WWE has recently released a series of promos hyping Superstar Lacey Evans and showcasing her impressive use of a conical WWE finisher: the Cobra Clutch. Evans is ready for her “next mission” which is to conquer the women of knock down, but before she can take on them, she may have to overcome a WWE Legendary Character first. Sergeant Slaughter himself recently took to social media in a startling manner in response to Evans using his famous Cobra Clutch as a finisher and had quite a bit to say.
Sergeant Slaughter is a name well known to fans of the classic WWE eras. The WWE Hall of Famer was known for his militaristic gimmicks, navigating the ring and wrestling in a Navy uniform. was slaughtered Twitter quite a bit in the days following the last WWE promo for Evans, in which she used the finishing move in question. Check out one of the many videos below promoting Evans’ repackaging as a military-trained wrestler:
Fan reaction to Lacey Evans’ repackaging has been largely positive online, at least for those whose names don’t rhyme with Gwargent Clawter. The camo-wearing wrestler, real name Robert Remus, posted a series of tweets suggesting he wasn’t happy that WWE turned his finisher over to Evans because he wasn’t personally asked to donate the Cobra Clutch use. Here’s how he reacted to a fan’s post:
I like Lacy WHO? It’s easy to use my “infamous” COBRA🐍CLUTCH without consulting ME and getting my permission, that’s very very disrespectful🫵🏻 At least let me show and train you how to do the most decorated finishing maneuver in the history of pro wrestling🫡January 8, 2023
Some fans expressed what appeared to be genuine surprise that Sgt. Slaughter was not contacted by Lacey Evans about using the Cobra Clutch and thus found the move disrespectful. Slaughter seemed to think the same thing with his amusing first-person post, but noted in another message that it’s not that unique to him and the current situation. This is how he put it:
Respect has left our once well respected business. Many legends have rolled in their graves in recent years 💪🏻
Sergeant Slaughter might feel like he was disrespected by Lacey Evans for not asking his permission to use the Cobra Clutch, but it’s not exactly uncommon in the industry at large, with only a limited number of finishers. Kevin Owens, for example, asked Stone Cold Steve Austin’s permission to use the stunner as a finisher, while Ric Flair (a well-known colleague of Slaughter) raised hell when Becky Lynch took over as “The Man” after selling him had the WWE. So it can go in all directions.
It seems that Sgt. Slaughter is upset that he wasn’t asked by Lacey Evans to use his finisher, but he may be willing to sweep this under the rug. A recent tweet sent by the wrestler to Evans suggested that he hopes to be involved in her repackaging in some way and might even teach her proper technique for the move:
Listen Maggot ”Imitation is the highest form of flattery”🫡DO NOT take a prisoner Navy & this is an order🫵🏻Stop by Camp Slaughter MOS 5811 if YOU dare👊🏻If YOU make it past my sentry post💪🏻I’ll drill YOU into the hole @_SgtSlaughter Annihilation version of MY Cobra🐍ClutchJanuary 9, 2023
It’s understandable why Sgt. Slaughter might want to be involved in Lacey Evans’ upcoming performance knock down plot, although it may be a sign that he wasn’t asked at all. It’s worth noting that Evans actually served in the Marines before joining WWE, and Sgt. Slaughter has never served in the military, so she’s kind of at an advantage here, especially when it comes to rightfully calling others maggots.
Furthermore, Sgt. Slaughter has faced accusations of “stolen bravery” over the years for being a civilian claiming to have served in the military, despite being widely viewed as a character player. Despite this, Bret “The Hitman” Hart Slaughter accused Slaughter of exactly that in a book, with Remus having claimed he served in previous interviews (via WrestlingInc.com), albeit without exhaustive proof. Since Evans actually served in the military, it’s possible that the WWE decided to use Sgt. Slaughter for the storyline and decided to instead rely on her real-world experiences as a gimmick.
I can also think of a scenario where all of these tweets set up a future collaboration between the two, so we’ll just have to wait and see if the couple gets together at an upcoming WWE event. The funny thing about WWE is that it always feels like a guessing game. So who knows what’s real and what’s in the script in this latest online tirade from a WWE Legend?
Sergeant Slaughter is no longer an active wrestler with WWE, but anyone with a Peacock Premium subscription can rewatch some of his biggest matches. With the WrestleMania season in full swing, now is the perfect time to revisit the best matches of the past.
