The Pro-Wrestling Rant (May 5)

Typically, I pick a few topics out of many that get me going but the recent round of releases topped with the ones previously just really ticked me off. If you sign a talent, you typically have a plan in place for them. If you don’t then shame on you as you are only hurting the brand.

If you do and the talent just isn’t cutting it then fine, you did your part but when they have the total package, yet you have literally nothing for them then what did you see in them for you to want to sign them to a WWE contract?

Anyways let’s get this rant started shall we?

Every year WWE typically goes on a firing rampage right after Wrestlemania, releasing talent who they don’t see being used in the near future. Almost every time the company lets someone go whose release comes as a total shocker but again, there must be a reason from the higher ups point of view to warrant a release.

Releases are good for both the company and the talent. Most businesses have a revolving door with workers coming and going all the time while having that core group who are considered “lifers”. Same goes with the wrestling business.

I find this year WWE has released more than I would have thought but maybe it is just I never really pay attention to the numbers released every year. I also found this year has been more shocking especially with the number of female talents being let go. I could be wrong, but I feel like double the number of females were released compared to the men. Maybe it is just due to the star power of the females that were let go.

As I mentioned previously WWE is reaching the transitional period as most of the heavily featured talent are on the downside of their careers, so I was shocked at the amount of younger talent released. Also, with WWE working with TNA, it is possible a nice chunk of the release’s talent could end up there so that way they still have a foot in the WWE door but under TNA payroll.

Blair Davenport was someone who I expected to be sling-shotted to the main roster and make a great splash but for some reason I don’t think I will ever understand, why she wasn’t used. Triple H always said that NXT call-ups should only happen when plans are in place for the talent, yet Davenport is a prime example of how that doesn’t exist.

She is one who would do well anywhere, and I could see Tony Khan jump at the chance to sign her when he can, but I hope she is used to help build back up TNA’s women’s division. TNA has always had one of the top women’s divisions around and I think she could fill that void that was left when Jordynne Grace left for WWE.

Gigi Dolin, Cora Jade and Shotzi were also unexpected in my eyes. They have the experience and are incredibly gifted and still quite young that I envisioned they would be the ones at the forefront of the new era, taking over from Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, etc. All 3 if given the opportunity would shine in the upper level of the card.

I wasn’t surprised with the news of Shayna Baszler’s release, but it was more of a “shame on WWE” than anything. She was such a dominant force in NXT and then Vince dropped the ball with her. Once HHH took over I figured it was Baszler’s time to shine but I was wrong. WWE as a whole failed her and failed the fans with how they used her.

She will most likely head to AEW and link back up with one of her fellow MMA Four Horsewomen members Marina Shafir. She fit in perfectly with the women’s division there while also being allowed to be the dominant force she once was. Khan will give her the chance to show the world just how bad WWE dropped the ball with her.

Once an incredibly over talent to going MIA, Sonya Deville is in the same boat as so many here. Not only is she an incredible talent but she can also be a great mouthpiece to any talent or group. In-ring isn’t her only strength, and I was shocked to see WWE literally had nothing of substance for her. It is like WWE is given someone with so much talent that they didn’t build so they can’t navigate ways to use them with their WWE fingers all over their work.

Katana Chance & Kayden Carter and Gallows & Anderson’s release made zero sense as well. Trying to rebuild the men’s tag division and trying to build a reputable women’s tag division and you release 2 teams who should be a part of shining a bigger light on how WWE views tag team wrestling.

Gallows & Anderson bring incredible experience, and their resume speaks volumes to what they can do in that ring. Their age probably didn’t help as Exec’s probably viewed them as too old but if so then that is total BS. These 2 can work circles around so many of the younger talent and have worldwide experience which allows them to adapt to many different styles. Age or not these guys are money.

Chance & Carter are young yet very talented and should have been used heavily to really elevate the division. Their style works wonders as it hooks the audience with their slick maneuvers. Just annoying that the company lets go a tag team while trying to build the tag team division. It doesn’t math up.

Dakota Kai’s release really shocked me, and I would love to know how they came up with that idea. She screams main event and has shown time and time again she is worthy of a major push. Whether she is against vets like Becky Lynch or new talent like Jordynne Grace, Dakota would tear the house down.

For some reason WWE never went all in on her and would rather play it safe with Flair and Bayley, etc. No offense to them but it is time to slowly start transitioning to a new crop of talent. It seems like WWE is waiting for Grace, Giulia, Perez, Vaquer, etc before they hit restart instead of starting the process now so when it is time, the new talent will be over with the audience.

I find a lot of the talent Triple H signed back in his NXT days were the ones Vince fired and then H rehired them but did nothing with them. If HHH wasn’t going bananas on hiring women, then an argument can be had about the ones released but I can almost guarantee the ones released would put on classics with any of the new NXT women recently hired.

Seems like Triple H looked forward instead of the now as a Kai vs Perez or a Davenport vs Giulia or even a Michin (knock on wood she is still employed thankfully) vs Stephanie Vaquer are all marquee matchups and there are even more including Jordynne Grace, Zaria, etc.

Just to reiterate what I said earlier about understanding business, which I do, the cuts where I see talent wasted whose work could have put on some iconic matches are just wasted. No knock against any of the current WWE women’s talent but it is “been there, done that” with the current group and by releasing an incredible lineup of talent who could fit in perfectly into the current mold is mind-boggling.

Like back in the day in school when you’d mess up a question and the teacher would ask you to show them your work so they can see how you got to that answer, Triple H- show me your work here please. I just need to see how you got to this outcome. This seems like it is very Vince McMahon-y. So please, show me your work.