Michael Elgin Claims Fear of Backlash Keeps Wrestlers From Defending Him

Michael Elgin knows he’s become a polarizing name in pro wrestling—but he says the silence from fellow wrestlers doesn’t mean they don’t respect him. It just means they’re afraid to show it.

During his appearance on Duke Loves Rasslin, Elgin revealed that many wrestlers still follow him and reach out for help or advice—but won’t associate with him publicly out of fear of online backlash.

“There’s wrestlers that don’t necessarily talk about me, but that’s not because we don’t talk privately or we’re not friends privately. I understand that online presence is important in professional wrestling.”

Instead of calling them out individually, Elgin explained that he doesn’t expect anyone to put their career at risk by defending him publicly—even if they know the truth.

“I’m not going to ask anybody to go out of their way to say something positive about me if it’s going to harm them. What’s the good in that?”

Still, Elgin sees the hypocrisy in the situation. People who’ve never spent time with him feel emboldened to attack him online, while those who’ve trained with him, worked with him, and learned from him remain silent.

“When you see somebody say those things or ignore, they’re not the people that ever spent any time around me. So how would they know better?”

He also took aim at fans and peers who question why some wrestlers still follow him on social media.

“I literally saw a tweet the other day that was like, ‘It’s sad how many wrestlers still follow him.’ It’s like, well, there’s a reason why they still follow me—’cause I’m knowledgeable. Because I do want to give back. And when they want advice or want somebody to check something out, they know I’m going to be honest and offer a different perspective that helps them.”

For Elgin, the real frustration comes not just from the accusations—but from being iced out publicly by a business that once embraced him. He says the only reason people don’t speak out is fear, not facts.

“The people that know me know who I am. The people that don’t are going to champion tweets and personalities that never spent time with me or had the decency to hear my side.”

Whether you support Elgin or not, he’s made it clear: behind closed doors, the support is real—but the fear of social media keeps it there.

What do you think? Should wrestlers speak up for people they know privately, even if it’s unpopular online? Or is staying silent the smarter move in today’s wrestling climate? Let us know in the comments.

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