The WWE Draft may have continued last Monday night on "Raw," but the fireworks began earlier in the day after "Raw" GM Adam Pearce found himself in hot water on social media. The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion received backlash from fans after revealing on X that he would be wearing a red sports coat on "Raw," in honor of "your friend and mine," the controversial wrestling personality Jim Cornette.
AdvertisementTonight's sport coat is in honor of your friend and mine... Mr. @TheJimCornette.
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) April 29, 2024
Pearce initially joked about the negative reaction to his tweet, first suggesting he should've paid tribute to wrestling manager James Mitchell instead, then later tweeting a photo of himself in the red blazer after "Raw," while Chelsea Green and Piper Niven looked on in the background. On Tuesday afternoon, however, Pearce started seriously responding to the criticism, stating that someone decided to buy the red jacket for Pearce to wear "for fun."
Despite having previously called Cornette a friend, and seemingly confirming he was serious about paying tribute to Cornette in a response to Stephen P. New, Pearce appeared to deny that wearing the jacket was done so in solidarity with Cornette, while also clapping back at the idea that wearing the jacket "must mean solidarity with bigotry among other terrible things." In response to those calling him out for blocking people over the criticism, Pearce explained that he blocked people on social media for "the same reason I flush the pot," and defiantly told people to "touch grass."
AdvertisementGuess I should've said Jim Mitchell.
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) April 30, 2024
All you tried to do was love somebody today Scrap Daddy. Sheesh
— Steve New (@StephenPNew) April 30, 2024
Heaven forbid!
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) April 30, 2024
Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. pic.twitter.com/Q1yj2DBQcW
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) April 30, 2024
One person decided to buy a horrible red jacket to wear for fun and quote Sweet Stan in a tweet referring to it.
Another person decided that it must mean solidarity with bigotry among other terrible things.
Why do I block people online? Same reason I flush the pot. Touch grass.
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) April 30, 2024
The reaction to Pearce's positive tweets toward Cornette came days after Cornette stirred controversy again, when the latest episode of his podcast "The Jim Cornette Experience" dropped, featuring a cartoon thumbnail of AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland and Cornette. The artwork was roundly criticized by many wrestling fans, who viewed it as racist toward Strickland.
