WWE Once Fired a Superstar for Making a R*pe Joke About Late NBA Legend Kobe Bryant

Yasser Ayaz | 01/04/2023
Kobe Bryant WWE

While cutting promos in the ring, superstars often end up talking trash about their opponents. Sometimes, they even target celebrities from other sports to make themselves look better. Although most of that dissing is done healthily, there are a few times when people cross the line. One such incident took place in the early 2010s, when a bad joke about NBA legend Kobe Bryant got a WWE superstar fired.

It’s a well-known fact that Vince McMahon, during his time as WWE CEO, wasn’t a fan of superstars going out of the script. There were instances when people paid a huge price for very small mistakes they made. Imagine a WWE superstar making a bad joke about Kobe Bryant under his management.

Former WWE superstar Abraham Washington was fired for making a rape joke about Kobe Bryant

Abraham Washington worked in WWE between 2009 and 2012 but spent most of his time in the developmental brand (FCW). On the main roster, he managed Primo and Epico alongside Rosa Mendes for a month. At the 2012 Mo Way Out pay-per-view, Washington betrayed the group and aligned himself with Darren Young and Titus O’Neil.

Unfortunately, his main roster run came to an end before it could even start due to a bad joke. On the July 30, 2012, episode of RAW, Washington made a r*pe joke about Kobe Bryant. The remark was made while Titus was fighting Kofi Kingston in the ring. He said:

“Titus O’Neil is like Kobe Bryant at a hotel in Colorado. He’s unstoppable.”

By saying that, Washington mocked the NBA icon over his 20023 s*xual assault case. WWE immediately issued an apology and fired Abraham Washington. 

The NBA legend lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash in 2020

Kobi Bryant is considered one of the best that the NBA has ever produced. Well-known as “The 8th Wonder Of The World”, Kobe won the NBA championship 5 times before retiring in 2016. Sadly, on January 26, he lost his life alongside 8 others in a tragic helicopter crash. Bryant was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

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Post Edited By: Archie Blade
Abraham Washington Kobe Bryant

About the author

Yasser Ayaz

Yasser Ayaz is a WWE author at The Sports Rush. With more than 800 articles published, Yasser has been a part of The Sports Rush team for more than a year. Mixing passion with his profession, he aims to bring the world of wrestling to your screens in a unique yet simple manner. A lifelong fan of icons like John Cena, Randy Orton, and Jeff Hardy, Yasser has been following WWE since 2004. Other than wrestling, he also loves to play and watch cricket and sometimes enjoys binge-watching a Crime Thriller series.

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