Andrew Yang, a successful businessman and a former Democratic presidential candidate, sharply criticized TKO Group Holdings on Sunday over its decisions regarding WWE.
According to Yang, TKO has “really screwed up” WWE and WrestleMania
.TKO is the parent company of WWE, having formed in 2023 after the merger of the wrestling promotion and UFC. The company has faced substantial backlash from fans for its perceived over-commercialization of WWE, as well as for its apparent meddling in creative decisions.
In a message posted on X (Twitter), Yang showed he shared these same complaints about TKO. He also seemingly referenced the recent releases of a large number of WWE stars.
“It seems that TKO has really screwed up WWE/Wrestlemania with ads and celebs and getting away from the heart of pro wrestling – and talented performers are paying the price,” Yang wrote in his X post.
Yang ran for president in 2020 as a candidate for the Democratic Party, and he participated in many of that election cycle’s debates. Though he was an underdog in the race ultimately won by future President Joe Biden, the entrepreneur gained a fervent following known as the “Yang Gang,” which included comedian Dave Chappelle.
Following his failed bid in 2020, Yang left the Democratic Party to become an independent before eventually creating the Forward Party in 2021. He has continued to offer commentary on political issues, and on occasion, professional wrestling.
In September 2020, Yang slammed WWE for its “pure f***ing greed” on Chris Van Vliet‘s wrestling podcast. He made the comment while discussing his opposition to then-WWE owner Vince McMahon’s crackdown on stars having deals with services like Twitch and Cameo.
A month later, he appeared on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast, where the two discussed the differences between how WWE and AEW treat their talent. Soon after that appearance, Yang reacted to WWE’s late 2021 roster releases, which included the first time Zelina Vega was let go by the company.
This past Friday, news began trickling out about major talent cuts at WWE. The names of those released from the roster included Zelina and her husband, Aleister Black, as well as the entire Wyatt Sicks faction, Kairi Sane, Zoey Stark, and Alba Fyre, among others.
The massive cuts enraged a large portion of a fanbase that was already largely critical of TKO’s decisions around WWE. As Yang noted, the amount of advertising — both in the form of commercial breaks and ad placements on the actual wrestling ring — reached a new level for WrestleMania 42, while the insertion of celebrities such as Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll was largely derided.
What do you think, Cagesiders? Do you agree with Yang? Let us know in the comments.
