WrestleMania weekend returned to Las Vegas with all the spectacle, celebrity cameos and crowd drama fans have come to expect and ESPNs Stephen A.
Smith found himself squarely in the crosshairs.
The iconic sports-entertainment showcase is back at Allegiant Stadium for a second straight year, with Night 1 wrapping up Saturday and WWE set to run it back Sunday, according to the Daily Caller. The company opened the show with a high-energy six-man tag team match featuring Austin Theory, Logan Paul and streamer iShowSpeed against Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso and LA Knight, delivering the kind of fast-paced action that has long made WrestleMania a cultural touchstone.
The bout culminated in a highlight-reel moment when Speed sent Paul crashing through an announcers table, mirroring the exact move that Paul did to music star Jelly Roll during WWEs SummerSlam Premium Live Event. Fans in the stadium roared their approval, and before the card moved on to a hard-hitting clash between Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre, WWE shifted into full celebrity mode.
Pro athletes such as Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle were spotlighted on the broadcast, beer in hand, underscoring the events broad mainstream pull. But the loudest reaction of the night may have been reserved for Smith, whose image on the jumbotron triggered a cascade of boos that crush[ed] his heart and soul with a wave of boos.
In a culture where corporate sports media often talks down to its own audience, the crowds response to Smith felt like a populist verdict from everyday fans. I think Stephen A. deserves some credit for his reaction why get bummed out about it when you can just be a heel? (Its wrestling after all), the piece observed, and in an arena built on clear heroes and villains, the ESPN star seemed to embrace the role the people assigned him.
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