Wayne Rooney SLAPS Wade Barrett at WWE RAW after 6ft 7in wrestler trash talks Manchester United superstar from the ring

Wayne Rooney attended RAW with former Manchester United team-mates Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher
Rooney took his six-year-old son, Kai, to the wrestling at the Manchester Arena on Monday night
Manchester United striker was called out by Wade Barrett who goaded him from the big screen
England international called the 6ft 7in behemoth down to ringside before theatrically slapping him to the floor
The pair have previous after Preston fan Wade criticised the striker for diving to win a penalty in a FA Cup defeat

Published:
23:56 GMT, 9 November 2015

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Updated:
02:27 GMT, 10 November 2015

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Louis van Gaal, look away now. Wayne Rooney put a brash 6ft 7in WWE superstar firmly in his place by hitting him in front of thousands of fans at the Manchester Arena on Monday night.

The Manchester United and England captain attended the Raw show along with Old Trafford No 2 Ryan Giggs and former team-mate, now at West Bromwich Albion, Darren Fletcher.

The trio were pictured backstage before the event, smiling alongside former World Wrestling Entertainment champion John Bradfield Layfield.

Wayne Rooney lands a theatrical slap on Wade Barrett after being called out by the wrestler at WWE RAW in Manchester

Rooney poses with former team-mates Ryan Giggs (2nd left) and Darren Fletcher (right) and ex-WWE champion John Bradfield Layfield

The England captain jokingly challenges Barrett to come down and fight him from his seat at ringside in Manchester

Barrett has previous with Rooney after accusing the striker of diving to win a penalty against his team Preston in last year’s FA Cup

But things soon turned ‘heated’ for Rooney as he arrived at his ringside seats with his six-year-old son, Kai.

After spotting the record England goalscorer in the front row, Manchester-wrestler Wade Barrett attempted to humiliate the 30-year-old striker on the microphone.

Behemoth Barrett, 35, goaded the England international, saying: ‘In this ring are two men who can be easily be described as championship material. Which is, of course, more than can be said of Wayne Rooney and Manchester United.’

Barrett then made his insult personal as he made reference to Rooney’s eldest son.

He sneered: ‘I’d hate for your little boy to sit there and watch his own father fail. Because let’s face it, he gets to experience that every single time you step on a football pitch.’

The rant prompted Rooney to rise from his chair and challenge the one-time bare knuckle boxer Barrett to a fight. And moments later the pair came to blows with Rooney landing a thumping slap across the wrestler’s face.

The frenzied Manchester crowd chanted Rooney’s name as the striker’s blow left Barrett sprawling on the floor. The incident – true to professional wrestling – was of course scripted and England skipper Rooney ‘revelled’ his role.

Afterwards, Barrett tweeted: ‘I’m heading to Old Trafford early tomorrow morning. I hope @WayneRooney has the guts to meet me there.’ He then added: ‘Does anyone have Phil Bardsley’s phone number?’

England striker Rooney is all smiles as he poses with his young son Kai on his Instagram account earlier on Monday

A WWE source, speaking to Sportsmail, said: ‘It was brilliant. Wayne was in great spirits before the event and he happily agreed to take part in the stunt with Wade Barrett. The fans absolutely loved it and I’m sure his son Kai would have enjoyed it too.’

Rooney, of course, is no stranger to ‘pretend’ fighting after a video of him apparently being knocked out by Phil Bardsley went viral in March.

And Monday’s incident in Manchester was a culmination of a previous row between the pair on Twitter, dating back to last February when Barrett (whose real name is Stu Bennett) cited Rooney for ‘diving’ during a FA Cup clash against his beloved Preston North End.

Does anyone have Phil Bardsley’s phone number?

— Stu Bennett (@WadeBarrett) November 10, 2015

‘How about that @WayneRooney dive vs @PNEFC?’ Wade tweeted at the time to his legion of over one million followers.

‘He won’t need to dive when I catch up with him. #BullHammer #BNB.’

Rooney attempted to diffuse the situation by claiming he would bring in WWE Heavyweight Champion ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin to help him out, saying: ‘@WadeBarrett ill get stone cold Steve Austin out of retirement for you. Haha’.

In true WWE fashion, CEO Vince McMahon then offered to stage a tag team bout with Rooney and Austin taking on Barrett and, now retired Preston striker, Kevin Davies.

‘.@WayneRooney you and @steveaustinBSR Vs me and @Kevin__Davies at Wrestlemania in 6 weeks. Get it booked @VinceMcMahon,’ he said.

Austin, a retired former WWE champion with over three million followers on Twitter, made a late entrance to the conversation by telling Rooney: ‘Embrace the baldness. And that’s the bottom line…’

Rooney is no stranger to ‘pretend’ fighting after a video of him supposedly being knocked out by Phil Bardsley went viral in March

The Manchester United striker responded to the uproar by staging a ‘knockout’ goal celebration against Tottenham Hotspur

England manager Roy Hodgson will be hoping Rooney can take aim in Friday’s international against Spain in Alicante.

Rooney has managed just two Premier League goals this season but club boss Van Gaal has backed him get through his drought.

‘I still have confidence in Rooney,’ said the Dutchman recently.

‘He is a fantastic player but the expectation (on him) is much higher than any other player at another club. You have to also give players time to come back in a certain shape and that is what we are doing.’

The WWE, meanwhile, conclude their 10-day tour of the UK in Minehead this weekend.