Daivari responds to receiving threats for Greatest Royal Rumble segment

[cero2k]

Source: f4wonline.com

In the aftermath of a Greatest Royal Rumble segment that played on tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Ariya Daivari has issued a statement apologizing to anyone who was offended and revealed that he received death threats for his character's role on the show.

"During an appearance this past Friday, I portrayed a fictional character and played the role of the antagonist, no different than what other actors would do in a movie or TV show," Daivari wrote. "That character does not reflect my personal views and I apologize to anyone that may have been offended by the skit. I have an incredible amount of respect for the great people of Iran and I am very proud of my Iranian heritage. Thank you."

Daivari then responded to someone who said he shouldn't have needed to apologize, "Unfortunately some people took offense to this despite it being pure entertainment. Some threats were made against my life. I wanted to put this statement out to clarify where I as a person stand compared to my t.v. character."

While he's received criticism from both sides, Daivari didn't address where the threats came from.

The segment featured Daivari and his brother Shawn interrupting four people who attended WWE's tryouts in Saudi Arabia (Nassar, Hussein, Monsoour, and Fisal). The Daivari brothers entered with the Iranian flag, insulting the trainees and praising Iran. The trainees stood tall after sending both Daivaris out of the ring.

[XIV]

It's a shame that apologising has to occur.

where are the good old days where a heel had to fight his way out of a building, hop into a moving car and leave the city immediately after the match because he'd just cheated the hometown hero?

[Big Red Machine]

It's a shame that apologising has to occur.

where are the good old days where a heel had to fight his way out of a building, hop into a moving car and leave the city immediately after the match because he'd just cheated the hometown hero?

Because there are some times when you get people who don't quite understand that it's a work and you get a situation like a KKK member telling Tracy Smothers at a Smoky Mountain show that if he didn't make the Dirty White Boy pay for disrespecting the Confederate flag then he and his buddies would... and then showing Tracy the firearm they were going to do it with.

[XIV]

It's a shame that apologising has to occur.

where are the good old days where a heel had to fight his way out of a building, hop into a moving car and leave the city immediately after the match because he'd just cheated the hometown hero?

Because there are some times when you get people who don't quite understand that it's a work and you get a situation like a KKK member telling Tracy Smothers at a Smoky Mountain show that if he didn't make the Dirty White Boy pay for disrespecting the Confederate flag then he and his buddies would... and then showing Tracy the firearm they were going to do it with.

It's always accepted when it happens in a film or TV show, the actor in most cases will not receive death threats because it's just fiction and in the confines of a show. People forget to apply this to wrestling.

[Big Red Machine]

It's a shame that apologising has to occur.

where are the good old days where a heel had to fight his way out of a building, hop into a moving car and leave the city immediately after the match because he'd just cheated the hometown hero?

Because there are some times when you get people who don't quite understand that it's a work and you get a situation like a KKK member telling Tracy Smothers at a Smoky Mountain show that if he didn't make the Dirty White Boy pay for disrespecting the Confederate flag then he and his buddies would... and then showing Tracy the firearm they were going to do it with.

It's always accepted when it happens in a film or TV show, the actor in most cases will not receive death threats because it's just fiction and in the confines of a show. People forget to apply this to wrestling.

What I'm saying is that there are people in some places who don't get that it's a work or who don't care.