#SpeakingOut

[DougN]

Oh, missed that then. Sucks.

On the one hand, I do think people can change, but at the same point, there needs to be accountability which he was very clearly not held to in 2009.

[supersonic]

The accusations against Flair I don't believe fully hold up when the accuser has shown a later history of intently looking to do a score. There's a seed of doubt, and one of my friends even believes that she DELIBERATELY got the roster drunk (pointing to the absurd amount she's admitted to giving them on the flight) to make them susceptible to problematic behavior and then get a settlement out of WWE for it.

I would still be fully in support of blacklisting Flair for past racism (as documented in the Torch) that he's never owned up to, as well as the numerous times he has behaved like a predator, especially in public settings.

Swann is an easy one to forget, perhaps because from what I've seen, he DOESN'T go on a social media tour being defensive, half-heartedly seeking redemption, acting like a twat in general, etc. In mentioning him, I'm a bit more sympathetic to what led him to become abusive considering his background, but I do question if pro wrestling is the right place for him.

I don't need any performers to publicly condemn someone that's been spotlighted as problematic. It would be wise for them to publicly distance themselves from those individuals, which is a different thing entirely.

Another topic I'll introduce - I have been largely disgusted with the pro wrestling media for opting NOT to hold the industry's feet to the fire, and to keep that fire raging and burning until substantial improvements are made, not just surface-level PR bullshit and using the movement as an excuse to get rid of non-draws and/or heat-magnet locker room cancers.

[DougN]

I just don't understand the shaming people for associating while poking holes in a victim's story from over 20 years ago. This whole argument is exactly why other victims never come forward, and especially in this case, there was another woman who didn't want to be publicly named. But she's just overreacting, I guess. /s

I'm with you that the media needs to hold the industry's feet to the fire, but in this very thread, we're not doing that. We're debating the merits of a 20-year-old story involving someone you admit has predatory behavior and talking about whether or not someone else condones behavior because they didn't make a statement.

This whole conversation is why everything is mostly surface pressure. If we want to dive in, then there's going to be some really uncomfortable conversations. Like why are we so hyper-focused on Moose, but not Rich Swann? Why do people focus on diversity in AEW when WWE has played on ethnic and racial tropes for years and continues to do so? Why do we focus on The Elite being pals with Marty Scurll years ago, but not the fact that Kevin Steen and others worked with and took money from Rob Feinstein after he was exposed? Why do we overlook accusations against favorites like Jay Lethal or even Matt Riddle?

There's double-standards across the board and there's not enough time to address them all. But if your question is why doesn't the media hold the industry's feet to the fire, I think it's because the reaction will be "well, she got arrested years later" or "they never came out and shamed their friend so they must think it's fine."

And not all of this is just focused on you. I'm speaking in general tones too. But I think if you really want things to change, look at how you view these situations. Yes, every situation is different and if you do want to sympathize with someone like Rich Swann, that's great. Empathy and sympathy are also missing. But why does Moose then get all the hate? Why do we throw Hangman's name into the fray when he hasn't said anything about Marty Scurll since things broke down, when other wrestlers are happy posing for photos with Chasyn Rance in 2021?

[DougN]

In other news, Austin Aries is out here bragging about using sexual assault in answer to breaking locker room "norms."

Jesus Christ. What a waste of humanity.

[supersonic]

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/impact-w ... -wrestling

Michael Elgin is suing Impact Wrestling.

The lawsuit was filed by Elgin on February 8 in the Circuit Court of Davidson County, Tennessee. Elgin is seeking "not less than" five million dollars in compensatory damages.

According to documents obtained by PWInsider, Elgin is claiming Impact breached their contract by removing him from its programming in June 2020 following allegations made against him during the #SpeakingOut movement.

Impact then released a statement on June 26, 2020 announcing that Elgin would no longer appear on its programming,

The lawsuit alleges that Elgin was told by Scott D'Amore that there "would be no investigation into allegations." It also alleges that D'Amore later confirmed there was no investigation, stating in an email to Elgin that "the company's decision not to utilize you in further programming was not based on any investigation beyond the public disclosures (and your responses thereto) at the time."

"A career in wrestling is not comparable to a normal employment opportunity. The wrestler's reputation and fame is dependent upon the entertainment and content company to deliver television programming to the mutual benefit of the wrestler and entertainment company," the lawsuit reads.

Elgin is also claiming that Impact prevented him from working for Pro Wrestling NOAH in December 2020, damaging his reputation in Japan.

On June 22, 2020, Impact announced the termination of Joey Ryan and Dave Crist following allegations against them as part of #SpeakingOut. The company also revealed that Elgin was suspended pending a further investigation.

Impact then released a statement on June 26, 2020 announcing that Elgin would no longer appear on its programming,

The lawsuit alleges that Elgin was told by Scott D'Amore that there "would be no investigation into allegations." It also alleges that D'Amore later confirmed there was no investigation, stating in an email to Elgin that "the company's decision not to utilize you in further programming was not based on any investigation beyond the public disclosures (and your responses thereto) at the time."

Elgin posted a statement on his social media this week stating that Impact made it appear as though he had been fired from the company.

"In June of 2020, Impact Wrestling made it seem to the public that they had fired me after an investigation," Elgin wrote. "I found 12 plus wrestling websites that reported Impact Wrestling had fired me due to allegations."

Elgin's contract with Impact was set to expire on April 15, 2022, but according to his social media post, he has not received payment from the company since February 15, 2022 due to the lawsuit he filed against Impact, leading him to be a free agent sooner than expected.

Elgin also released a 15-minute YouTube video this week explaining his reasons for filing the lawsuit.

[DougN]

I say this completely honestly:

Does anyone actively miss Michael Elgin in the ring?

[Big Red Machine]

I say this completely honestly:

Does anyone actively miss Michael Elgin in the ring?

A little bit, yeah.

[AnHonorableMention]

Not one bit. In fact, I'm in the negative numbers.

[DougN]

I say this completely honestly:

Does anyone actively miss Michael Elgin in the ring?

A little bit, yeah.

I mean, that's fair. I don't think he's bad in the ring -- I just think there are others who do his style better. Jeff Cobb comes to mind.

[indyfan]

Not a huge fan of Elgin in ring style in 2012 to end of 2013. Good promo though.

[supersonic]

Chris Dickinson Withdraws From GCW Event Following Domestic Abuse Allegations - https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2022/ ... legations/

[supersonic]

https://www.postwrestling.com/2022/05/1 ... rumble-05/

Paul London has provided more insight on Brian Kendrick recently on Rene Dupree's podcast

That was a real breaking point even though that doesn’t seem like a major thing [Kendrick calling London out because he thought London did not inform him that they were in the same town] but it was kind of like, I don’t know him as well as I thought I did and he doesn’t know me as well as he thinks he does. But I never, never in my life have ever been a conspiracy theorist or certainly never, you know, bought into any of that kind of stuff. We have a very — a very good friend of mine in Amsterdam, basically kicked him out of his place because he was spouting off some of this sh*t and you know, spouting off and my friend had relatives that were involved in this [Holocaust] and so it was extremely disrespectful and basically tossed him out.

Just to wrap up the thing with Brian, I hope he understands the weight of what he’s said, stuff like that but like, at the same time, it’s… it’s a tough day and age where people are gonna wanna dig up old things, you know? But I don’t know. I just haven’t — I haven’t spoken to him in years and years and I have no plans to. I don’t hate the guy. I have no ill will or anything, but I certainly — what bothers me is that the general perception is that we’re one in of the same and we’re not. We really couldn’t be much more different, we’re very, very different and I was usually the one that had the perception of being the crazy one… It’s called good f*cking acting I guess, you know?

But that kind of stemmed a series of interviews where you know, we [London & Brian Kendrick] would be doing these interviews where we were either really baked or drunk or whatever and just stupid, just stupid stuff but no, he did a series of interviews I guess later on that I was — I had no idea, where he really went into a lot of this stuff that like… I can’t say that I really knew him much after that point because we had worked together on the independents when we both [broke in]… we did beforehand but then after WWE, we teamed up quite a bit and he had a pretty bad temper. There were times when we would argue over just stupid sh*t. You know, it’s like why are you so mad? Dude calm — like one particular incident I remember in Australia, we were in Australia and we were working with some friends of ours who are also the promoters, the guys who ran this company and we’re teaming against them and then the first two minutes of this match, I’m starting off with the promoter and they’re young guys and they’re friends of ours, they brought us over. I’m wrestling with them and we’re just chaining and Brian’s leaning over the ropes and he’s yelling and he’s like, ‘Boring! This sucks! This is boring! This is f*cking boring!’ And I’m like — and I’m getting pissed. I’m like, what the f*ck is he — what? And from that moment ‘till the end of the match, I was livid and at the end of the match, they went over on us with some screw job, outside interference screw job-thing. So as a babyface, I get on the mic and I’m trying to bring our heat back. I’m like, you know, ‘You bastards. You cheated and… next time, if you dare wrestle us’ and Brian grabs the microphone out of my hand and he’s like, ‘No! F*ck that! We’re never wrestling these guys again because they f*cking suck and they’re f*cking not on our level’ and this is like a kids show. No [it wasn’t a big show], but at least 50, 75, maybe 100 people but it’s a kids show and I’m just like, Jesus Christ, dude, what the f*ck? And he’s just shooting on these guys. Like, ‘No! No! We’ll never wrestle these guys again because they f*cking suck and they’re pieces of sh*t’ and I’m just like, ‘Oh my God.’ I’m sitting here trying to create a rematch. So I’m even more pissed now. So we get to the back and it was as if nothing — he just comes up to me, he’s like, ‘Hey, let’s go smoke,’ whatever and I’m like, ‘No! No.’ He goes, ‘Was something wrong?’ I’m like, ‘Is something wrong? Are you f*cking serious? You f*cking yelled at me from the start of the match, you’re being a f*cking prick throughout the entire match and then you get on the mic and start saying all this f*cking bullsh*t. This [is a] kids show and it’s f*cking embarrassing. Go smoke on your f*cking own. Like f*ck that’ and dude, I was pissed and there was a lot of instances where I had to question, are we actually friends or do I even know this guy?

[supersonic]

The Maff & Whitmer tandem truly standing the ethical test of time.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1668419433461694468?s=20

B.J. Whitmer has been terminated following his arrest on domestic violence charges. While talent and staff are ultimately responsible for their own personal actions, this behavior is intolerable within AEW. AEW has reached out to offer support to those impacted by his behavior.

https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/bj-w ... d-burglary

BJ Whitmer has been arrested.

The AEW Producer was arrested on the evening of June 4 by the Boone County Sheriff’s Department in Boone County, Kentucky. Whitmer has been charged with strangulation in the first degree and burglary in the second degree.

The First Degree offense covers situations where one person chokes another and causes an injury in the process. Burglary in the second degree refers to non-residential burglaries.

A bond amount of $25,000 was set with Whitmer bound to a Grand Jury. He was released on June 12, 2023. The release comments in the file state 'FINAL RELEASE.'

[supersonic]

https://www.postwrestling.com/2023/06/2 ... ence-case/

WARNING: This article contains descriptions of domestic violence.

Earlier this month, B.J. Whitmer (Benjamin Whitmer) was released by AEW after he was arrested on domestic violence charges.

Under the condition of anonymity, the alleged victim spoke with FOX 19 and stated that she had dated Whitmer and was assaulted following their breakup.

The victim stated that she entered her home and he was inside at the top of the steps waiting for her.

“ I was literally fighting for my life.

And he squeezed tighter and said, ‘I’m going to f****** kill you. Do you hear me? I’m going to kill you!

Instead of coughing, I lied and said, ‘I already called the cops,’ and the second I said that he let go.“

The incident report stated that officers could detect red marks and bruising on the victim’s neck.

The woman states she has added security cameras to her home and noted she doesn’t feel safe