Lars Sullivan has stirred up major controversy on social media once again. The former WWE Superstar inserted himself into the recent backlash surrounding Dustin Rhodes by posting an openly anti-Muslim statement.
On his X account, Sullivan declared that “it’s ok to be islamophobic” and added that Muslims living in the United States should assimilate into American culture.
“It’s ok to be islamophobic. There are something like 57 muslim countries. Go there if you love it so much. If you’re in America, assimilate. Cry about it”
Lars Sullivan burner account @LarsSWWE Follow Sullivan’s post came just hours after Dustin Rhodes drew heavy criticism for reacting with heart and “rock on” emojis to a post that read “Hey ISLAM, come at take it. I dare ya.” and featured a woman holding a gun. Mustafa Ali was among the pro wrestling figures who publicly called out Rhodes.
Rhodes later deleted his reaction and issued an apology. The AEW veteran said he had liked the photo without reading the caption and insisted he didn’t agree with the message. Ali accepted the apology but cautioned about the dangers of normalizing rhetoric targeting specific groups.
Sullivan’s comments carry additional weight given his history. In 2019, while he was still under WWE contract, old racist, homophobic, sexist, and anti-Muslim posts he had made on internet forums resurfaced.
WWE fined Sullivan $100,000 at the time, required him to undergo sensitivity training, and arranged meetings with community organizations. Sullivan apologized and claimed those old posts no longer reflected his beliefs.
Sullivan left WWE in January 2021. Shortly after his departure, he revealed he was dealing with severe anxiety issues and said he had likely ended his pro wrestling career