Well, I am back and refreshed from my vacation and WWE has literally started to fall apart. This is something I didn’t see coming. Tony Khan needs to really dial it in when it comes to delivery on his television shows, as TKO really pissed off a lot of people. TKO’s loss should be AEW’s gain. Anyway, let’s rant, shall we.
TKO’s firing frenzy
Releases happen, but my gosh, some of these names shocked me, while some I expected to see on the list managed to escape TKO’s D-Day.
Kairi Sane, Aleister Black, Zelina, The Wyatt Sicks, Santos Escobar, Motor City Machine Guns, Apollo Crews, Andre Chase, Zoey Stark, Alba Fyre and Tyra Mae Steele, Tyson, Tyriek, Chris Island, Malik Blade, Trill London and Luca Crusifino from Developmental. That is a lot of people in one day.
Typically, WWE management informs the talent, but this year it was all TKO. I am sure HHH had a scope of work to figure out who to let go, but some of these releases made no sense.
Kairi Sane was in a storyline and Aleister Black seemed like he was going to get a WrestleMania match — both were total shockers to me. Both, along with Zelina — who was paired with her husband Aleister — all had something going for them to justify not being let go.
The Wyatt Sicks are in the same boat. While they weren’t featured as much as they should have been, the group belonged on WWE television. Releasing them was not only the wrong move but also a slap in the face to the legacy of Bray Wyatt, whom the group was honouring every time they entered the arena. This one showed me how TKO prioritises money over character. A terrible, greedy look on the company’s part.
MCMG started their WWE careers off guns a-blazin’, then in typical WWE fashion, they let the tag division fade into obscurity. The duo could have easily played a major role in revitalising WWE’s tag division. They could have been used across all brands WWE owns to add the experience and excitement the lacklustre division sorely needs.
Alba Fyre’s release also shocked me, as she was heavily featured alongside gem Chelsea Green and Piper Niven as part of Green’s Secret Service. Fyre is an incredible wrestler and could have easily had a phenomenal storyline turning on Chelsea Green. I don’t see how TKO didn’t see this, especially with everything Chelsea Green does turning to gold — so this is pretty much a guaranteed money match.
Santos Escobar’s release was an odd one as well. He recently became a free agent and didn’t want to re-sign due to how he’s been used, then WWE brings something to the table that Santos likes, and he signs that contract, only to sit on the sidelines once again and then finally start wrestling in WWE’s AAA partnership. Makes no sense.
Apollo Crews and Zoey Stark were never given the ball to run with. Even Zelina, who publicly stated she was held back and couldn’t let loose. Andre Chase took a silly gimmick idea and turned it into gold, yet that faction never got the chance to appear on the main roster, which was a shame. Chase U was perfect for marketing, yet it never made it past developmental.
Just when I thought TKO was done, this past weekend they mutually parted ways with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods and released Tonga Loa and JC Mateo.
I assumed at this point in their WWE careers that Kofi and Xavier were lifers and were set for more of the ambassador roles. I never thought about how they felt and just figured they were happy with their current roles. Boy, was I wrong. Them leaving was a total shocker and I am still in disbelief.
One thing I will say is they will 100% end up in AEW and will be showcased as major stars. They already have so many storyline directions they can go in, and this will allow them to break away from their WWE style into a more Kingston-Woods style of work. The former New Day members will no doubt be main event players and be showcased like superstars. The roster will no doubt welcome them with open arms. I am super excited to see what they can do creatively, since they will no longer be restrained by the WWE machine.
We never truly got to experience the dominant New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Guerrillas of Destiny, as both Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga were immediately thrust into the Bloodline storyline. It’s painfully obvious now that WWE/TKO has all but dissolved the tag team division, but not having GOD leading the reins in that division was a major error. What could have been should have been a guarantee.
JC Mateo fell into the same category as GOD. This guy is a pure beast and, having lasted just shy of one year as part of the MFT, he never really got to show WWE who exactly Jeff Cobb is. He is a top-tier talent who, like so many others, wasn’t given the proper opportunity.
Most of these releases showed us that WWE hires most with a short-term plan and then completely drops the ball with them. Example: Motor City Machine Guns. It has become painfully obvious that Triple H’s “creative job” is just executing what TKO wants done. It’s been a true nightmare to watch this company go from the highest of highs with Papa H taking over to this monstrosity that we witness today. Vince Sr. must be rolling in his grave right now.
I am sure there will be another major wave of WWE releases within the next six months, but hopefully TKO does it right this time. Focus on those who have been given the chance and couldn’t shine, or give the ones you have your eyes on releasing one last chance to get over — but let them be the ones to do it creatively. I am sure TKO would quickly realise just how talented some of the “lower end talent” really are.
NXT lost its star power
Within one week, NXT is back at square one with its star power. It is a yearly tradition where the first Raw and SmackDown after WrestleMania feature NXT call-ups, but I didn’t expect the third brand to literally lose all of its top talent (minus Tony D’Angelo).
Monday Night Raw scored Ethan Page, Sol Ruca and Joe Hendry, while Friday Night SmackDown landed Ricky Saints, Blake Monroe and Fatal Influence (Jacy Jane, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley).
Page, Hendry, Saints and Monroe were main roster ready right from the get-go, and it seemed like WWE was doing things the way they used to back in the NXT Black & Gold days — more or less getting them accustomed to the WWE way of things first.
The current state of the NXT roster is quite weak. All the pressure now lies in the hands of current NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo. That is a lot of pressure for one person, but his new persona seems to be the perfect fit for the top guy.
Myles Borne is one match away from jumping to that next level. He has all the tools, just needs a little more time to polish his skillset. The BirthRight are in the same position. The faction is relatively new, but once they all click, they will become a top attraction for the NXT brand.
Newly signed EVIL, now going by the name Naraku, made his official NXT debut, pointing to a main-event-level push right out of the gate. He requested a start in NXT to grasp the WWE style before making a main roster move, which is smart on his part. There is no ego here and it shows he really wants to make an impact in WWE by starting at square one instead of going straight to the main roster.
NXT followed up by introducing him to the world by releasing a vignette allowing Naraku to explain his story. It was perfection. Any fan unfamiliar with his work now has an understanding of what is to come. By this time next year, there is no doubt he will be on the main roster.
Lizzy Rain is another whose NXT run won’t be lengthy, as she has all the tools needed to shine on either main roster brand. She made her debut on the recent episode of NXT and I am sure will be heavily featured once either Raw or SmackDown comes calling. The one thing I am confused over is the negativity online towards her finishing manoeuvre, Thunderstruck. Yes, the opponent must catch and hold her, but that boot to the head will make any wrestler go tits up. I love the move and hope others can enjoy it as well.
The roster still lacks true star power and needs more than just one or two big names to put more eyes back on the product. Remember when NXT TakeOver events would sell out consistently? That was because of the drawing power the roster had.
There are loads of well-known free agents who could really elevate the third brand. For the men’s side, I’d bring in Matt Taven, Kenny King, Cara Noir, Jonathan Gresham (if healthy enough), Sheldon Jean, Calvin Tankman and El Phantasmo. That would address the weaknesses the current division has due to NXT being more focused on younger talent. Unknown talent takes more time to get over.
On the women’s side, I’d bring in Session Moth Martina, Valentina Rossi, VertVixen and Ivelisse (again). These women can add that level of depth that is missing in the division.
NXT Black & Gold was unbelievably star-studded — why can’t the current one do the same? Was B&G successful and worth the investment? Check WWE and AEW’s rosters and then convince me it wasn’t. It was a golden ticket formula that should never have stopped. HBK needs to hop back on that train and make NXT a force to be reckoned with once again.
Current state of TNA’s roster
Have you recently taken a deep dive into the roster of TNA? It is stacked. The company has never had a problem having a well-rounded, star-studded roster and the current one follows suit.
Much like WWE and AEW, TNA’s top-level talents are aging and are on the downside of their careers. TNA seems to be somewhat invested in grooming its young stars now, so the transition will be smooth. Leon Slater, KC Navarro and Ricky Sosa are almost shoo-ins to lead the future of the men’s division, while Heather by Elegance, Xia Brookside and Indi Hartwell will have no issues being the leaders on the women’s side.
The main issue here is whether TNA will end up losing a lot of its talent to WWE. They have already lost Joe Hendry and Jordynne Grace, with Mike Santana and Leon Slater on WWE’s radar. Slater has competed in NXT, SmackDown and even on Saturday Night’s Main Event: John Cena’s Final Match, where he teamed with Je’von Evans to take on Dragon Lee and AJ Styles. WWE wouldn’t feature him in such a high-profile event without plans to snag him at the first opportunity to do so.
Like always, TNA’s Knockouts Division is fantastic. Led by Lei Ying Lee, the returning Allie, the rising megastar Jody Threat and Rosemary, just to name a few. TNA has always carried a well-put-together women’s division, usually one of the best in the business. While AEW’s women’s division packs more weight with star power, TNA’s smaller division packs more punch.
Total Nonstop Action continues to be a major player in the game, focusing solely on maximising their talents’ fullest potential. They took Cody Deaner, switched his gimmick up, and he is now The Hometown Hero and is quite over. AEW and WWE rely on big-budget talent to bring the crowd in, while TNA lets its in-ring work do the talking for them.
A much smaller budget, but the company packs the same punch as a multibillion-dollar corporation.
What the heck is going on with TKO?
News continues to come out regarding TKO and their handling of WWE. Recent reports indicate TKO was actively asking certain talent to take pay cuts, with one unnamed superstar asked to take a mind-boggling 50% cut. The nerve on these people. I could understand it a bit more if WWE wasn’t doing well, but they continue to claim record gates and most-watched milestones, so making money isn’t the issue here.
The one thing about Vince McMahon was that his main objective for the company was that ticket prices had to be affordable, as he wanted any fan to be able to come to a show. TKO, on the other hand, will do the opposite — just look at WrestleMania ticket sales.
WWE lost The New Day due to pay and I am sure more will follow suit. The wrestler who was asked to take a 50% pay cut? My gut says either The Miz or Roman Reigns. I say Miz due to his level on the card and how WWE would honour tenure, but TKO looks at usage.
It was suddenly announced that current World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns will not be working the month of June, which made me think instantly that he had contract issues. Again, Reigns is a major name and major draw but isn’t a full-time employee, so TKO could easily view his contract as equivalent to those of two or three wrestlers who are featured more.
All I know is TKO is going to push current talent out while having zero interest from outside talent to join. Companies like TNA, MLW and NWA will be the better landing points unless guys like Cody Rhodes come up with another plan much like the creation of AEW.
The contract pay cut fiasco that is going on makes me wonder if that played a huge part in why AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar suddenly retired.
If TKO’s goal is to erase WWE’s history, then they are definitely on that path. If not, then they need to seriously look at where this current path could lead before it is too late. We all know how wrestling fans can be, so once the damage has been done, it’ll be darn near impossible for TKO to fix. I guess time will tell.
FYI: TKO’s Ari Emanuel makes $67 million per year, and Mark Shapiro makes $42 million. Let that sink in.
This & That
Backlash PLE:
The upcoming WWE PLE will be the start of a new era, as I can see many newer talents walking away as winners.
Bron Breakker will defeat Seth Rollins and begin his main-event-level push. Trick Williams will retain his US Title. Danhausen and whoever his partner is will win, as Danhausen has quickly become one of the most popular stars on the roster.
With Roman taking time off, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the company put the World Heavyweight Championship on Jacob Fatu and push him to the moon.
Iyo Sky taking on Asuka will no doubt be a show-stealer, but WWE lost me once they released Kairi Sane.
I just hope WWE doesn’t drag any of these potential main-event-level pushes on for too long. The company is head over heels in love with long-term storytelling, but that always runs the risk of becoming stale. The company has to get back on the “strike while the iron is hot” mentality, and Backlash is the place to start.
Danhausen — Backlash Promo:
Danhausen is a geniushausen. Taking the old-school Backlash vignette of superstars saying “Backlash” and adding himself to it was one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time.
It was smart, funny and very much suited his character — spot on. He continues to think outside the box, and it shows, as he continues to get himself over with the WWE audience by doing the simplest but most effective things possible.
He has been arguably one of the greatest signings the company has made in a while. Hopefully WWE continues to allow Danhausen to be Danhausen, while also allowing the fans to see what he can do inside the squared circle.
More WWE releases on the way:
So, I guess there are more releases coming. Judging by the roster, I could see a nice chunk be let go. Here’s who I think won’t be on the roster within the next six months: Akira Tozawa, The Creed Brothers, The War Raiders, Grayson Waller, JD McDonagh, Otis, Shinsuke Nakamura, Michin, Candice LaRae, Johnny Gargano, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez — and I am on the fence about Nattie.
I can see them send LWO, Los Garza and the Americanos to AAA on a permanent basis.
Really, anyone who isn’t “making money” for the company will be on the chopping block. These are scary times to be a WWE wrestler. Again, it is sad that this is what WWE has become.
I think I need a stiff drink after this one. As a major WWE fan, I feel like I have been kicked in the gut. I am disappointed, to say the least. Hopefully things will turn around, but my gut says the opposite. Heck, with the way things are going, could we possibly see Paul Levesque become a free agent? You just never know.
Nick Whitworth
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