end of some negative backlash as a result of Jinder Mahal’s promo on Shinsuke Nakamura on Tuesday night’s episode of SmackDown Live.
The segment, which included the WWE Champion saying that Nakamura “always rooks the same” before referring to him as “Mr. Miyagi,” is mysteriously missing from the company’s official YouTube channel, which features footage of every other segment from this week’s show.
The Washington Post published a story after Tuesday night’s show where they featured reactions from fans who were in attendance at the event inside the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.
“Racism is definitely an idiotic way to get heat and not necessary,” wrote a 15-year-old fan in an email to the media outlet. “It also makes the writers look bad.”
Following the article in The Washington Post, WWE issued the following statement regarding Mahal’s promo on SmackDown Live:
“Just like many other TV shows or movies, WWE creates programming with fictional personalities that incorporates real world issues and sensitive subjects.
“As a producer of such TV shows, WWE Corporate is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide.”
Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship headlines next month’s WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view in Detroit, Michigan. Join us here on October 8th for live results coverage of the show.