Kongo Kong Outed During #SpeakingOut Movement, Kong Responds

By
PWMania.com Staff
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Indy wrestler Kyle Boone made the following accusations towards former Impact Wrestling star Kongo Kong:

“When I was 19 and very new in the wrestling industry, I was part of a match involving Kongo Kong. It was only my 5th show, and I messed up a small spot. When we got to the back, he scolded me and told me how badly I had screwed up and I felt terrible. I tucked my tail between my legs and went out to sell merch during intermission for the very first time, because I had just gotten my own shirts. I sold my first shirt that day. I was so happy that someone would want to buy something with my name on it.

I went to the back, and Kong started yelling at me a second time. He was upset because I went out during intermission and didn’t stay in the back to sell his chokeslam. He then demanded that I gave him all of the money I had made. I explained that this was my first time selling merch, and he responded with ‘either show me your dick, or give me the money you made off of your merch.’

I tried to joke with him to ease the tension, but he stood there with his hands out and repeated that I had to choose, ‘dick or money’ in front of the entire locker room. People were watching, laughing, and egging this on, as it went on for roughly 20 minutes. I never thought in my life I’d be in a position where I had to choose between showing someone my dick or giving them money. I had heard stories about how these situations panned out, and I didn’t want to come off as a ‘bitch’ to the locker room or risk not getting booked again, so eventually I turned my head, closed my eyes, and opened my tights. He scoffed and said he didn’t see it, and demanded I still hand him my money anyway, so I did, hoping that this would finally be over with.

At the end of the show, I was also booked to be a part of a rumble. I was so thankful when my name was called, because I had been in this position for over half an hour and I couldn’t wait to leave the locker room. After I was eliminated, I returned to the back and Kong approached me again, upset that I wasn’t selling his chokeslam from over an hour earlier. I apologized and said that I should’ve known better, but he said that he didn’t care and that when the promoter paid me that night, I was to hand over my money to him. I was holding back tears at this point.

When I got paid, he made me hand over my money, and then he made a bunch of the people I train with hand over their money as well. After that, he demanded I go pack up all of his merch and bring it to him, which I did. He then said I had to apologize to him, and by the end of it all, I was on my knees begging him for forgiveness as I started to tear up. I was sad, humiliated, and defeated. He handed our money back and I walked away.

I will never love wrestling quite how I used to, and I feel like I won’t be the same ever again after that. I can’t talk about it seriously without shaking and tearing up, so when I tell this story to someone who hasn’t heard it, I try and play it off like a joke, despite the fact that it really f***ed me up emotionally. When I mention to people that I think it’s f***ed up situation, they usually say something like ‘he was probably just joking’ and when people that were there retell the story, it’s ‘haha, remember that time Kong f***ed with Kyle?’ and I’ve just had to roll with it.

But what if I was a girl? Would it have been ‘just a joke’ then? It’s easy for men to say that they’re going to react differently, or fight off someone who does that shit or whatever, but here is a guy with 2 feet and 300Ibs on me — now what? Dudes will say that something like this wouldn’t affect them, but you never really understand what it feels like until it happens to you.

Sharing this story is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I had to consider my career, my bookings, and how people who perceive me because of it. I’ve been told countless times to get tougher skin since I started wrestling, but to me, having thick skin means being prepared to take the backlash from this post. I’m not laughing it off anymore. I want to be someone who can make things change for the better.”

Kong issued a response to Boone:

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