Wrestling fans are extremely opinionated. Even AEW’s Double Or Nothing did not escape the ever harsh opinion of wrestling fans.
The controversy at AEW’s Double or Nothing happened because of a pool spot. But why are fans upset about it?
Drowning Pool Spot Linked To Shad Gaspard Death
Recently, former WWE wrestler Shad Gaspard died while swimming in Venice Beach, California. The wrestler and a number of other swimmers got into trouble when a strong current hit.
Gaspard told lifeguards to rescue his son first who was struggling. While lifeguards rescued Gaspard’s 10-year-old son, the former WWE wrestler drowned and was found several days later.
Pool Spot Called Insensitive By Fans
AEW’s Double Or Nothing included a pool spot, which was dubbed an impromptu Lake of Reincarnation by Matt Hardy. Unfortunately, many fans saw it as insensitive as Shad drowned recently.
When I learned there were pools in the Stadium, I knew stocking them with the magical waters of The Lake of Reincarnation would be…
……WONDERFUL! https://t.co/qrwtpBGrKS
— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 24, 2020
Here are some of the most notable fan reactions to the pool spot:
Being that Shad Gaspard just died due to drowning, it may have been a bad idea to even go near water. Very poor taste.
— Joshua Patton (@JoshuaP53854283) May 24, 2020
It was great and all but You might want to release a statement or something seeing as how Shad just drowned this week. I didnt put two and two together at first….I saw comments about it though and even though im sure it wasnt on purpose its still kinda insensitive @AEWrestling
— Brave Introvert/"You know what that means" (@introvert_brave) May 24, 2020
Not Many Fans Clocked On To Begin With
It does need to be said that not all fans clocked on during the pay-per-view. Once the comments started rolling in, fans began wondering if the spot was just a tad insensitive.
Other fans came to the defense of AEW, stating that some people are just looking for things to complain about.
The Lake of Reincarnation has been a big thing for Broken Matt Hardy and he used the environment available to him for his character. I doubt the untimely death of Gaspard crossed his mind.
Nevertheless, it could be seen as insensitive in regards to the death of Gaspard. While Matt did not mean any harm with it, it rubbed some people the wrong way.
WWE Encountered A Similar Situation
AEW is not the only one who experienced some controversial spots. In fact, there was a spot during WrestleMania 36 that upset fans, too.
The brawl between Edge and Randy Orton caused quite a stir, especially when it came down to a “hanging spot” in the Performance Center gym. Fans stated it was inappropriate due to the Chris Benoit murder-suicide drama.
I did not understand why fans were so upset about the Orton – Edge spot in WrestleMania. The murders happened a long time ago and this was obviously not done maliciously.
The same applies to the Matt Hardy situation. Matt Hardy is quite creative and he was just looking for ways to incorporate his environment.
People have the right to be upset about something like this if it was done with malice, but obviously this was not. The wrestler simply saw a way to incorporate the pool into his match.
So, at the end of the day AEW did not do this for stunts or for ratings, it was a match that wasn’t thought through as much. Nevertheless, fans should not be that quick to jump on the “judging wagon.”
Despite the controversy, AEW delivered one of the better pay-per-views of the year and showed why they are on top at the moment.
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