Ahead of WWE Elimination Chamber, the United States and Canadian national anthems were performed, with the crowd in Toronto booing the former. During the Premium Live Event, Logan Paul attempted to earn heat by arriving with the stars and stripes and was again booed.
On the post-show press conference, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque addressed the situation when showing his gratitude to those in the Rogers Centre for being loud throughout the evening.
“The fans here are always loud, come to have a good time and support their favorites, or boo our flag or whatever, they love doing it. So thank you very much.”
The fans in Toronto’s frosty reception to the U.S. flag and anthem comes amid President Trump’s efforts to rile up the Great White North. Trump has repeatedly referred to Canada as a 51st state in waiting, despite the insistence by Canadians that their country will not join the U.S. A clip of Canadians booing the U.S. National Anthem at a hockey game recently went viral, which may have fuelled WWE’s decision to lean into the ongoing drama.
WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto will be remembered for decades, if for nothing else, for the shocking heel turn of John Cena. While fans in Toronto made their feelings on the U.S. (or specifically, Trump’s rhetoric) loud and clear in the Rogers Centre, the show was able to entertain and shock fans around the world.
