A new report has indicated WWE was frustrated over censorship during the FOX broadcast of “WWE SmackDown” on Friday, June 28. Many fans took to social media during the show to bemoan the censorship throughout the night, with transmission muted and cut-off to censor expletives picked up in audio. 

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After which, Fightful Select has reported that several within WWE indicated they were frustrated over the censorship, with one longtime talent reportedly looking forward to the impending move to USA Network quoted as saying, “it’s a chore to watch sometimes. I understand censoring ‘f**k the Pacers,’ but it feels like every segment is edited and it makes us look like it’s our production.”

Several expletives were censored during the match between Logan Paul, LA Knight, and Santos Escobar to qualify for the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Paul was joined by Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton for the bout, who attempted to retrieve Paul’s signature brass knuckles to win the bout. However, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks jumped the guardrail from his front-row seat to balance the odds. The confusion allowed for Knight to pin Paul to qualify for Money in the Bank, but there was an audible “F**k the Pacers” chant levied towards Haliburton. Elsewhere, the screen cut to black during Nia Jax’s entrance, aiming to censor what appeared to be a child flipping the bird in the audience. “SmackDown” will be moving to USA Network on September 13, with WWE’s broadcasting deal with FOX due to expire directly beforehand.

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