Krule Issues Statement On Fan Incident At Berwyn Eagles Club

Former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Krule - real name Matthew Waters - has issued a statement about the fan incident that took place following a Ruthless Pro Wrestling event on March 28 at the Berwyn Eagles Club in Berwyn, Illinois.

Within the statement, Krule apologised for not quashing the narrative that he was stabbed during the incident. Krule wrote:

"Two weeks ago, I prepared a statement to address this situation. Once I had handled some business that needed to be addressed before releasing, I read what I had written.

"In doing so I felt how disingenuous my original written statement was. Thus, I decided to stop, reassess, and be more open to the public. I am speaking to all of you now not as a character, but as myself.

"During the event, there was an altercation with a fan, whom I had had several incidents with throughout the night, including physically shoving myself during my entrance and another fan who was trying to purchase merchandise after the show. In this moment, I reacted and threw a punch. During that incident, I sustained an injury to my side that once I had returned to the locker room was discovered by staff at Berwyn. I do not know how this injury occurred, only that it occurred during the incident. Staff and wrestlers helped bandage me and tend to the wound. I left and was taken to take a shower and driven to the airport, as I had an early flight the next morning for another booking. I awoke in the airport to calls from my family in tears, 'Did you get stabbed?' I had no idea what was happening, then I saw that story had been put out on social media. To be absolutely clear, I never wanted nor asked that this story be represented as fact nor made public. I was contacted by law enforcement, and I fully cooperated with that process. I was asked if I wanted to pursue an investigation I declined. I told the detective I did not believe I was stabbed, but I had probably fallen on something during the altercation.

"I regret not addressing this immediately and allowing misinformation and assumptions to circulate without clarification. I apologize for not negating the claim to the public. I pride myself in blurring the lines of reality, but I understand this was not one those times.

"Now comes the part of all of this I have struggled with most, throwing a punch. I have been angry, remorseful, and every emotion in-between. However, it finally hit me like a brick wall, I was in the wrong. Regardless of the situation and the things that occurred, it was my job to be a professional. In hindsight, many decisions made differently could have changed the situation's outcome. I could have addressed the situation to management when I knew he was a problem. I could have made the decision not to go sell merch after the show to avoid potential conflict. I could have been a professional and I failed. Thus, I accept full responsibility for everything that occurred. I failed as professional. I have always taken pride in being professional and being a team player with every person I have worked for in my career. I failed and made a bad decision.

"To the wrestlers, fans, and promotions that have been affected by the aftermath of the situation and my bad decision, no words can change what has been done but I do apologize. I have spent more time over these last few weeks hurting emotionally because I hurt each and every one of you. I am sorry. Majority of you don't know me, the person, only as what I portray as a character, but this incident is not a reflection of who I am. I care about professional wrestling more than I've shown through this situation. I will reflect that going forward."

It was first claimed on March 29, one day after the RPW show, that Krule had been stabbed during an altercation with a fan, with the claim being made after video footage of several wrestlers punching a fan was shared on social media by deathmatch wrestler Lou Nixon. It was later claimed to Cultaholic by Lou Nixon that the fan and Krule had issues throughout the night and the fan must have "shanked" Krule after the individual tackled the wrestler following a confrontation at the merchandise table. Mickie Knuckles also claimed there had been a stabbing, going so far as to say where Krule was stabbed, although she later backtracked on those comments and apologised.

There was quickly doubt about if there had been a stabbing, however, with an anonymous source telling Cultaholic on March 29 that there wasn't a stabbing and they believed the story was invented to "save face and to not look bad on the internet." Video footage of the altercation, which later emerged, also showed that Krule threw the first punch following a confrontation with the fan, and he was tackled by the fan as they spilt across the Berwyn Eagles Club. 

A police investigation also confirmed there had not been a stabbing and Krule did not wish to pursue any criminal complaints.

Following the incident, the Berwyn Eagles Club has moved away from hosting pro wrestling events. The final events at the building took place on Friday, April 24 and Sunday, April 26.