2022 WRESTLERS LEAVING COMPANIES THREAD (Releases, FAs, etc...)

[赤い竜]

From Fightful Select:

"A ton of shocking NXT personnel cuts came on Wednesday, with WWE telling Fightful "With the continued evolution of NXT 2.0, we've decided to part ways with some of the staff based in our Performance Center. We thank them for their many contributions throughout the years and wish them the best." Unanimously, the talent and staff familiar with the PC, NXT, and NXT 2.0 have said this is directly to remove numerous Triple H hires, with the exception being Allison Danger. WWE officials we spoke with didn't deny this, and even said as much in their statement, in kinder terms.

 

This resulted in a huge overhaul, and much of the Triple H-era NXT names being let go of the company. Fightful will work to find out more, but WWE had indicated to Fightful that talent would not be included in the cuts, which gives a pretty strong indication that they'd viewed Danny Burch and Timothy Thatcher in a different light since both had been off of television, and helping coach at the WWE PC. "Hachiman" Hideki Suzuki was an on-screen performer in Diamond Mine, which has seen four of their original or originally planned members released. We're told there were no creative plans moving forward for Thatcher or Burch on screen.

 

There was no internal message that went out as usual highlighting the names and reasoning for the departures.

 

Scott Armstrong had been working in timing out the shows, and was a referee for years for WWE. He oversaw a lot of the NXT refereeing staff, and shouldered the blame for the direction that led to awkward refree spots during the Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan Day 1 match. We're told this wasn't why he was let go, however. At least one promotion has already expressed interest in booking Scott Armstrong as a wrestler, as he's known to stay in shape and was a good worker in his day. His father wrestled until he was almost 80. Armstrong was let go in 2020 and brought back at the urging of his brother, Road Dogg.

 

As for Road Dogg, he was seen as a key "Triple H guy," and along will Regal, was one of the most evident firings that pointed everyone to the notion that this was specifically moving people out to change directions from what NXT "was." Dogg suffered a heart attack earlier this year, but had been back with the company for several months working.

 

One of the names that surprised people the most within the company was Dave Kapoor, also known as Rainjin Singh. Kapoor had been with WWE for 15 years, managing Great Khali, but had previously served as Senior VP of Creative. He'd been spending time in NXT, and was said to have been unanimously liked and easy to work with, with people who worked in the company heavily praising him to Fightful when the news dropped.

 

Fightful had asked about William Regal being off TV last week, and were told there were no plans for him or an immediate authority figure on NXT television. He'd been scouting talent at the recent WWE tryouts, but we're told that when he was off television with no direction, it was one of the surest signs that NXT was no longer what it'd been for the decade prior. He was another Triple H favorite who helped shape the brand. Everyone that Fightful spoke to thought that Regal would be exempt from cuts regardless, but that wasn't the case.

 

Several people that we spoke to within NXT felt that Bron Breakker being scripted to kick the gold "X" in half was symbolic, and many didn't like it.

 

Another shocking name was Ryan Katz, who had been a driving force being creative aspects in NXT during a lot of their prosperous periods. People we spoke to have said that his was surprising considering his heavy involvement in production and creative.

 

Scotty 2 Hotty briefly spoke to Fightful after hearing the news and said that he wasn't surprised and saw the writing on the wall, which is why he got out of the company last month. Fightful has confirmed that Steve Corino and Jeremy Borash are still with the company, which we got numerous inquiries about."

[Zimbra]

Unless he wants to retire to spend more time with his lizards Regal seems like a lock to end up in at least an office job with AEW. Pretty sure he already lives in Florida, too.

 

[The Natural]

[odessasteps]

1 hour ago, Robert s said:

Same question as for Albert: Will Sara Del Rey "survive" that cut?

And Sarah Stock.

[Elsalvajeloco]

3 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

And Sarah Stock.

She's been gone for a minute and living in her van traveling the world.

[J.T.]

17 hours ago, RIPPA said:

God - its like if you got mentioned ever with Diamond Mine - you are gone

Go ahead and release Ivy Nile.  I am all for her and Leyla Hirsch forming a jacked heel version of the KCs in AEW.  TINY, BRAWNY, EVIL~!

Edited January 6, 2022 by J.T.

[The Natural]

 

[Ziggy]

3 hours ago, NoFistsJustFlips said:

This is the business equivalent of that Always Sunny episode where Charlie is peeing on Mac's shoes and making direct eye contact to mark his territory mere cat style. Vince straight up pissing on Triple H's shoes. Ah damn pal you told Regal he'd have a job for life? God damn why would you do something stupid like that? Oh Scott Armstrong & Road Dogg have always been there to have your back? Well god damn pal maybe you should have worked a little harder and not let your friends down.

The Rock ended up with the last laugh. Didn't Hunter and Shawn used to bully Rock when he started out? 

Everyone thought HHH was taking over for sure up till about 2 years ago. Now Rock is basically cosigning Nick Khan as if he's the one who connected him with Vince. 

Everyone says Hunter and Jeff Jarrett are 2 of the smartess people in wrestling politically but Rock if he wants to he can basically shadow run WWE without having his name tied to it.

Cornette said Rock is "too smart" to Run a wrestling company.  Yeah but he is still a big fan Wrestling as a whole. He interacts randomly with wrestlers in and outside of WWE from the independents to the UK to freaking Mutoh. Outside of those couple of years where he had that falling out with Vince early in his Hollywood run he's been closely associated with Wrestling,even if it's through his Mom, his Cousins , now his daughter. I can see Triple H having his brush with death and deciding to give up hid duties as an executive to be a Dad full-time. Triple H was always perceived as the guy that lived the business more than any of his peers. He molded NXT into what it was till the Reboot which happened when he got ill now alot of his highest pushed guys are with the competition. I listened to an interview Shawn did with Denise Salcedo where Shawn basically admitted that he had no control over the change in the system.  I kinda felt sorry for Shawn Because you can tell he's taking on more responsibility with Hunter getting sick and you can tell he didn't want to lose Cole and O'Reilly and probably would've had better chance of some of them staying if not for Hunter being out and all the other changes.  Long story short,  Nick Khan has had more influence on WWE in 2 years more than anyone besides Vince I seen Kris Zelner Twitter that earlier

[Curt McGirt]

4 hours ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

Poor Jeremy Borash is going to be found hung by hooks in a meat truck outside Orlando.

"When they found Borash in the meat truck, it took them two days to thaw him out for the autopsy."

[The Natural]

19 minutes ago, Ziggy said:

The Rock ended up with the last laugh. Didn't Hunter and Shawn used to bully Rock when he started out? 

Everyone thought HHH was taking over for sure up till about 2 years ago. Now Rock is basically cosigning Nick Khan as if he's the one who connected him with Vince. 

Everyone says Hunter and Jeff Jarrett are 2 of the smartess people in wrestling politically but Rock if he wants to he can basically shadow run WWE without having his name tied to it.

Cornette said Rock is "too smart" to Run a wrestling company.  Yeah but he is still a big fan Wrestling as a whole. He interacts randomly with wrestlers in and outside of WWE from the independents to the UK to freaking Mutoh. Outside of those couple of years where he had that falling out with Vince early in his Hollywood run he's been closely associated with Wrestling,even if it's through his Mom, his Cousins , now his daughter. I can see Triple H having his brush with death and deciding to give up hid duties as an executive to be a Dad full-time. Triple H was always perceived as the guy that lived the business more than any of his peers. He molded NXT into what it was till the Reboot which happened when he got ill now alot of his highest pushed guys are with the competition. I listened to an interview Shawn did with Denise Salcedo where Shawn basically admitted that he had no control over the change in the system.  I kinda felt sorry for Shawn Because you can tell he's taking on more responsibility with Hunter getting sick and you can tell he didn't want to lose Cole and O'Reilly and probably would've had better chance of some of them staying if not for Hunter being out and all the other changes.  Long story short,  Nick Khan has had more influence on WWE in 2 years more than anyone besides Vince I seen Kris Zelner Twitter that earlier

Yes. The Rock also posted a photo recently of him with Nick Khan.

Edited January 6, 2022 by The Natural

[odessasteps]

 

[The Natural]

 

[chriskbrown50]

It will be interesting to look back in a couple of years to this time - will it be seen as a move that re-vitalized WWE or the beginning of a true road to ruin. The biggest problem is most of the main roster main eventers are well old.  Seth Rollins at 35 is the youngest one who is really a singles main event on the male side. 

[bazzil]

Didnt HHH do the same thing with 'Dustys guys' when he took over? I think Rob Naylor was one of them

[Eivion]

18 minutes ago, bazzil said:

Didnt HHH do the same thing with 'Dustys guys' when he took over? I think Rob Naylor was one of them

Wasn't Dusty kind of one of HHH's guys?

[The Natural]

 

Has to be disheartening watching your colleagues/friends released. To let William Regal go, who can do it all. William. Regal. Allison Danger who moved across the country for WWE is released on her kid's first day at a new school. Treat people the way you'd want to be. It's not a hard concept to grasp unlike the WWE.

Edited January 6, 2022 by The Natural

[Johnny Sorrow]

5 hours ago, bazzil said:

Didnt HHH do the same thing with 'Dustys guys' when he took over? I think Rob Naylor was one 

Yeah, and Dr. Tom right?

[Casey]

12 hours ago, Infinit said:

I wonder how long NXT UK lasts?

UK labor laws kind of prevent the workers from being cut, no? Plus the television deal with BT Sports probably keeps them safe. I'm not that read up on NXT UK, but the only people that have been outright fired were the problematic workers, like Ligero, right? Joseph Conners left, but that was more likely because of his contract just ending and neither side wanting to continue on.

[The Natural]

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by The Natural

[Ace]

So this leaves Matt Bloom, Sara Amato, HBK, Norman Smiley, Robbie Brookside, Terry Taylor, Steve Corino, and Fit Finlay as coaches.

 

[The Natural]

Such love for William Regal.

[Chaos]

Gabe Sapolsky just tweeted vaguely that he's been released. 

[Craig H]

I thought Gabe was always just a consultant.

[AxB]

I wonder if this has any effect on Charlie Dempsey/ Bailey Matthews over in NXT UK.

[Chaos]

4 minutes ago, Craig H said:

I thought Gabe was always just a consultant.

I have no idea. I think he was brought more into the fold after EVOLVE was officially done.