Report: WWE 'Absolutely Planned For' US National Anthem To Be Booed At Elimination Chamber

WWE are said to have "absolutely planned for" the United States national anthem to be booed at Elimination Chamber, according to a report by Fightful Select.

Towards the end of the kickoff show on Saturday night, Elizabeth Irving's rendition of The Star Spangled Banner was booed by the crowd in the Rogers Centre amidst political tensions between Canada and the United States.

Relations between Canada and the United States have deteriorated since Donald Trump's election as president of the United States, with Trump repeatedly saying he thinks it would be a "great idea" for Canada to become the 51st state of the US. Trump has also repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs on Canada and tariffs of 25 per cent came into effect today. Canada has since retaliated with 25 per cent tariffs on C$30 billion worth of US imports. Canada will introduce further tariffs on US goods if Trump's tariffs are not removed within 21 days.

WWE colour commentator Pat McAfee would negatively refer to the booing of the US national anthem multiple times during Elimination Chamber, at one stage calling Canada "terrible". He has since offered an explanation for his reaction on The Pat McAfee Show, saying the following:

"Now, Canada. Listen, there’s been some things said to me from Canadians that, I guess, I respect because of the passion that you have for your country, which I hope you understand that I was showing the same for mine. You booed my country.

"Anytime I’ve ever heard somebody boo our national anthem, my natural reaction is, ‘Let’s fight.’ That is literally my natural reaction. Now, a lot of Canadians have told me, why don’t you do a little investigating on why we’re booing? Okay. ‘Did you hear what your president said?’ Okay, listen, I understand there’s political differences at the current moment between US and Canada. But I feel like anytime I think of Canada, I don’t think of what Justin Trudeau does. I don’t think immediately of Justin Trudeau’s decisions. I don’t think immediately of what Canada is doing in the political sphere. I think of the people of Canada.

"So, I understand now from the Canadians that they have a lot more passion for their country than I could have ever imagined. A lot of terrible things have been said about me and I understand it. You boo my country. I called your country terrible. Let’s shake hands. You said you didn’t boo every member of the United States or every citizen of the United States of America. Well, I didn’t say the Canadians are terrible, I said your country was. So, you booed us, I said you’re terrible, let’s shake hands. Let’s move along. There you go. That’s what I would like to say. And I still love Canadians, okay? We got one in the building."

H/T to F4WOnline.

Cultaholic is now on WhatsApp! Follow us here. Sign up to the Cultaholic Wrestling Newsletter now.