Pro Wrestling! (For Everything WWE, Impact, Indies, AEW, & Japan !) 2021

[BeastieRunner]

The official number since Khan took over is 48 releases, with two re-hirings and 57 staff. 92 have been in the last 100 days.

[BeastieRunner]

"Major changes for the WWE NXT brand are reportedly in the works.

There has been a lot of internal talk about significant changes being planned for the NXT brand as of late, according to PWInsider.

Changes being discussed include a new NXT logo, a new lighting and look, a different format to the weekly TV show, and a focus on the younger talents.

They will no longer sign outside wrestling talent.

As noted, WWE released 12 NXT talents tonight while SmackDown on FOX aired. It was noted that the planned changes appear to be related to the cuts. "

[BigLbo]

So a bunch of NXT talent just got released! Bronson Reed, Leon Ruff, Jake Atlas, Bobby Fish, Mercedes Martinez, Tyler Rust and a few others
https://twitter.com/SeanRossSapp/sta...649715204?s=19

i hope rust gets more high profile indy bookings now. the indys just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

speaking of which, super dragon returned to pwg last weekend to curbstomp bandido, tommy end made the save. other talent in attendance
Tony Deppen
Jack Cartwheel
Brody King
JD Drake
Demonic Flamita
Arez
Jonathan Gresham
Lee Moriarty
Aramis
Rey Horus
Myron Reed
Trey Miguel
Orange Cassidy
Evil Uno
Bandido
Black Taurus

damn, talk about forbidden doors being open, you got aew, roh, impact, and mlw all on 1 show.

i wonder how the aew crowd would react to a super dragon appearance?? jim ross would probably fuk up the moment "well what in the hell's a super dragon king??"

[SUPERECWFAN1]

i hope rust gets more high profile indy bookings now. the indys just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

speaking of which, super dragon returned to pwg last weekend to curbstomp bandido, tommy end made the save. other talent in attendance
Tony Deppen
Jack Cartwheel
Brody King
JD Drake
Demonic Flamita
Arez
Jonathan Gresham
Lee Moriarty
Aramis
Rey Horus
Myron Reed
Trey Miguel
Orange Cassidy
Evil Uno
Bandido
Black Taurus

damn, talk about forbidden doors being open, you got aew, roh, impact, and mlw all on 1 show.

i wonder how the aew crowd would react to a super dragon appearance?? jim ross would probably fuk up the moment "well what in the hell's a super dragon king??"

Nah Excalibur will detail how he either wrestled them back in the 2000s and audience at home give zero shits for or he knows them.

"Oh my god guys...its Brody King !! Back in 2007 we had pancakes together at the I-72 pancake Hut in Mississippi !!"

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Being serious...NXT itself was losing millions of dollars. In 2017-2018 it was revealed the brand itself went through $30+ million.

Now sure some can say its an acceptable loss given the brand making stars. I mean we had a number pass through from 2012-2021. But things had started slowing down. A lot would be called up and just piss poor booking had them stagnated in mid-card.

The company also saw that they had since early 2010s been signing a lot of talent outside development stars. Like Samoa Joe , Bobby Roode , Kevin Owens and and AJ Styles.

But Impact isn't where it once was and neither is Ring of Honor. AEW seems to have a roster locked some no one is getting freed up.

So your the WWE. NXT clearly needs a reboot and you need to push developmental and not signing other company stars as you have to build your own...again.

The WWE is likely thinking...we created The Rock. Former college football star who we signed and sent to a territory to learn. We took former body builders John Cena and Batista then watched them become huge stars.

The approach of wanting people to "survive" this to make it....well the company needs that hungry young athlete again. They need more John Cenas and less Rhonda Rouseys who don't care about business.

[BigLbo]

Nah Excalibur will detail how he either wrestled them back in the 2000s and audience at home give zero shits for or he knows them.

"Oh my god guys...its Brody King !! Back in 2007 we had pancakes together at the I-72 pancake Hut in Mississippi !!"

well of curse he would, it would be stupid for him to ignore their xtensive history and pretend he's some kind of mystery man. would be equally stupid to hire excalibur if he's going to ignore his history with guys like the bucks, omega, scorpio sky etc.

he would get the name right and know what he's talking about at least though.


would anybody be surprised if wwe threw a bunch of money for adam cole to stay and then release before the end of the year as a "budget cut"??

[Immortal Weapon]

well of curse he would, it would be stupid for him to ignore their xtensive history and pretend he's some kind of mystery man. would be equally stupid to hire excalibur if he's going to ignore his history with guys like the bucks, omega, scorpio sky etc.

he would get the name right and know what he's talking about at least though.


would anybody be surprised if wwe threw a bunch of money for adam cole to stay and then release before the end of the year as a "budget cut"??

Just speaking for myself I really don't care what's Excalibur personal history with anyone is. His in ring career didn't last long enough for that history to matter to me as a fan.

[godisawesome]

Being serious...NXT itself was losing millions of dollars. In 2017-2018 it was revealed the brand itself went through $30+ million.

Now sure some can say its an acceptable loss given the brand making stars. I mean we had a number pass through from 2012-2021. But things had started slowing down. A lot would be called up and just piss poor booking had them stagnated in mid-card.

The company also saw that they had since early 2010s been signing a lot of talent outside development stars. Like Samoa Joe , Bobby Roode , Kevin Owens and and AJ Styles.

But Impact isn't where it once was and neither is Ring of Honor. AEW seems to have a roster locked some no one is getting freed up.

So your the WWE. NXT clearly needs a reboot and you need to push developmental and not signing other company stars as you have to build your own...again.

The WWE is likely thinking...we created The Rock. Former college football star who we signed and sent to a territory to learn. We took former body builders John Cena and Batista then watched them become huge stars.

The approach of wanting people to "survive" this to make it....well the company needs that hungry young athlete again. They need more John Cenas and less Rhonda Rouseys who don't care about business.

Yeah, the fact of the matter was that NXY, at its height, was always kind of waiting on the main roster to change its booking philosophy to accommodate NXT’s selection of more “smark-friendly” talent and booking style. And maybe, *if* Vince had been willing to do so for any true amount of time to see what kind of reception that approach would have with the crowds in the long run… NXT would have been proven correct. NXT *has* produced numerous stars for both WWE and now it’s suddenly resurgent competitors, and it often feels very much like a slight improvement in booking would have realized that on the main roster more often.

But Vince was unlikely to ever have the patience or humility to see things through long enough to backtrack on his now deep-seated convictions about what his product needs to be. And when NXT failed to best AEW, it’s ability to fully transition into a differently booked “third brand” was denied; that was arguably its one real chance to get out from Vince’s tight-fisted control.

It’s expensive salary budget could have been justified if it’s own attempt to find “Hogans, Styleses, Punks, and Rollinses, and Ambroses” was honored by the main roster. But as much as Vince has frequently shown more success at either picking up other peoples’ developed stars and showcasing them or having his family members fix one fo his projects (like Steph getting Cena to rap for him), Vince desperately *hates* that idea.

[Nods]

Being serious...NXT itself was losing millions of dollars. In 2017-2018 it was revealed the brand itself went through $30+ million.

Now sure some can say its an acceptable loss given the brand making stars. I mean we had a number pass through from 2012-2021. But things had started slowing down. A lot would be called up and just piss poor booking had them stagnated in mid-card.

The company also saw that they had since early 2010s been signing a lot of talent outside development stars. Like Samoa Joe , Bobby Roode , Kevin Owens and and AJ Styles.

But Impact isn't where it once was and neither is Ring of Honor. AEW seems to have a roster locked some no one is getting freed up.

So your the WWE. NXT clearly needs a reboot and you need to push developmental and not signing other company stars as you have to build your own...again.

The WWE is likely thinking...we created The Rock. Former college football star who we signed and sent to a territory to learn. We took former body builders John Cena and Batista then watched them become huge stars.

The approach of wanting people to "survive" this to make it....well the company needs that hungry young athlete again. They need more John Cenas and less Rhonda Rouseys who don't care about business.

WWE apologists are hilarious....NXT was a feeder league WWE developmental before NXT was abysmal. But in the WWE are scumbags news...

PWInsider reports that WWE is attempting to hold on to the Chelsea Green ring name trademark that started last year. As previously reported, WWE was denied the trademark on Chelsea Green last February.

At the time, the United States Patent & Trademark Office wrote to WWE: “Because the individual named in the mark did not sign the application and the application did not include a proper written consent, applicant must provide a statement that the name in the mark identifies a particular living individual and a written consent to register the name.”

On August 5, WWE reportedly replied to an Office Action stating that WWE gave written consent to trademark the name. However, the letter WWE provided on August 5 was dated from November of 2020. WWE released Chelsea Green from the company last April

Additionally, after she was released by WWE, Green started the process of trademarking her own ring name.

They never used her and now they want her actual birth name...LOL this company

[Immortal Weapon]

Apparently there's still more releases to come.

[skyvolt2000]

Apparently there's still more releases to come.

Then Mattel and 2K need to dump the WWE- because guess who is REALLY losing money with all this mess.

I remember see The Pope (Burke when he was in the WWE) figures STILL coming out months let alone a year after he was cut. Heck Lashley figures too.

2K has a game to put out-if this is what Vince is going to do-make a WWE game with more than 100 CAW slots. Because more folks are going to make Bray and others than use the actual roster of 5 Undertakers or HHH.

Nobody told the WWE to hoard talent nor restrict them from doing indy dates. Some folks can be on a pay per appearance and do indy.

i hope rust gets more high profile indy bookings now. the indys just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

speaking of which, super dragon returned to pwg last weekend to curbstomp bandido, tommy end made the save. other talent in attendance
Tony Deppen
Jack Cartwheel
Brody King
JD Drake
Demonic Flamita
Arez
Jonathan Gresham
Lee Moriarty
Aramis
Rey Horus
Myron Reed
Trey Miguel
Orange Cassidy

damn, talk about forbidden doors being open, you got aew, roh, impact, and mlw all on 1 show.

Most of those guys are here in Dallas/Fort Worth a show going on right now. I wanted to go but our Covid numbers went up and now we are in Red Alert.

I wonder what would happen if all these indy companies did one video game together and it outsold WWE 2K.

[Username taken]

Then Mattel and 2K need to dump the WWE- because guess who is REALLY losing money with all this mess.

I remember see The Pope (Burke when he was in the WWE) figures STILL coming out months let alone a year after he was cut. Heck Lashley figures too.

2K has a game to put out-if this is what Vince is going to do-make a WWE game with more than 100 CAW slots. Because more folks are going to make Bray and others than use the actual roster of 5 Undertakers or HHH.

Nobody told the WWE to hoard talent nor restrict them from doing indy dates. Some folks can be on a pay per appearance and do indy.



Most of those guys are here in Dallas/Fort Worth a show going on right now. I wanted to go but our Covid numbers went up and now we are in Red Alert.

I wonder what would happen if all these indy companies did one video game together and it outsold WWE 2K.

I was actually thinking about something like that. The ex-wrestlers might want to consider a joint venture of some sorts. The AEW roster is pretty much filled to the brim. Impact and ROH aren’t what they used to be, so they might have to get creative and put something together like the Elite guys did. And hopefully, they’d get the capital of someone like Tony Khan to back them.

But if these indie guys all come together to produce a game, it could conceivably outsell the WWE games.

But to the larger point, WWEs partners will start to have real problems with them if these releases continue like this. These companies have invested real money into producing licensed merchandise of which sales are largely based on the superstars and not just the WWE name. Case in point, 2k did the whole “Bump in the Night” stuff where the Fiend was the main selling point. Imagine the company planning similar stuff in the future only for the related talent to get released?

At the moment, WWE is looking quite unstable not financially but with the handling of their wrestlers. If the company is releasing top merchandise sellers, why should the folks producing them invest thousands of dollars to produce the merchandise at all? It almost becomes pointless especially at a time the WWE isn’t really producing that many stars anymore.

Yes, I know that WWEs merchandise sales doesn’t represent the majority of their revenue but it stands at 30% today which is not insubstantial.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

well of curse he would, it would be stupid for him to ignore their xtensive history and pretend he's some kind of mystery man. would be equally stupid to hire excalibur if he's going to ignore his history with guys like the bucks, omega, scorpio sky etc.

he would get the name right and know what he's talking about at least though.


would anybody be surprised if wwe threw a bunch of money for adam cole to stay and then release before the end of the year as a "budget cut"??

Just speaking for myself I really don't care what's Excalibur personal history with anyone is. His in ring career didn't last long enough for that history to matter to me as a fan.

Yep....its why the whole deal was stupid and its been brought up weeks ago. With Black they were going for a "holy sh-t" moment with announcers supposed to act surprised and not knowing what Black was gonna call himself. He stepped all over it.

WWE apologists are hilarious....NXT was a feeder league WWE developmental before NXT was abysmal. But in the WWE are scumbags news...
y

NXT was helped by the signings of Finn Balor , Kevin Steen (Owens) and more. The company yes viewed NXT as a developmental. But they were signing lots of already created stars to place there awhile and pull up. Ring of Honor , TNA/Impact and more was raided a lot. But as time passed those companies didn't have the talent left to bring in. ROH doesn't really have the star power guys left right now to bring in. Impact has Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards but they are not the level of guys they signed back with Joe and Roode. MLW has Davey Richards but he's returning after a couple years away. AEW has its talent locked down.

So the WWE has a situation where they need to create stars. One of their last big ones of the last 20+ years is John Cena. He wasn't a star in some other promotion or an indie worker with a hot name. No ...he was a bodybuilder signed by Jim Ross who was sent to OVW to learn his craft along with another bodybuilder in Batista. Both men learned and became stars that way.

The WWE is likely thinking , ok we have signed all these "NAME" indie guys and stars but we don't have that Cena level star that WE CREATED.

They looked at NXT costs , the overall mass of talent and decided....we need to reboot this process and go back to the older way for now.

[godisawesome]

Yep....its why the whole deal was stupid and its been brought up weeks ago. With Black they were going for a "holy sh-t" moment with announcers supposed to act surprised and not knowing what Black was gonna call himself. He stepped all over it.



NXT was helped by the signings of Finn Balor , Kevin Steen (Owens) and more. The company yes viewed NXT as a developmental. But they were signing lots of already created stars to place there awhile and pull up. Ring of Honor , TNA/Impact and more was raided a lot. But as time passed those companies didn't have the talent left to bring in. ROH doesn't really have the star power guys left right now to bring in. Impact has Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards but they are not the level of guys they signed back with Joe and Roode. MLW has Davey Richards but he's returning after a couple years away. AEW has its talent locked down.

So the WWE has a situation where they need to create stars. One of their last big ones of the last 20+ years is John Cena. He wasn't a star in some other promotion or an indie worker with a hot name. No ...he was a bodybuilder signed by Jim Ross who was sent to OVW to learn his craft along with another bodybuilder in Batista. Both men learned and became stars that way.

The WWE is likely thinking , ok we have signed all these "NAME" indie guys and stars but we don't have that Cena level star that WE CREATED.

They looked at NXT costs , the overall mass of talent and decided....we need to reboot this process and go back to the older way for now.

…I feel like the real reason they had to go back and reboot to the “older way” was because Vince and co. refused to clean up their main roster “system” to actually reap the full benefits of *both* the stars they were trying to create and the stars HHH recruited, proved were ready for a national stage, and upgraded to the main roster.

I mean, regardless of whether NXT was sending up guys they’d mostly developed and trained, like Rusev, Baron Corbin, and Sasha Banks, or people they’d recruited mostly ready to go right now like Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Shinsuke Nakamura… their potential and pushes remained wholly at the whims of Vince, and thus went the way of everyone else who had the potential to be a major star in WWE but for whatever reason failed to maintain his full attention.

The fact the one member of that group he apparently hasn’t pissed off enough for a minor scandal or to run away from his booking is Baron Corbin tells you the problem is the main roster, not NXT’s call-ups.

If WWE was self-aware, they’d probably have their new Cena/Batista equivalents still working for them right now, rather than seeing many either gladly going back to NXT or depart for somewhere else.

And it’s not like Batista or Cena are a true ringing endorsement of McMahon’s control freak tendencies; Cena’s initial appearance failed to catch on until someone convinced Vince to let him try something different as a hell (much like Rocky Maivia to the Rock), while Vince wanted to push Jindrak instead of Batista for Evolution and HHH had to talk him out of it.

They only still feel the “need to create stars” because Vince refuses to let his talent and his audience crown stars instead of he him a self alone.

They *were* creating stars, and Vic e just refused to acknowledge it.

[SpiderTBliss]

That brings the total to 42 wrestlers and 50 employees in 2021.

They can afford to pay all those ... So something is up if you're gonna can nearly 100 people in 100 days ...

On the other hand, just because they "can" pay for all these people doesnt mean it makes sense financial to do so. Vast majority of people released were never going to do anything in the WWE, even if pushed, so let them go. Harsh, but all walks of business are.