Northern Irish wrestler Fit Finaly enjoyed a stellar career in the world’s biggest wrestling promotions in the 1990s and 2000s. But when he was fired by the WWE in 2011, it wasn’t because of anything that happened in the ring.
Born in County Antrim, Finaly – real name David John Finlay – found stardom in the United States in the mid-1990s, signing with WCW in 1996 at a time when the Georgia-based promotion was winning the “Monday Night Wars” for television ratings with the WWE.
He originally went by the ring name the Belfast Bruiser, before becoming Fit Finlay in 1997 after an injury layoff.
Finlay was a Hardcore and Television Championship winner with WCW before joining the WWE in 2001 when Vince McMahon’s company acquired its greatest rival.
In the WWE, Finlay became a one-time United States champion and was involved in several high-profile storylines. But he also became a trusted figure behind the scenes, working as a trainer and producer.
And it was during a house show – a non-broadcast event – that he was overseeing that he made a faux pas that led to him being fired.
“I was given a lot of leeway and a lot of power in WWE, and that comes with a lot of responsibility,” Finlay told The Sun. “I made a call that caused a storm and I paid for it.
“They play the American national anthem over here before every event. We had Miz going out first and, because it was just before WrestleMania, we were trying to get as much heat on him as possible.
“So my spur-of-the-moment call, as I sat right by the technician, was to tell him to hit Miz’s music while they were half-way through the national anthem.
“Of course, people were up in arms about it, but it was a good reaction as a heel. But there were National Guard people in the building that took exception to it, and I understand that fully.
“It wasn’t intended to insult anybody in that way, it was just part of an entertaining show. That’s what we do, we entertain, it’s about cheers and boos.”
Despite being let go over the incident, Finlay returned to the WWE the following year and he still works for the company as a producer.
