Breaking Down WWE's Most Controversial, Shocking Stories for the Week of Sept 22

Hopefully nobody is tired of controversy because Jinder Mahal and WWE SmackDown Live gave it away tenfold.

One week after Vince McMahon's bleeding controversy, wrestling fans have something else to get mad about for a week as fake racism has sparked real outrage.

Mahal has captured national attention for a number of reasons that present him as a likable pillar of diversity in a promotion that has a difficult relationship with that word. Suddenly, he is at the epicenter of a controversy that implicates his persona as a heel.

Jinder Mahal's Fake Racist Promo Draws Chants of "That's Too Far!"

Jinder Mahal shocked and appalled Tuesday night on SmackDown Live as fans and media once again chose the wrong type of racism to get upset about.

Mahal's comments were in bad taste and the segment wasn't particularly strong, but scripted racism from a heel whose intent is to antagonize an audience is far less damaging than WWE's more institutionalized racial inequalities, which work to marginalize minorities.

There still hasn't been a black WWE champion (don't talk to me about The Rock or any secondary world titles). WWE still unabashedly groups talent together when they're the same ethnicity. White people are still 20-1 in Money in the Bank. There's still no executive leadership behind the scenes when it comes to people of color.

Pat Patterson, Kevin Dunn, Michael P.S. Hayes, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Brian James are well-known names that describe Vince McMahon's inner circle.

Where's the minority representation? More importantly, where's the Washington Post article bringing this to light?

Does it always have to be me?

The Mahal promo is merely a distraction from racial inequities that stretch far beyond what will end up being trivial and forgettable performance art.

WWE to Bring Back Starrcade

WWE announced it will bring back Starrcade, a popular WCW staple and the rival promotion's answer to WrestleMania, on November 25. It'll be interesting to see if WWE goes all-in and makes this a live special on the WWE Network or simply produces a themed show with a nod to pro wrestling nostalgia.

Starrcade is one of many franchises that could generate interest in WWE pay-per-views, while potentially expanding a base of subscribers that has hit a wall at 1.6 million.

Halloween Havoc, Slamboree and War Games all represent superior choices to themes like Great Balls of Fire, which ironically was a more dated theme than any WCW pay-per-view.

Hopefully the Starrcade experiment winds up being a success that will allow WWE to revive other previously popular pay-per-view franchises.

Braun Strowman Destroys Enzo Amore and Probably the Cruiserweight Division

Enzo Amore continues to get the short end of the stick as WWE used him as Braun Strowman's personal rag doll. Strowman's incredible strength and entertaining dominance were put on display against Enzo in ways that hearkened back to the first few months of his monster push against guys like James Ellsworth.

Amore, who will challenge Neville for a Cruiserweight Championship we've all been told he doesn't deserve, has backstage heat, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc).

Amore's backstage issues have continued to cut into his popularity while distracting WWE from capitalizing on one of the few organically popular and marketable babyfaces it has.

Between Bayley and Enzo, there can no longer be such a thing as a sure thing when a rising NXT prospect makes the jump to the main roster. But if you're nervous about Asuka coming to Raw, you shouldn't be.

You should be terrified.

WWE Pays Tribute to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan on Raw

Bobby Heenan was honored Monday on Raw through a series of tweets, video packages and personal tributes from announcers.

WWE lost a legend who was a cog in the wheel of its success in the 1980s, and Heenan's ability to act as a heat-seeking heel who knew how to fill an arena with fans who loathed him is a lost art.

It's tough to get a read on who will get what type of eulogy given WWE's complex political structure and, let's face it, history of pettiness. But Heenan was clearly a beloved figure both in and out of the ring whose on-air obituary was a tasteful send-off to a true Hall of Famer.

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.