WWE Battleground: Lana spurs controversy after using MH17 tragedy to heat up American-Russian match

WWE’s Lana

On Sunday night in Tampa, Florida, WWE Battleground pay-per-view sparked outrage after the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 disaster was used in a pre-match segment to gather heat from the crowd.

WWE Diva Lana, who serves as an on-screen associate for superstar Alexander Rusev, came out and cut their usual anti-American promo where she talked about how Vladimir Putin made a fool out of the US by referring to the plane being shot down. This segment, as many have suggested, went too far and indeed has shocked the WWE universe.

Can't believe WWE used Flight MH17 - 'current events' - as cheap heat in the Rusev v Swagger match. That's not cool. #WWEBattleground

— Simon Clark (@SimonClark8) July 21, 2014

Are Lana & Rusev seriously making mention of MH17, using it to get heat? I was worried they would, but I'm still shocked. #WWEBattleground

— Samuel Preston (@BigBadaBruce) July 21, 2014

The segment was used as a part of the American-Russian Battleground feud between Jack Swagger and Rusev. Swagger along with Zeb Colter represented the United States while Rusev and Lana symbolised Russia.

“You blame Russia for the recent current events?” said Lana after she entered into the arena.

Earlier, she said, “Tonight we dedicate this match to the most powerful man in the world. Tonight we dedicate this match the man that makes fools out of all of you Americans.”

“He is my role model. The is my idol. The president of Russia,” she added as an image of Vladimir Putin was displayed on big screens around the arena.

Fans booed and chanted anti-Russian slogans while the image was displayed on the giant screen.

It was a cheap move from WWE’s part to use a tragic incident to heat up the patriotic feud. The MH17 disaster occurred last week where a plane headed from Amsterdam to Malaysia was shot down in Ukraine. As a result, 298 people died from that incident.

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