Why have toxic fans ruined the Rock’s big wrestling return?

It can be awkward to be a fan of wrestling.

People frequently inquire about your knowledge of its falsity, as if you were a child who is just a little too old to still believe in Santa Claus.

Conventions and television programs appear to be from another world where deodorant was never created. Tragedy and scandal are plaguing the entire business at a rate normally reserved for Shonda Rhimes productions.

Even if things can get very terrible, I’ve never felt too ashamed to acknowledge that I’m one of those individuals who watches a B-tier pay-

per-view on a work night till four in the morning. But after the events of the last several days, that may be about to change.

 

For WWE fans in particular, this has been a difficult month. Although the year started off well with the news that Netflix had purchased the company’s flagship show Raw for $5 billion, the good news was quickly overshadowed by several accusations of sexual misconduct made against

former WWE boss Vince McMahon, which McMahon’s representatives have vehemently denied and pledged to “vigorously defend” him from.

 

It hasn’t gotten any better on screen.

The path to WrestleMania hasn’t been easy, but January marks the start of what should be the company’s most lucrative and high-profile season, starting with the Royal Rumble and ending with WWE’s largest show of the year in April.

A number of well-known celebrities have suffered injuries, some have been fired because of their close relationship to McMahon, and WWE has been forced to scrap or reconsider several plots that have been in the works for months or even years.

On Friday, however, the mayhem escalated even further when WWE icon Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson unexpectedly showed up on SmackDown and challenged reigning global champion Roman Reigns to a bout in the WrestleMania main event.

Reigns’ present persona is founded on his conviction that he is the most significant and esteemed member of the Anoa’i family, a Samoan wrestling dynasty whose members have ruled the business since the early 20th century.

Johnson and Reigns are both members of this family.

Fans had been anxiously anticipating the day that Johnson will finally appear to take down Reigns, who has been the champion for four years and broken numerous records in the process.