Night Of Champions Fan Speaks: Why He Did It; How He Beat Security

On March 30, the day after WrestleMania 31, Oscar Ramirez boarded a Greyhound bus in Houston, Texas.

Source: Facebook

Just over 44 hours later, he arrived at his destination – WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

What happened next? He didn’t say. All he wrote on his Facebook was, “WWE did not welcome me when I went to them. Maybe things will b difrent wen they go to MY HOUSE. June 2nd.”

I even asked him myself.

“Like I said…. These are tests, and I’m down for whatever.”

I chatted online with Oscar Ramirez for nearly an hour, but I don’t feel any closer to understanding why he jumped a security barricade and got into the ring during WWE’s Night Of Champions event Sunday.

“It is just a test to see how far I would go or what lengths I would go to for the WWE Universe.”

I know that his reference on Facebook to June 2 was not random. WWE held a SmackDown taping that night at the Toyota Center in Houston. Ramirez was there, but apparently failed to accomplish what he’d set out to do.

I know Oscar Ramirez is 37 years old. He lives in Houston. He’s a father, but he’s never been married. He’s a WWE fan, but that’s not what inspired him to break the law on live television. He told me it’s all about his son.

“They think I’m following a dream but I’m actually in the middle of training my son. (Being in WWE is) his dream. He’s a bigger fan than I am.”

Ramirez was preparing in advance for his “test” at Night Of Champions.

Ramirez had good seats. On the floor – Section D, Row 7.

Oscar Ramirez’ seat at Night Of Champions was in Section D, Row 7

He told me he’d never jumped a barricade at a WWE show before, but security made it easy.

“They moved out of my way. Thanks to the people at the Toyota Center for conveniently NOT being around WHEN I jumped. There was no one in sight.”

Oscar Ramirez made his move.

He stood in a WWE ring, face to face with Roman Reigns, for no more than a few seconds before security personnel took him down and out of the ring. What was he thinking in that moment?

“That I’m a man of my word.. . they’ve been expecting me for a while now…”

This incident is apparently the final straw for WWE when it comes to recent fan misbehavior. Former WWE Security Director Jimmy Noonan told me somebody should be fired, but for now, the company is trying a different tactic. It released a brief statement following Ramirez’ incursion at Night Of Champions.

“WWE takes the safety of our performers very seriously and any fan entering the ring area will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Oscar Ramirez is the first fan to face WWE’s new hard line on security. Not long after being dragged out of the ring, he was taken to jail. By Tuesday, Ramirez was pleading guilty to a misdemeanor trespassing charge under a plea agreement that saw him sentenced to 10 days in jail.

Mugshot of the fan sentenced to 10 days in jail for jumping the rail at #WWENOC on Sunday. Def not @WWEDrakeWuertz pic.twitter.com/SvmBz9rw5U

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) September 23, 2015

His court-appointed lawyer, J. Julio Vela, told me it was a good deal, made possible by Ramirez’ lack of a long criminal history. His only prior conviction was for marijuana possession just over a year ago. Vela also clarified some misleading reports on the punishment Ramirez could have faced if the case had gone to trial. The maximum sentence was 180 days in prison and a $2,000 fine.

Vela’s interaction with Ramirez was minimal, but he told me Ramirez was “very articulate” in court, and he described him as a “nice guy” who “accepted responsibility” for his actions.

Ramirez was out of jail before a lot of news outlets even reported his sentence. In Houston, inmates get credit for time served and even more for good behavior. That 10-day sentence was over less than three days after Ramirez stood in a WWE ring. He was a free man by Wednesday, back working out with his son. The dream lives on.

Was the punishment enough? For his part, Vela doesn’t think Ramirez will do something like this again.

“I think he got it out of his system.”

As our online chat drags on, I can sense Oscar Ramirez is growing tired of my questions. He says I’m “too nosy”. He calls me a doubter. Before we politely part ways, I thank him for his time, and tell him I’ll be using some of his quotes for this column.

“Go ahead. You’ll just make me more popular.”