From suspending Drew McIntyre to fining Bronson Reed, Adam Pearce hasn’t hesitated to punish WWE Superstars for their controversial actions inside and outside of the ring.
Bronson Reed Was Fined for Tossing a Fan at Braun Strowman
Bronson Reed, also known as Auszilla, has made a name for himself with his Tsunami Splash. But on the September 16, 2024, episode of RAW, he took things too far. During an intense match with Braun Strowman, Reed picked up a ringside fan and hurled it at The Monster Among Men.
Pearce didn’t let the incident slide. He hit Reed with a public fine. Despite the punishment, Reed kept his momentum, battling Strowman in a brutal Last Monster Standing Match before suffering an injury at Survivor Series in November.
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Brock Lesnar Got Suspended and Then F-5'd Adam Pearce
Brock Lesnar’s post-match actions are the stuff of legend, but what happened after Crown Jewel 2021 pushed limits. After losing at the live event, Lesnar went out of bounds, attacking The Bloodline, officials, and anyone in his path.
Adam Pearce, then overseeing both RAW and SmackDown, made a decision and he suspended The Beast. Lesnar stormed back and made Pearce pay, delivering not one but two F-5s to the GM. Pearce stuck by his decision publicly, but he didn’t enjoy being on the receiving end of Lesnar's rage.
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Bobby Lashley Was Fired on Live Television
Bobby Lashley may be in AEW now, but in 2022, he was all WWE. On the December 12 episode of RAW, Lashley lost to Seth Rollins, largely due to an altercation with a referee. Lashley wasn't having it. He went after the official and shoved another referee who tried to intervene.
Pearce rushed to the ring, only to get shoved himself. That was it. In front of the entire WWE Universe, Pearce fired Lashley on the spot. Lashley was reinstated later. Still, for a moment, the former WWE Champion was out.
Drew McIntyre Was Fined and Suspended After Lashing Out
Drew McIntyre’s 2024 Money in the Bank should have been a career-high. He won the briefcase, but his attempted cash-in was ruined by CM Punk. Furious, McIntyre lost control backstage.
He confronted Adam Pearce during the post-show fallout, and in the chaos, unintentionally elbowed the GM in the face. Pearce slapped The Scottish Warrior with both a fine and a suspension.
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Gunther Was Suspended After Choking Out Pat McAfee
Gunther’s record-setting dominance came to a halt at WrestleMania when he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Jey Uso. But what followed on RAW might’ve been even more shocking. The Ring General took his frustration out on the commentary team.
After exchanging words with Pat McAfee and Michael Cole, Gunther snapped. He choked out McAfee in front of a live audience. Adam Pearce wasn’t going to let that slide. He suspended Gunther indefinitely.
