Max Caster has already apologized for how everything played out at TNA Bound For Glory, but not everyone thinks the former AEW star should be carrying all the blame. Jonathan Coachman believes TNA dropped the ball too, and he’s wondering how the company let the whole thing happen in the first place.
Speaking on The TwoCount, Coachman and JDfromNY looked back at Caster’s controversial debut, where he referenced the deadly attack in Riyadh during his entrance rap before ultimately being fired by TNA. While both agreed Caster crossed the line, they also argued TNA should have stepped in long before he ever walked through the curtain.
JDfromNY said Caster should have known better, especially considering TNA’s relationship with WWE and WWE’s business ties to Saudi Arabia. At the same time, he questioned why nobody backstage reviewed the material beforehand.
“The Max Caster situation should have never happened. First of all, he got fired from TNA one appearance. I think they made the right decision, but it never should have gotten to that point anyway… Read the f***ing room. That’s not the right thing to say.”
He then shifted the focus to TNA’s side of the situation, saying someone in management should have caught the line before it ever made air.
“Secondly, TNA should have known what he was going to go out there and say before he went out there and said it. Where’s the producer? Where’s Carlos Silva?… Max Caster is to blame, but TNA… is just as to blame as Max Caster because they didn’t do their due diligence.”
Coachman agreed without hesitation. Drawing on his years in WWE, he said something like this would’ve almost certainly been caught because major shows go through multiple levels of approval before anyone steps in front of the cameras.
“10,000%. And this is what happens when you’re scrambling to produce a show that’s bigger… There’s got to be somebody below him.”
Coachman also addressed Caster’s recent Instagram statement. While he appreciated that Caster apologized to TNA and the people who gave him the opportunity, he said entertainers still have to know when they’ve crossed a line.
“Caster put out an apology this morning… But then he doubled down… ‘I just try to be entertaining, and for that I will never apologize.’ And I would tell Max… you’ve got to understand what’s entertaining and what crosses the line.”
The former WWE personality then explained why he believes TNA shares responsibility. According to Coachman, promos, raps and other live performances are normally rehearsed and signed off on well before a show begins. He pointed to everything from John Cena’s early raps to R-Truth’s performances and even appearances by bands like Limp Bizkit as examples of material that was always rehearsed first.
“When I was in WWE, everything that went on the show… it got okayed by multiple people… And if you’re going to do a walking rap… that person would have been like, ‘Take that line out,’ and it never leaves this room. Everybody rehearses… That’s called performing.”
His comments come just a day after TNA publicly accepted responsibility for allowing the segment to air, apologized to those affected, removed the footage from future broadcasts and confirmed that Caster would no longer wrestle for the company. Now, while Caster has accepted his own role in the controversy, Coachman believes the incident also exposed major issues with TNA’s production process and oversight behind the scenes.
Do you agree with Coachman that TNA shares responsibility for what happened, or should all the blame stay with Max Caster? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
