« Remove this immediately! » – WWE fans are outraged as leaked photos revealing wrestlers rehearsing for a show violate the ‘sacred’ rule.

Wrestling enthusiasts are expressing outrage after leaked photos from a WWE event seem to show wrestlers rehearsing for the evening’s performances.

The majority of fans who immerse themselves in the entertaining realm of professional wrestling understand that what they witness bears little resemblance to reality, akin to a dramatic episode of EastEnders or a captivating Marvel film.

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While stars like Drew McIntyre, Roman Reigns, and Rhea Ripley may sustain real injuries during performances, the animosity between on-screen rivals in WWE is largely fabricated.

To truly appreciate the spectacle, wrestling fans have embraced the concept of kayfabe—an illusion that everything unfolding in the ring is indeed real.

Kayfabe has been a tradition for generations. In the past, fans would vilify the antagonists and idolize the heroes, and the notion that they might share accommodations or vehicles was unthinkable.

Wrestlers and the organizations they work for typically insisted on traveling, dining, and enjoying downtime separately to protect the sanctity of kayfabe, often facing severe consequences if caught on camera breaking character.

However, in 2024, preserving kayfabe is nearly impossible. Wrestlers frequently participate in media interviews as their genuine selves and Logan Paul regularly hosts his co-stars on his Impaulsive podcast.

WWE itself contributes to shattering the illusion, releasing documentaries like Behind the Curtain, which explore the storyline development leading into this year’s WrestleMania.

Nonetheless, traditionalists and passionate fans still cherish and uphold kayfabe, which has led to a significant uproar following the recent leaks of images depicting WWE stars rehearsing together for an upcoming event.

One image shows a gathering of wrestlers around a ring, presumably in preparation for an episode of Monday Night Raw.

Clad in casual attire instead of their flashy ring outfits, both heroes and villains were seen mingling alongside producers and agents.

Prominent rivals Randy Orton and Gunther, who faced off for the latter’s World Heavyweight title at Bash in Berlin, were spotted conversing.

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Shayna Baszler was observed appearing to rehearse with fellow wrestlers as Head of Creative, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, casually engaged in conversation ringside with Drew McIntyre, while commentator Michael Cole prepared for his role at the announce table.

The candid shots of so many wrestlers in a casual, unconventional setting stunned fans on X, with one commenting: “This feels illegal to look at.”

Another remarked: “It’s strange to remember they don’t actually hate each other,” while another lamented, “What is this? Kayfabe is dead. Delete this now!”

Upon further examination, another fan observed: “I’m not shocked the wrestlers are mingling despite their rivalries, but I’m surprised they’re all seemingly going over match plans simultaneously.”

Many fans speculated that another image, likely taken at the same location, showcased fierce rivals McIntyre and CM Punk chatting at ringside, even though McIntyre had recently attacked Punk brutally on Raw, leaving him on a stretcher.

While some fans were uncertain whether Punk was indeed in the photo, many were convinced, with one stating: “It feels illegal to see CM Punk & Drew McIntyre hanging out at Raw.”

Another frustrated fan commented: “It’s bad enough to see Gunther and Orton standing next to each other, but there’s another photo circulating of Drew and Phony Phil side by side laughing.”

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These revealing photos highlight WWE’s resurgence under Triple H’s leadership. The company is preparing for a transition to Netflix in 2025 and has recently completed another successful tour in Europe.