Ava Raine, daughter of wrestling legend Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, has doubled down on controversial comments made in the wake of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, sending shockwaves through the political and entertainment worlds.
The tragic incident has divided public opinion, with some mourning his death while others have drawn criticism for their responses.
Hours after Kirk’s death, Raine, whose real name is Simone Johnson, found herself in hot water over controversial comments.
Raine is not the only figure in sports and entertainment to face backlash for comments about Kirk’s death. Several individuals have already lost their positions for making what were deemed insensitive remarks, MailOnline reports.
Charlie Rock, a communications coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, was fired after mocking Kirk’s death on social media, while Gerald Bourguet, a Phoenix Suns beat writer, lost his position after calling Kirk an ‘evil man.’
MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd was terminated for suggesting during coverage that one of Kirk’s supporters might have killed him, and Judge Ted Berry was removed from his position with the Joe Burrow Foundation over insensitive online comments.
The WWE Universe has been split in their response to Raine’s comments. Critics have flooded social media demanding action from WWE management, with some fans directly tagging company executives Triple H and the broader TKO Group.
“@WWE @TKOGrp does tko and wwe stand behind this?” questioned one user, while another wrote: “If your a** ain’t unemployed by the end of the day this shifts to WWE itself.”
Several fans have pointed to what they see as a double standard, suggesting that Raine’s ‘nepo baby’ status might shield her from the consequences that other wrestlers might face for similar comments.
Some supporters, however, have backed Raine’s right to express her views, with one defender writing: “She’s correct. Be someone worth partying about when you die. You can’t go around treating people poorly in life and then want people to behave as though you weren’t when you die.”
Johnson shared a post from comedian Gianmarco Soresi to her Instagram story that read, per the New York Post: “If you want people to have kind words when you pass, you should say kind things when you’re alive.”
While the post did not explicitly mention Kirk by name, the timing led many to interpret it as a direct commentary on the deceased activist’s legacy and controversial statements throughout his career.
Rather than walking back her initial post as criticism mounted, the 24-year-old wrestler doubled down on her position. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Raine wrote: “and i’ll stand behind this. be kind, now more than ever.”
Her refusal to apologize or clarify her statements has only intensified the backlash from WWE fans and conservative commentators alike.
While some have faced consequences for their remarks, numerous sports organizations have chosen to honor Kirk’s memory. The New York Yankees and Green Bay Packers were among the first to hold moments of silence, with several NFL teams following suit on Sunday.
The Jets, Dolphins, Titans, Saints, Steelers, Cowboys, and Cardinals all paused their games to remember the conservative activist. However, five teams – the Lions, Bengals, Ravens, Colts, and Vikings – notably did not participate in the tributes.
As of now, WWE has not issued any public statement regarding Raine’s comments or potential disciplinary action.
Tyler Robinson, 22, has been identified as Kirk’s alleged assassin and is expected to be charged with aggravated murder. In Utah, this charge carries the possibility of the death penalty if prosecutors choose to seek it.