Wrestling fans in New York and New Jersey seem eager to give Pacers star Tyrese Halliburton a tough time, and he embraced his role as a villain during WWE’s SummerSlam at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
A self-proclaimed wrestling fan, Halliburton was present on the second night of the event in Meadowlands, even while recovering from recent surgery for a torn Achilles tendon.
Due to the rivalry between the Knicks and the Pacers, he became a target of disdain among many New York sports enthusiasts. When his image flashed on the video board, the crowd responded as expected.
He seemed to enjoy the reaction.
With a big smile, he rubbed his hands together, clearly relishing the boos that erupted. He gestured with his arms to amplify the crowd’s response, and WWE announcer Michael Cole remarked on Halliburton’s presence, prompting him to respond with, “I love you too.”
“Yes, yes!” Halliburton cheered, fully embracing the moment.
This wasn’t his only encounter with the crowd’s jeers that night. Another clip captured him making his way down the stadium aisle toward his seat, where the boos were evident.
As the event unfolded, Halliburton got more involved, especially when Cody Rhodes and John Cena were competing for the prestigious WWE Championship. Cena even pointedly made the “You can’t see me” gesture toward Halliburton, who was seated front-row.
Earlier this year, Halliburton played a pivotal role in helping the Pacers overcome the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, making him one of the most disliked figures among local sports fans.
His so-called game-winning 3-pointer celebration during Game 1 turned out to be a bit premature when it resulted in just a two-point basket at the buzzer.
Interestingly, Giants quarterback Russell Wilson was also at SummerSlam and joined in on the booing.
