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Sgt. Slaughter is still upset about the Lacey Evans/Cobra Clutch thing

Posted: Jun 29th 2023 By: Sean Rueter

WWE’s most recent attempt to make Lacey Evans happen has included playing up her real-life military background, including adopting Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter’s Cobra Clutch submission finisher.

This does not sit well with Slaughter (or his daughter).

Evans isn’t getting much of a push this time around. She’s done sub-three minute jobs for people WWE is pushing (Zelina Vega and Charlotte Flair) in her two television appearances this month. But Sarge wouldn’t know that, as he told Bill Apter he stopped watching SmackDown because neither Lacey or anyone in WWE creative reached out to get his okay to use the Camel Clutch.

“I don’t watch it [WWE] as much as I did, cause I’m a little upset — I watch more Raw because SmackDown has Lacey on it. I don’t want to get — it doesn’t upset me because I know she can’t put a Cobra Clutch on like I do, but it’s just the thought that she’s using a move without — at least I would think the writer or somebody would call me up and say, ‘Hey, you mind if we use the Cobra Clutch?’

“Or maybe call it something else because [Ted] DiBiase [Sr.] brought it in when I was gone with G.I. Joe and he used it as the Million Dollar Dream, the Cobra Clutch was the Million Dollar Dream. She could have maybe come up with another name of it, but just to call it the Cobra Clutch — I had to end up using the Camel Clutch when I came back [in 1990] because DiBiase was using my hold. So I asked Khosrow [Iron Sheik], I said ‘Is it okay if I use your move?’ And he said, ‘Yes, Sergeant, it would be an honor for you to use that.’

“That’s the way the business was. You respected your talent, and the people that you worked with. I never would have used it unless he said yes, use it, because he’s the one who made it famous.”

Despite his protestations, it does seem to upset Slaughter — he brought the topic up himself during a long answer about the lack of psychology in today’s product and acts he enjoys watching despite that.

And while maybe he should “get over it”, it wouldn’t be too hard for somebody to pick up the phone to smooth things over with the long-time WWE employee.