Overview
- Smith, who appeared on the WrestleMania 42 broadcast Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, drew loud boos when the jumbotron cut to him.
- He raised his arms, said “thank you,” and smirked at the camera, leaning into a pro-wrestling heel role as the crowd kept booing.
- While he was at the event, the Knicks won Game 1 over the Hawks 113-102 at Madison Square Garden, prompting online claims that his Knicks fandom is “fake.”
- ESPN is in its first year carrying WWE premium events, with Night 1 airing on ESPN2 and major matches streaming on ESPN+, which explains why one of its top hosts was on site.
- The backlash tapped earlier doubts about his Knicks loyalty, including Josh Hart’s March “part-time Knicks fan” jab, with no professional penalties reported.