This is not how WWE wanted to begin their WrestleMania week or head into the weekend.
On Sunday night, HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver dropped a 23-minute segment about WWE’s treatment of their wrestlers and their status of still working as independent contractors in 2019. The Oliver segment got enough of a rise out of WWE that the company extended the comedian an invite to WrestleMania 35 on Sunday, with hopes of him getting a better idea of how the biggest pro wrestling promotion in the world operates.
WWE loves mainstream media attention, but not like this.
Since the report from Oliver was released, the WWE roster has largely been radio silent on the issues that were brought to light. The silence stopped today (Apr. 4) in a pair of separate interviews with The Miz and The Big Show.
First up, Miz was asked by SI Now about Oliver taking shots at WWE.
In response to John Oliver criticizing WWE for its treatment of employees, @mikethemiz says “I feel like I've gotten everything I've ever wanted from WWE, and more” pic.twitter.com/h0HI9VzLDa
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 4, 2019
“I’ve been so fortune with everything WWE has given me. Now are there going to be people who are disgruntled and upset? Everyone! I imagine you have people here at SI Now who are disgruntled and upset, ‘Oh I should get this. Oh I should get that.’ The thing is what are you doing to get it? I feel like I got everything I’ve ever wanted from WWE, and more.”
TMZ Sports then caught up with Big Show, where the 47-year-old pro was asked about WWE’s treatment of their talent.
“Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. You know everyone has their own experiences in how they feel. I’ve had a hell of a career. I’ve had a lot of injuries. I knew from day one stepping through the ropes that it was not an easy job, it was a job that put myself at risk. And you know I took the paychecks, I took the fame, I took the fortune, and those were the risks that happened. That’s just part of the industry and the industry’s changed, it’s done everything it’s can to protect the athlete and create longevity for the athlete. I’m 47. I’m still rocking and rolling, so they’re doing something right.”
Expect more questions form the media to be asked throughout WrestleMania 35 weekend, and likely expect the same type of answers to be given from any wrestler currently under contract with WWE.