WWE Issues Statement After Virtual Fan Posts KKK Image in ThunderDome During ‘Raw’

WWE ThunderDome made its debut on Friday, giving fans a chance to be part of the action during the COVID-19 pandemic. And while WWE is happy to no longer producing shows at the Performance Center, the company is coming under fire after one fan posted a KKK image in the ThunderDome during Raw on Monday night. This incident has led to WWE issuing a statement on the matter.

“This abhorrent behavior does not reflect WWE’s values and we have zero tolerance for these unacceptable acts,” WWE said to the New York Post. “We are working to ban those involved from future events and per our policies, any inappropriate actions result in the removal from the live stream,”

According to Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet, WWE is working to get the fan banned from future events. The image was shown towards the end of the broadcast but was quickly taken off. This flub isn’t the first time controversial images have made it to the ThunderDome. In the three ThunderDome events WWE hosted over the weekend, improper visuals fans snuck in included the late Chris Benoit, video game characters Super Mario and Pikachu, and there was one that said “Fire Velveteen Dream.” With thousands of fans looking to get into the ThunderDome for each show, there will be some fans who post offensive material so they can get noticed.

The question now is, what happens next? WWE will likely do a few things not to have offensive material on TV. With it not being a week old, the issues WWE has with its new venue and project won’t be anything they can’t handle.

“WWE has a long history of producing the greatest live spectacles in sports and entertainment, yet nothing compares to what we are creating with WWE ThunderDome,” Kevin Dunn, WWE executive vice president, television production said in a statement last week. “This structure will enable us to deliver an immersive atmosphere and generate more excitement amongst the millions of fans watching our programming around the world.”

While WWE deals with fans posting offensive images, it’s also preparing for another pay-per-view event. Payback will be this Sunday at the ThunderDome just one week after SummerSlam. One notable match is Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt for the Universal Championship.