Fuming WWE wrestler threatens to punch TV host after on-air joke takes a turn

We've all made a joke that didn't quite land well with our audience...but if you're around a WWE wrestler, it might be best to save your controversial attempts at comedy for another time.

SmackDown star Grayson Waller wasn't too impressed by the puns made by presenters on Australia's Sunrise breakfast show - and he certainly wasn't shy about showing he was ready to rumble.

Take a look at the tense chat here:

The 33-year-old was sat down alongside fellow WWE star, LA Knight, while chatting to hosts Matt Doran and Natalie Barr about his upcoming premium live event Elimination Chamber: Perth, which takes place on 24 February, 2024.

The conversation was going fairly normally, but the beauty of live TV is that anything can happen - including a wrestler squaring up to a member of the production crew.

Barr had asked the pair whether they could wrap up the segment by showing viewers their 'signature finishing moves' in the studio, which immediately didn't sit well with either of them.

LA Knight, real name Shaun Ricker, responded: "What you just showed on the screen there? If I do that, it's not going to be a good day for anybody. That's not for me."

Sunrise/Seven Network

Barr and Doran continued to press the topic though and volunteered their floor manager to take on one of the WWE stars, joking that he was 'leaving this week' so he may as well go out with a bang.

The departing staff member then walked into the shot and started shadow-boxing as he walked towards Waller and Knight, while trying to antagonise the unamused pair.

Pro wrestler Waller - real name Matthew Farrelly - wasn't about to take the trash talk sitting down though, and the tension in the room suddenly escalated - stunning viewers were watching at home.

He responded: "I don’t think you understand. If I come over there we are going to have the police here because I’m not going to give you some fake punch. I am going to punch you straight in the jaw.

"The disrespect you have even talking to me – no, you want to talk to me like this and say this ain’t real? Don’t act all tough, lad, don’t act all tough… we don’t mess around with that!"

Sunrise/Seven Network

Doran bounded to his feet in a bid to get in between Waller and the floor manager, with the latter continuing to awkwardly try and square up to the wrestler, before eventually being shoved to the side.

Waller was equally unhappy with the host though despite his attempts to defuse the situation, as he added: "You too Matt, you two come here and try disrespect us. You're alright Nat, no we love you."

Put it this way, Australia's finest wrestlers had a face like a wet weekend by the end of it.

Knight managed to keep a cool head throughout the exchange though and kicked back on the sofa alongside Barr as the chaos unfolded in front of them.

It seemed producers at Sunrise weren't too bothered about flaring tempers further though, as they played John Cena's iconic walkout song 'You Can't See Me', while the on-air ruckus was going on.

Iconic, really. And I couldn't think of a more fitting occasion.

If you're wondering what Waller's signature move is by the way, apparently it's a 'Sit-Out Fireman's Launching Slam'. I mean if the verbal brawl had got to that stage, I bet it would have been TV gold.