Lio Rush was released from WWE a few weeks back with a slew of other talents. This brings us to Mark Henry who is threatening to bring down the law on Rush for “slander.”
Lio Rush Slandered Mark Henry?! What?!
I’m more surprised someone had anything bad to say about Mark Henry. The worst I heard was Cornette complaining that Mark broke the ropes in OVW—and that was only because WWE insisted that they not use cable ropes. There’s also his molasses-slow development into his Silverback/World Strongest Man period.
So, what did Lio Rush say? If we go back some, Mark mentioned that Rush was talking about someone who was out to get him professionally. He’d worked with this person before in Ring of Honor but didn’t really go into who it was. Mark Henry tends to attempt to diffuse things and often works as a go-between backstage. As he told him at the time, he knows WWE’s system. He knows how to get heard or reach a resolution.
Harmony is very important for WWE’s backstage area. When the talent isn’t pleased, they start doing things such as…asking for their releases. Or taking this stuff to social media. Can’t have that, right? Mark Henry said he talked to Lio Rush about it and was trying to help. According to Mark, Rush said it was nothing.
Recently, Lio Rush took to Twitter and requested to be on his podcast to clear the air about things that were said. This could be about that particular conversation or what Mark Henry said about Lio Rush and his finances. Or it could be about both and more.
Looking at both, Mark was attempting to help Lio wasn’t obligated to share what was going on him. At the base, it’s cut and dry but we have to factor in that morale and personal issues impact the backstage area. If someone is just carrying that around it’s piling on itself, you can only hope that nothing sets them off. It also doesn’t help if anything can set them off.
The Word on Social Media
It’s an interesting fracture. Some opinions read along the line of “Should you bring this on social media?” Rush notes that it was put there and he’s responding. Others have noted that Lio’s financial situation wasn’t anyone’s business but in wrestling journalism, contracts are a constant subject. Financial situations are a side thing of that.
Also, Lio Rush is constantly in the news about something negative. If you’re a superstar and your only good press comes from what you do in the ring or in front of the cameras—maybe avoid social media or get a PR person.
An interesting take was from Joey Janela who didn’t care for Mark Henry threatening to sue a man with two kids who lost his job. Which is crappy behavior less so if the person being threatened had a history of talking recklessly when they had a job. You always have to consider the person and the situation and not just the situation itself.
Lio Rush has since said that he will call into Mark Henry’s show at 4:15PM Eastern. We’ll see how that develops.
In A Nutshell
We’re at a stalemate. Both of them have their points in regards to the situation. There was a time when this could’ve been discussed but again, Lio wasn’t obligated to discuss personal stuff with Mark. On one hand, that’s points against Lio.
On the other hand, you can’t get salty when someone doesn’t want to discuss that stuff. However, if your personal stuff could affect business, plans in store for you, etc—you either need to get it off your chest at the time or let it go. Or it escalates into Twitter beef, declarations of defamation, and offers to air it out on the air.
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