WWE Rumors: Hall Of Famer Says Company Threatened To Fire Her If She Didn’t Do Controversial Angle
In a recent Twitch livestream, WWE Hall of Famer Lita shared her recollections of the controversial “live sex celebration” she and then-boyfriend Edge performed on Monday Night Raw almost 15 years ago, noting that her reluctance to appear in the segment nearly got her fired.
As cited by WhatCulture on Wednesday, Lita admitted on her Tuesday Twitch stream that there were multiple individuals within WWE, including herself, Edge, and John Cena, who objected to the racy display and let their feelings be known about the matter. However, chairman Vince McMahon allegedly remained “into the idea” and insisted that it be included as part of the January 9, 2006, episode of Raw.
When Lita told company officials that she was uncomfortable with the planned angle, they purportedly threatened to release her if she turned it down.
Although the four-time WWE Women’s Champion ultimately agreed with the company’s plans, she stressed that this was a contributing factor in her decision to leave the promotion that same year. This, she noted, also led to the creative team burying her on television. After she lost a retirement match to Mickie James at the 2006 edition of Survivor Series, she was placed in an embarrassing angle that had Cryme Time — JTG and the late Shad Gaspard — auctioning her personal items in what they called a “ho sale.”
According to WhatCulture, the aforementioned segment was one of the “crassest and most demeaning” of its kind in WWE’s post-Attitude Era history. It featured Lita and Edge stripping down to their underwear and simulating sexual acts in the ring before Ric Flair interrupted them and told Edge that he was going to “show [him] how it’s done.”
Aside from the perceived tastelessness of the segment, it also came one year after the promotion made a storyline out of the real-life love triangle featuring Edge, Lita, and Matt Hardy, as recalled in 2010 by Bleacher Report. Furthermore, as Lita allegedly cheated on Hardy with Edge back when the two were still dating, she was regularly on the receiving end of boos and insults from fans in the months leading up to the “live sex celebration.”
With WWE long having switched to a more family-friendly brand of entertainment, such angles are no longer part of its programming. However, McMahon’s promotion hasn’t shied away from storylines that could arguably stoke some controversy. Earlier this week, reports suggested that the company is planning a romance storyline between the 71-year-old Flair and 30-year-old Lacey Evans. This came months after it drew some negative attention for pairing Rey Mysterio’s 19-year-old daughter Aalyah with Buddy Murphy, who is 13 years older than she is.