An avid fan of combat sports, Dan Hurley was in his element sitting ringside at WWE Monday Night Raw in Hartford.
The UConn men’s basketball head coach got a break from recruiting and spent his Monday night back in the XL Center, where his team went undefeated before winning a second consecutive national title last month. He was joined just outside the ring by his wife Andrea, recently graduated son Andrew and assistant coach Tom Moore.
Hurley, who brought the 2022-23 team to UFC headquarters in Las Vegas before its Sweet 16 matchup in last year’s NCAA Tournament, met World Tag Team champions Awesome Truth — composed of R-Truth (Ron Killings) and The Miz (Mike Mizanin) — in the tunnel and was challenged to get the team in the ring.
CHAMPION vs. CHAMPION … The Awesome Truth vs. @UConnHuskies?!
What say you, @dhurley15?#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/2O6qalopWW
— WWE (@WWE) May 7, 2024
“Why Awesome Truth can’t face UConn?” said R-Truth, with his championship belt draped over his shoulder, after The Miz told him not to agree to another title match. “Miz, Coach here is part of a small wrestling promotion, independent, they’re called NCAA. They’re small-time, but they’re the dogs!”
“Truth, I told you. We’re the Huskies,” Hurley interjected.
“A sport’s a sport!” Truth answered after The Miz reminded him that Hurley coaches a basketball team. “And in trying times like these, I’m sure we all can agree.”
Hurley stood there chuckling as UConn chants broke out in the arena, where fans watched the bit on the video board.
It was the 16th time and the third year in a row that the WWE, which has its global headquarters in Stamford, brought Monday Night Raw to Hartford. Raw, which first aired on January 11, 1993, came to the then-Hartford Civic Center for the first time in January 1997.
Monday’s event featured WWE superstars like CM Punk, Becky Lynch and Triple H, who Hurley posed for a photo with.
Excited to have Coach @dhurley15 representing 2024 @NCAA Champions @UConnMBB at #WWERaw in Hartford tonight. Get ready to experience a big night on the red brand. pic.twitter.com/GT8No3dFT5
— Triple H (@TripleH) May 7, 2024
