WWE Releases: Pandemic to Now - Last Updated 29/04/22

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

I mean, they're just repeating what Meltzer said on Observer Radio. He basically said that unless you're a clear star in NXT, you're on a 90 contract and if you don't make enough improvement, you'll be replaced by some other athlete.

[Feyrhausen]

May 1, 2022 21:43:26 GMT -5 Savage Gambino said:

Apr 30, 2022 11:41:17 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

I also just remembered - Dakota Kai was a champion in this company 25 days ago. Hell, four of the folks who won title matches at Stand and Deliver are not on NXT anymore.

Which only compounds everything that is wrong with these releases. I don't want to see anyone lose their jobs, but there's a big difference between releasing someone who hasn't been on television in months and releasing someone who was just champion, or someone who is literally part of a storyline currently in progress.

You're not just telling the audience not to care about the stories being told on-screen, you're telling the talent that. Doesn't matter if you're over, doesn't matter if you're in a storyline, doesn't matter if you were in the title scene just last month, if we arbitrarily decide you gotta go, best of luck in your future endeavors.

Which is why NXT should not be on TV. If they plan to fire people if they are not ready in 6 months fine. I think its stupid but whatever. But dont put these people on a TV show that you expect people to watch. Network would be fine as the smarks would understand the deal. Again they may not like it but they get it. Any casual audience can not be expected to watch TV like this.

[Kalmia]

May 2, 2022 8:21:07 GMT -5 Feyrhausen said:

May 1, 2022 21:43:26 GMT -5 Savage Gambino said:

Which only compounds everything that is wrong with these releases. I don't want to see anyone lose their jobs, but there's a big difference between releasing someone who hasn't been on television in months and releasing someone who was just champion, or someone who is literally part of a storyline currently in progress.

You're not just telling the audience not to care about the stories being told on-screen, you're telling the talent that. Doesn't matter if you're over, doesn't matter if you're in a storyline, doesn't matter if you were in the title scene just last month, if we arbitrarily decide you gotta go, best of luck in your future endeavors.

Which is why NXT should not be on TV. If they plan to fire people if they are not ready in 6 months fine. I think its stupid but whatever. But dont put these people on a TV show that you expect people to watch. Network would be fine as the smarks would understand the deal. Again they may not like it but they get it. Any casual audience can not be expected to watch TV like this.

This. NXT is now being used as an opportunity for the WWE to see who is worth sticking with and who isn't. And there's nothing wrong with that. But don't put it on TV and expect fans to care. TV wrestling should have a certain amount of polish and continuity. If it was a Network/Peacock show, then a revolving door of wrestlers wouldn't matter as much.

[mistery]

And people are overlooking one big thing about this new 90 day policy.

Ratings are going to take a massive hit because of it. I would not be shocked if below 530k ends up being the new average by this time next year. Because you shouldn't get invested in any talent, plus the storylines are going to be wretched. And that's just counting NXT. RAW and Smackdown will likely face rating declines as well, because as it stands, there are very few people in NXT 2.0 that I can see actually working on the main roster. I can probably count them all on one hand, actually.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

May 2, 2022 8:11:46 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

I mean, they're just repeating what Meltzer said on Observer Radio. He basically said that unless you're a clear star in NXT, you're on a 90 contract and if you don't make enough improvement, you'll be replaced by some other athlete.

Man I feel bad for these people being thrust out on NXT 2.0, a live nationwide audience watching you sink or swim in what is essentially real time

Like Nikita Lyons and Lash Legend had a debacle of a match last week, one has to wonder who if they're in the "Wow they're in that 90 day camp" and "Well someone backstage probably likes them, they have a good look, so they're safe" camp. Like you don't really know. Pirotta and Lumis were one of or involved with the biggest acts in NXT even when they switched to 2.0 and they both just got cut... Harland was a constant feature with Gacy, and then he got cut, you could legitimately be used so much you are perceived as a star of the developmental brand... and then you get cut anyway, and you're left wondering "Well what was the issue there??"

There are a few people you can look at definitively and say they're safe until they're called up (Toxic Attraction, Cora Jade, Bron Breakker, Solo Sikoa) and then there are others who feel like they should be safe but like... if they cut Cameron Grimes, I'd be both shocked and somehow not at this point. 

And seriously god help some of these people if they have 90 days to sink or swim, this is not how a developmental system f***ing works, a multi-million dollar, record profit, 50 plus year old company, should probably know that by now, but this is lunacy, and it's gonna continue to be and we're gonna just see it unfold before our eyes. And the dwindling eyes of the people watching, who are going to start asking "Why should I care about any of these people when they could be gone in a few weeks, never to be mentioned again?".

[mistery]

I think its been said that the only people actually safe are those that feel like ACTUAL stars on the brand. So people like Io Shirai, etc.

But if you are an athlete and failing to catch on? Congrats on soon becoming the latest victim of Cut Man. But at the same time, they are also keeping people like Nikita Lyons and Lash Legend around, neither of whom had an even remotely decent match, and in the case of Lash in particular, has pretty much never had a good match. Doesn't help that she's pretty much wretched at everything.

But I realistically can't see gimmicks like Nikita's getting over on the main roster (or even being allowed to air), same goes for stuff like Breakker. When he won the NXT title on RAW (the RAW AFTER MANIA AT THAT) to absolute silence, alarm bells should have been going off backstage that this new direction isn't making the names they want to.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

May 2, 2022 9:04:43 GMT -5 mistery said:

I think its been said that the only people actually safe are those that feel like ACTUAL stars on the brand. So people like Io Shirai, etc.

But if you are an athlete and failing to catch on? Congrats on soon becoming the latest victim of Cut Man. But at the same time, they are also keeping people like Nikita Lyons and Lash Legend around, neither of whom had an even remotely decent match, and in the case of Lash in particular, has pretty much never had a good match. Doesn't help that she's pretty much wretched at everything.

But I realistically can't see gimmicks like Nikita's getting over on the main roster (or even being allowed to air), same goes for stuff like Breakker. When he won the NXT title on RAW (the RAW AFTER MANIA AT THAT) to absolute silence, alarm bells should have been going off backstage that this new direction isn't making the names they want to.

Idk it's almost like airing these gimmicks to less than half the audience (A quarter of it if you just compare Smackdown's 2 million) you normally get, and a controlled audience you pick out yourselves of mostly diehards who will cheer literally anything you throw out there, is a bad idea and a bad judge of what exactly is getting over, or will translate to a global audience, and especially live crowds of thousands upon thousands of people.

Especially after literally treating this brand like a f***ing afterthought in the gutter for years and you conditioned your fans to treat it that way. That shit suddenly doesn't change when you suddenly want to take it over and you suddenly think you know what's best. You just alienate the fanbase Black and Gold cultivated, and the main roster audience doesn't react to anything you do, nor to the attempted crossovers. The complete apathy Gunther is currently getting (Outside of "WALTER" chants, how awesome) is absolutely depressing. WWE would miss a whiffleball on a tee the side of Jupiter.

[Feyrhausen]

May 2, 2022 8:53:10 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

May 2, 2022 8:11:46 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

I mean, they're just repeating what Meltzer said on Observer Radio. He basically said that unless you're a clear star in NXT, you're on a 90 contract and if you don't make enough improvement, you'll be replaced by some other athlete.

Man I feel bad for these people being thrust out on NXT 2.0, a live nationwide audience watching you sink or swim in what is essentially real time

Like Nikita Lyons and Lash Legend had a debacle of a match last week, one has to wonder who if they're in the "Wow they're in that 90 day camp" and "Well someone backstage probably likes them, they have a good look, so they're safe" camp. Like you don't really know. Pirotta and Lumis were one of or involved with the biggest acts in NXT even when they switched to 2.0 and they both just got cut... Harland was a constant feature with Gacy, and then he got cut, you could legitimately be used so much you are perceived as a star of the developmental brand... and then you get cut anyway, and you're left wondering "Well what was the issue there??"

There are a few people you can look at definitively and say they're safe until they're called up (Toxic Attraction, Cora Jade, Bron Breakker, Solo Sikoa) and then there are others who feel like they should be safe but like... if they cut Cameron Grimes, I'd be both shocked and somehow not at this point. 

And seriously god help some of these people if they have 90 days to sink or swim, this is not how a developmental system f***ing works, a multi-million dollar, record profit, 50 plus year old company, should probably know that by now, but this is lunacy, and it's gonna continue to be and we're gonna just see it unfold before our eyes. And the dwindling eyes of the people watching, who are going to start asking "Why should I care about any of these people when they could be gone in a few weeks, never to be mentioned again?".

Part of me wonders if this is also WWE trying to trash the independent scene. WWE has the mentality of first impressions are all that matters. So they throw some wrestlers in national TV when they are very green, let them flounder, then fire them. So these wrestlers may go elsewhere and improve but to some viewers they will always have the NXT stink on them. Which if true WWE would be trying to hurt many peoples lives for no real reason other than their ego.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

May 2, 2022 9:12:27 GMT -5 Feyrhausen said:

May 2, 2022 8:53:10 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Man I feel bad for these people being thrust out on NXT 2.0, a live nationwide audience watching you sink or swim in what is essentially real time

Like Nikita Lyons and Lash Legend had a debacle of a match last week, one has to wonder who if they're in the "Wow they're in that 90 day camp" and "Well someone backstage probably likes them, they have a good look, so they're safe" camp. Like you don't really know. Pirotta and Lumis were one of or involved with the biggest acts in NXT even when they switched to 2.0 and they both just got cut... Harland was a constant feature with Gacy, and then he got cut, you could legitimately be used so much you are perceived as a star of the developmental brand... and then you get cut anyway, and you're left wondering "Well what was the issue there??"

There are a few people you can look at definitively and say they're safe until they're called up (Toxic Attraction, Cora Jade, Bron Breakker, Solo Sikoa) and then there are others who feel like they should be safe but like... if they cut Cameron Grimes, I'd be both shocked and somehow not at this point. 

And seriously god help some of these people if they have 90 days to sink or swim, this is not how a developmental system f***ing works, a multi-million dollar, record profit, 50 plus year old company, should probably know that by now, but this is lunacy, and it's gonna continue to be and we're gonna just see it unfold before our eyes. And the dwindling eyes of the people watching, who are going to start asking "Why should I care about any of these people when they could be gone in a few weeks, never to be mentioned again?".

Part of me wonders if this is also WWE trying to trash the independent scene. WWE has the mentality of first impressions are all that matters. So they throw some wrestlers in national TV when they are very green, let them flounder, then fire them. So these wrestlers may go elsewhere and improve but to some viewers they will always have the NXT stink on them. Which if true WWE would be trying to hurt many peoples lives for no real reason other than their ego.

I would think that no, it wouldn't trash the Indies, because they've cut like hundreds of people at this point it feels like, and the Indies are just fine as are the castoffs who go elsewhere. The stink usually goes away, and people are usually left asking "How did WWE screw THEM up/Not see anything in them??", it really just makes WWE look incompetant.

[mistery]

May 2, 2022 9:12:27 GMT -5 Feyrhausen said:

May 2, 2022 8:53:10 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Man I feel bad for these people being thrust out on NXT 2.0, a live nationwide audience watching you sink or swim in what is essentially real time

Like Nikita Lyons and Lash Legend had a debacle of a match last week, one has to wonder who if they're in the "Wow they're in that 90 day camp" and "Well someone backstage probably likes them, they have a good look, so they're safe" camp. Like you don't really know. Pirotta and Lumis were one of or involved with the biggest acts in NXT even when they switched to 2.0 and they both just got cut... Harland was a constant feature with Gacy, and then he got cut, you could legitimately be used so much you are perceived as a star of the developmental brand... and then you get cut anyway, and you're left wondering "Well what was the issue there??"

There are a few people you can look at definitively and say they're safe until they're called up (Toxic Attraction, Cora Jade, Bron Breakker, Solo Sikoa) and then there are others who feel like they should be safe but like... if they cut Cameron Grimes, I'd be both shocked and somehow not at this point. 

And seriously god help some of these people if they have 90 days to sink or swim, this is not how a developmental system f***ing works, a multi-million dollar, record profit, 50 plus year old company, should probably know that by now, but this is lunacy, and it's gonna continue to be and we're gonna just see it unfold before our eyes. And the dwindling eyes of the people watching, who are going to start asking "Why should I care about any of these people when they could be gone in a few weeks, never to be mentioned again?".

Part of me wonders if this is also WWE trying to trash the independent scene. WWE has the mentality of first impressions are all that matters. So they throw some wrestlers in national TV when they are very green, let them flounder, then fire them. So these wrestlers may go elsewhere and improve but to some viewers they will always have the NXT stink on them. Which if true WWE would be trying to hurt many peoples lives for no real reason other than their ego.

I don't even think the NXT stink is even a thing anymore. The only time I've seen indy fans actively hostile towards former NXT talent is if said talent tend to be terrible people. Because most indy fans realize that WWE has no predictable pattern when it comes to cutting people, and squanders talent on a regular basis.

[knsffa]

The 90 day thing sounds realistically possible when you recall a while back it was reported they would do 6 month evaluations to decide what new signings they would keep or not based on progress. Sounds like they may have shortened the window if this is true. The is going to drown morale since new signings will feel more pressure. Trainers and coaches need not worry because most likely this just means they will sign more and more 'athletes' and the rare independant wrestler or few to replace whoever doesn't survive the more regular thinning down process. If they are still intent to release tenured people who won't get called-up, I doubt that fares well for Io, Sarray, Roddy and a few others. The return to film the shows at Full Sail rumors feel they could fit into this too; returning the original PC building to a full training center and somehow thinking it will speed up things.

[Final Countdown Jones]

How the hell are you supposed to learn shit in 90 days. That's not wrestling school, that's a glorified fantasy camp. WWE wants to pivot into homegrown emphasis, but you can't have a roster of people you jumpstart that impatiently. It's going to emphasize signing on as many people as they can and burning them out in a quick bid for only the rarest possible talents sprinkled in with people who suck but management is dead certain they'll be big.

We're getting the mid '00s all over again. Get ready. It's WWEECW time.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

Meltzer also felt that Dakota/Bivens getting released is basically management telling talent that you better take their contract offers or don't expect to be in NXT for the remainder of your deal. If you're not re-signing, you're getting cut.

[Mecca]

May 2, 2022 10:58:21 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

Meltzer also felt that Dakota/Bivens getting released is basically management telling talent that you better take their contract offers or don't expect to be in NXT for the remainder of your deal. If you're not re-signing, you're getting cut.

They've always had issues with talent rejecting things.

[nisidhe]

May 2, 2022 9:12:27 GMT -5 Feyrhausen said:

Part of me wonders if this is also WWE trying to trash the independent scene. WWE has the mentality of first impressions are all that matters. So they throw some wrestlers in national TV when they are very green, let them flounder, then fire them. So these wrestlers may go elsewhere and improve but to some viewers they will always have the NXT stink on them. Which if true WWE would be trying to hurt many peoples lives for no real reason other than their ego.

WWE is growing increasing irrelevant to the independent scene.

Those in NXT's revolving door on the 90-day circuit? They'll barely get TV time before they're sent up or out. They can return to the indies, build up their resumes and develop their careers, but they'll also have the darker side of WWE experience. Few in the indies are beating down Vince's door anymore, not when they can keep their characters, keep their side hustles, and keep their ability to go everywhere and make comparable money. WWE's new focus on college athletes being trained and developed through the PC and NXT systems is perhaps a response to the trend and perhaps a last-ditch effort to recruit talent on the company's terms.

Again, the releases are increasingly more a case of contracts expiring without renewal than outright cuts. It'll be the attrition that brings WWE's roster into a critically small mass, the departures that WWE could have prevented but didn't.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

May 2, 2022 10:55:30 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

How the hell are you supposed to learn shit in 90 days. That's not wrestling school, that's a glorified fantasy camp. WWE wants to pivot into homegrown emphasis, but you can't have a roster of people you jumpstart that impatiently. It's going to emphasize signing on as many people as they can and burning them out in a quick bid for only the rarest possible talents sprinkled in with people who suck but management is dead certain they'll be big.

We're getting the mid '00s all over again. Get ready. It's WWEECW time.

Pretty sure your average wrestling school is 90-120 days. Lance Storm used to run 3 month camps if I’m not mistaken.

Also, I still don’t think it’s purely “90 days to be a star” it’s “are you better on day 90 then on day 1? Is there legitimate growth that we can work with?” which is probably an evaluation that needs to be happening on a regular basis with the people having no experience. 90 days is plenty of time to get a reasonable assessment if a person has any chance of improving or if they stalled out after week 2 and are still struggling to do a basic flat back.

[Mecca]

May 2, 2022 11:35:20 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

May 2, 2022 10:55:30 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

How the hell are you supposed to learn shit in 90 days. That's not wrestling school, that's a glorified fantasy camp. WWE wants to pivot into homegrown emphasis, but you can't have a roster of people you jumpstart that impatiently. It's going to emphasize signing on as many people as they can and burning them out in a quick bid for only the rarest possible talents sprinkled in with people who suck but management is dead certain they'll be big.

We're getting the mid '00s all over again. Get ready. It's WWEECW time.

Pretty sure your average wrestling school is 90-120 days. Lance Storm used to run 3 month camps if I’m not mistaken.

Also, I still don’t think it’s purely “90 days to be a star” it’s “are you better on day 90 then on day 1? Is there legitimate growth that we can work with?” which is probably an evaluation that needs to be happening on a regular basis with the people having no experience. 90 days is plenty of time to get a reasonable assessment if a person has any chance of improving or if they stalled out after week 2 and are still struggling to do a basic flat back.

To be fair they have a bizarre way of judging talent.

[Deleted]

Okay, honest question:

What is WWE's track record with wrestlers that they've taken with no pre-existing wrestling training whatsoever and built from the ground up?

Names that I've come up with that you think are 100% WWE from the bottom up aren't. Orton was trained by his father, Batista was trained by Afa, Roman was trained by his family for a bit before going into developmental.

That just leaves Brock, Angle, and Cena as the only big names I can think of who spent their whole lives in nothing but the WWE system, and that's a hell of a standard to live up to.

[knsffa]

May 2, 2022 11:42:17 GMT -5 Mecca said:

May 2, 2022 11:35:20 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

Pretty sure your average wrestling school is 90-120 days. Lance Storm used to run 3 month camps if I’m not mistaken.

Also, I still don’t think it’s purely “90 days to be a star” it’s “are you better on day 90 then on day 1? Is there legitimate growth that we can work with?” which is probably an evaluation that needs to be happening on a regular basis with the people having no experience. 90 days is plenty of time to get a reasonable assessment if a person has any chance of improving or if they stalled out after week 2 and are still struggling to do a basic flat back.

To be fair they have a bizarre way of judging talent.

I think of how for most of the revamp they have put over Persia Pirotta on commentary. Assuming that was fed/encouraged by backstage they clearly felt high up on her. The eventual heel turn on Hartwell leading to a singles push. All of a sudden she gets cut. 

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

May 2, 2022 11:49:26 GMT -5 @hedm2005 said:

Okay, honest question:

What is WWE's track record with wrestlers that they've taken with no pre-existing wrestling training whatsoever and built from the ground up?

Names that I've come up with that you think are 100% WWE from the bottom up aren't. Orton was trained by his father, Batista was trained by Afa, Roman was trained by his family for a bit before going into developmental.

That just leaves Brock, Angle, and Cena as the only big names I can think of who spent their whole lives in nothing but the WWE system, and that's a hell of a standard to live up to.

Cena spent two years outside of WWE before signing his developmental contract.