Fans at the NWA Crockett Cup on May 17th were left stunned when WWEs Natalya Neidhart stormed into the crowd and slapped a heckler across the face. The shocking footage quickly circulated online, sparking debate over whether the incident was real or part of the show.
Now, Ringside News has confirmed that the entire confrontation was part of the show. One of their readers sent in a photo of Natalya posing with the fan she attacked after the event, revealing that the man was part of the storyline.
Natalyas NWA debut saw her challenge Kenzie Paige for the NWA Womens Championship, entering the ring with her Rage Against the Machine theme, the same music she used at Bloodsport. Despite bringing her WWE star power to the bout, Natalya failed to capture the title, with Paige retaining and asserting her dominance in the NWA womens division.
The drama didnt end there, as Gail Kim was originally set to be the special guest referee for the title match but had to pull out due to illness. Just hours before the event, Kim took to Twitter to apologize, writing, I am sorry to have to announce that I cannot make it to the Crockett Cup today in Philadelphia. I hate to let the fans down and most of all Nattie and Kenzie but post cruise last Sunday, I went down hard and have been suffering severe flu/covid symptoms.
Kim added that she was still experiencing a high fever and promised to make it up to NWA fans and CEO Billy Corgan in the future.
Now, with the truth about the heckler incident revealed, some fans are questioning how much of Natalyas NWA debut was scripted and whats next for her outside of WWE.
Were you fooled by Natalyas confrontation with the heckler? Do you think it was a smart move by NWA to stir up controversy, or did it miss the mark? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
