AEW Announcer Fired For Mocking Top Star

This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite aired in a special time slot on Friday night, and a special celebration was held for AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida who was presented with a new belt during the show.

During the broadcast on FITE TV Spanish language announcer Willie Urbana was apparently unaware that his microphone was on, and he mocked Hikaru Shida’s accent while talking to the other announcers about who would translate her promo.

Alex Abrahantes: “Do Shida.” (As in translate her promo)

Willie Urbina: Speaks incoherently using a stereotypical accent.

Thunder Rosa: “Shut up, holy crap!” (Laughs)

Willie Urbina: Continues on with accent.

Thunder Rosa: “I will throw the pen at you if you don’t stop.” (Said in a joking manner)

Dasha Kuret: “Stop it! You are mean.” (Seemingly addressing Urbina, sounding crossed about it)

The exchange apparently took place during the commercial break, but could still be heard on the FITE TV broadcast.

The conversation did not go over well once the clip made its way to social media, and PWInsider is now reporting that Willie Urbina has been released from All Elite Wrestling.

Willie Urbina got his start working for IWA Puerto Rico and Carlos Colon’s World Wrestling Council. He also worked for Impact Wrestling from 2006-2014 and did some work for New Japan.

Hugo Savinovich also addressed the private conversation with a tweet on the Lucha Libre Online account. The tweet has since been deleted, but originally read as follows:

“A friendly reminder to our friends at the Spanish commentary table of #AEW dynamite that while they are on commercial breaks, all the private conversation they are having is heard on FITE TV.

That the microphones were open is not the fault of the commenters. Our intention was only to warn them and they have already managed to close the microphones for the commercial breaks. It was a production error. In fact, I noticed it when I switched the language to Spanish in the second hour.”

H/T Fightful