The most recent episode of WWE’s Monday Night Raw was held at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto – the same venue that hosts Maple Leafs’ home games.
The fourth show of the Triple H Era was entertaining and highlighted by the return of Johnny Gargano to WWE. There were also multiple references made to the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout the night that played to the hockey-loving crowd.
The heel tag team of Chad Gable and Otis of Alpha Academy went the opposite direction, ripping the crowd for their love of the Leafs and its star player, Auston Matthews.
Dunking on the Leafs is one thing but dunking on Auston Matthews is another
They knew @Steve_Dangle would be there #WWERaw 😡 pic.twitter.com/NTh0Dc7aoO— Cale My Car (@Ev4d_) August 23, 2022
In professional wrestling, there is nothing heels (bad guys) love more than deriding local sports teams in promo segments to get a rise out of the crowd. Gable began his promo by talking about how he has started his search to add more talent to the Alpha Academy in Canada but all he has found is a bunch of “toothless, washed-up, ex-hockey players hooked on Tim Horton’s”. Then his ire turned directly to the Leafs.
“Look at your own Maple Leafs,” Gable said. “They lost an ice hockey game to a team from Tampa Bay. I know education isn’t your strong suit here so let me give you a little factoid. They don’t even have ice in Tampa Bay.”
The Leafs did indeed lose in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. The series loss extended their drought in second-round appearances to just shy of 20 years and their overall Stanley Cup drought to over 55 years.
A tepid ‘Go Leafs Go’ chant would eventually sound off in the crowd to try and combat the stinging words.
“Here’s a few more facts,” Gable continued. “I’ve found no talent in Canada. The only guy I keep hearing about is some geek named Auston Matthews. Only problem is, Auston Matthews is an American and he doesn’t have the talent to wash Otis’ jockstrap.”
Matthews was born in San Ramon, California, and grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. No official word on his laundry abilities though.
To defend the honor of Canada, Quebec’s own Kevin Owens interrupted Gable, accepted his open challenge, and promptly beat the mess out of the former American Olympian.
The Alpha Academy Open Challenge has been answered by @FightOwensFight!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/oGRcgHv8wx
— WWE (@WWE) August 23, 2022
All of this occurred while the biggest Leafs fan in the universe, Steve Dangle was in the sold-out building hanging out with WWE Hall of Famer and Ontario-native Edge.
Can’t wait! https://t.co/xjdYl7UEPN pic.twitter.com/gQKzzFMPDP
— Steve “Dangle” Glynn (@Steve_Dangle) August 22, 2022
Edge, the WWE, and the Leafs partnered together for this sweet shirt collaboration that was exclusively available at the show.
The collaboration you didn't know you needed: @EdgeRatedR x @MapleLeafs 💙 Get your shirt tonight exclusively at @WWE Monday Night RAW at #ScotiabankArena pic.twitter.com/oZ6j2goDsO
— Scotiabank Arena (@ScotiabankArena) August 22, 2022
Headline photo: @austonmatthews/Instagram
