OAO WWE Spring Releases Thread

[Mecca 0]

Chuck Palumbo

 

He's in the 'E' again?

 

He has been for over a year, he's been doing developmental territory and dark match work.........he has his long haired mop look back.

[Downhome 0]

He also has Taker's biker gimmick now doesn't he?

 

And isn't Mike Knox already gone?

[The Niggardly King 0]

I can see Haas going again.

[Obi Chris Kenobi 0]

Chuck Palumbo

 

He's in the 'E' again?

 

He has been for over a year, he's been doing developmental territory and dark match work.........he has his long haired mop look back.

 

Man, thought I would have caught that one, he was semi decent. Yeah, I'll say he'll probably go next.

 

Wonder if this clearance is to make way for some promotions from OVW? Harry Smith and co?

[Mecca 0]

He also has Taker's biker gimmick now doesn't he?

 

And isn't Mike Knox already gone?

 

As far as I know Knox is still employed, and Palumbo had been doing the Taker biker shit on his dark match entrances.

 

For all we know Kevin Thorn may be next and just hasn't answered his phone.

[Mecca 0]

source: www.f4wonline.com

 

Stephanie McMahon was promoted to the role where she decides who gets hired and who gets fired last week. Johnny Ace answers to her now, or she can overrule him on a decision if she wants. She's really making use of her title now, as she fired eight people within one week after there weren't any cuts since before WrestleMania.

 

Stephanie's first victims ended up being Rob Conway and 2 Cold Scorpio, who were released on 5/11. Scorpio had spent months and months sitting at home doing nothing, so this was no surprise. Conway was a surprise because he's a good worker and always had a good attitude. Stephanie felt Conway was a "jobber for life" and would never draw any money, and wanted to make room for more developmental talents to be called up.

 

Johnny Ace had to be the "bad cop" (which is his new role, as if he didn't have enough heat already), and made things worse for himself by lying, saying creative couldn't come up with anything for Conway to do. The problem was that creative had come up with something for him, a reunited La Resistance on ECW. Conway had just recently received his new gear when Ace told him there were no ideas. Many people in the company were very unhappy with the call since they felt he could have made a great teacher in Louisville.

 

Stephanie's taking her new role very seriously and she really wants to make her mark. Expect to see some more cuts within the next few days/weeks. Had Stephanie not been promoted, the individuals recently released would probably still be around, or at least a little while longer.

 

sources: Pro Wrestling Torch, Wrestling Observer

 

As reported earlier, Rob Conway, Too Cold Scorpio and Vito were recently released from their WWE contracts. These are considered part of Stephanie McMahon's house cleaning moves to show that she's putting her stamp on the roster now that John Laurinaitis reports to her, not Vince McMahon, on a daily basis. She has a much greater influence on roster moves than before, as unless it's someone on the top third of the card, Vince is probably going to rubberstamp any roster decision she makes. That wasn't the case with John Laurinaitis' recommendations to Vince in the past.

[The Niggardly King 0]

 

Next big main eventer.

 

 

The new big stable.

 

Can't wait.

[Downhome 0]

You know, I bet that there's some indie promoter out there right now already trying to figure out a way to book the 3-man "Too Cool" reunion. Many people here might not want to see that, but it could be something quite major for any number of indie promoters out there right now.

[dubq 0]

Dunno why lots of ppl are acting like Sabu & RVD leaving WWE is a bad thing. If anything it'll be better for them in the long run, especially RVD. I'd like to see those two hit up NOAH or All Japan as a tag team.

[Scroby 0]

Technically Rob Van Dam isn't offically released yet. Well hasn't been confirmed anyways.

[Hawk 34 0]

Hey, I'm all for clearing the dead weight on a roster. Ariel is puzzling to me since she is the main one released (not named RVD and Sabu, who are a different matter) that actually was getting notable TV time.

 

Wanna know something? This should only be the beginning. I noted in a thread a few days ago that WWE is full of guys who have been jobbed out, buried, or just not doing anything. Here are some others who need to be released in my view:

 

Raw: Duggan, Eugene, The Highlanders, Val Venis, Viscera. These guys are all stale or worthless.

Smackdown: Ashley (they got the Playboy cover out of her, now get rid of her to bring in the next Diva Search bimbo), Funaki, Maryse, Michelle McCool (either move the chicks to Raw where there's a women's division or get rid of em), Shannon Moore, Mike Mizanin.

ECW: Sandman (not so much that I'd want to, but with the Originals all but gone he serves no purpose), Little Guido, Mike Knox, and a bunch of them are borderline but I'd keep for now.

 

Duggan's good for the occasional dark match crowd opener and he's probably dirt cheap anyways. Package him with a legends deal and keep him in that capacity. Eugene is sticking around. They love using him for comedy skits. Venis is basically lined up to be the modern Santana as well as being a good worker and evaluator, He's ideal for the company as an agent. Viscera doesn't serve a purpose other then the occasional battle royal and skit.

 

Why get rid of McCool? She can work decent. Ashley won't be around much longer anyways, so no worries. Moore is probably gone soon enough as Stephanie can't see anything in that. The Miz could be kept outside of the ring as a promotional guy.

 

The Sandman is a good crowd opener as well and you always need those types. He probably works real cheap anyways. I'm all for Guido leaving since Vito was canned. Knox has been gone for awhile, the paperwork just got lost.

[Celtic Jobber 0]

I'm surprised they released Ariel but kept the worthless dancers from ECW, who I can't even bother to remember the name of, aside from Kelly Kelly.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I can imagine them firing Sandman but no one bothering to tell him, so he just works for free. Kinda like Milton in Office Space. Maybe Sandman will burn Titan Tow . . . errrrrr WWE Headquarters down.

[Longdogger_Pete 0]

I'm surprised they released Ariel but kept the worthless dancers from ECW, who I can't even bother to remember the name of, aside from Kelly Kelly.

 

Are you really?

 

Vince has always favored eye candy over actual ability. Maybe Ariel isn't tops in the wrestling department but the Expose girls are more over with the casual watcher (read: horny guy).

 

I'm waiting for Jillian Hall to go next.

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

Ariel and Batista had a verbal altercation recently that lead to her firing. Ariel was one of Heyman's personal choices when he was running ECW, so of course Steph wouldn't think twice when she had the opportunity to fire her.

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

I'm just starting to hate Batista more and more...

[Enigma 0]

WWE RELEASES ANOTHER DIVA

 

WWE quietly released Beth Phoenix from her contract early last week. She was told that creative had nothing for her.

 

Behind the scenes, Stephanie McMahon, was never a fan of her. She felt as though that she didn't have the "WWE Diva look" due to her inherit bulkiness.

 

-- Wrestling Observer Newsletter

[haVoc 0]

I grabbed this from Gerweck

 

WWE has released Mark Canterbury (Henry Godwinn). Canterbury was largely hired due to Triple H going to bat for him. Prior to his release, Canterbury had been working in the WWE developmental system.

 

 

(source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

[Hawk 34 0]

Good for Beth. SHIMMER time.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

WWE RELEASES ANOTHER DIVA

 

WWE quietly released Beth Phoenix from her contract early last week. She was told that creative had nothing for her.

 

Behind the scenes, Stephanie McMahon, was never a fan of her. She felt as though that she didn't have the "WWE Diva look" due to her inherit bulkiness.

 

-- Wrestling Observer Newsletter

What makes that even crazier is that WWE were the ones who told her to bulk back up in the first place.

[Hawk 34 0]

Basically at this point, no one should say a single word in the back or do whatever they were told to do or else they'll be looking for work.

[DangerousDamon 0]

Basically at this point, no one should say a single word in the back or do whatever they were told to do or else they'll be looking for work.

 

The messed up part is that people have lost their jobs for doing what they were told(Albright and Phoenix).

[Mecca 0]

Source: PWInsider Audio

 

-- As we reported earlier today, Ariel was released from her WWE/ECW contract. According to several backstage, she was released for a backstage incident with Batista. It appears that the two had an argument and she was simply defending herself.

 

Politically, that was the wrong move on her part. Another issue that came in to play was Stephanie McMahon’s opinion on her. Stephanie was never a fan of Ariel’s unique look and the fact that Paul Heyman handpicked her when ECW returned.

 

-- With Ariel’s departure from ECW, Kevin Thorn has been told he will be getting a makeover. So look for Thorn to be less of a vampire character. Sources are also saying that Dave Lagana isn’t one to “rock the boat” and will go with whatever WWE management wants, rather than fighting for the characters.

[Longdogger_Pete 0]

WWE RELEASES ANOTHER DIVA

 

WWE quietly released Beth Phoenix from her contract early last week. She was told that creative had nothing for her.

 

Behind the scenes, Stephanie McMahon, was never a fan of her. She felt as though that she didn't have the "WWE Diva look" due to her inherit bulkiness.

 

-- Wrestling Observer Newsletter

 

I was close.

[Mecca 0]

I'm surprised they released Ariel but kept the worthless dancers from ECW, who I can't even bother to remember the name of, aside from Kelly Kelly.

 

Are you really?

 

Vince has always favored eye candy over actual ability. Maybe Ariel isn't tops in the wrestling department but the Expose girls are more over with the casual watcher (read: horny guy).

 

I'm waiting for Jillian Hall to go next.

 

Jillian Hall has a huge rack so horny guys will like her.....hey I admit she's nice to look at.

[cabbageboy 0]

Why the fuck would they release Beth Phoenix? I'll admit she's kind of a big girl, but take a look at that women's division. If anything I've been waiting for them to finally call her back up to spice up a currently sad division. Does Stephanie not know the difference between the skank eye candy chicks and the actual women wrestlers?

 

If they release Katie Lea (current OVW women's champ), that's when I go postal.

[luke-o 0]

Source: PWInsider Audio

 

-- As we reported earlier today, Ariel was released from her WWE/ECW contract. According to several backstage, she was released for a backstage incident with Batista. It appears that the two had an argument and she was simply defending herself.

 

Politically, that was the wrong move on her part. Another issue that came in to play was Stephanie McMahon’s opinion on her. Stephanie was never a fan of Ariel’s unique look and the fact that Paul Heyman handpicked her when ECW returned.

 

-- With Ariel’s departure from ECW, Kevin Thorn has been told he will be getting a makeover. So look for Thorn to be less of a vampire character. Sources are also saying that Dave Lagana isn’t one to “rock the boat” and will go with whatever WWE management wants, rather than fighting for the characters.

 

Ariel has an argument with Batista and gets fired.

 

Randy Orten, amongst other things, trashes hotel rooms and keeps his main event spot.

 

I know thats how wrestling cliques work and its who you know rather than what you know, but that is a bit shit.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Wrestling is pretty much like any other business, and you're kidding yourself if you think this type of thing doesn't go on. Not to this extent, but it happens.

[Mecca 0]

Beth's Myspace says.....

 

My status with WWE....

 

I've gotten swamped with emails in regards to an internet rumour that I was released early this week....it is totally false. I am saddened at the news of the other WWE releases but even more that my name was brought into the mix. I've worked my whole life towards becoming a WWE Diva. The beautiful thing about the Divas is that they are strong, beautiful, and individual. I love my job with all my heart and I'm so very proud to have the opportunity to represent the company I've been in love with my entire life. Although I don't have to answer to or respond to the internet rumors that constantly come my way, I do owe the fans that have supported me over the past 7 years of my life. Yes I am still very much employed by WWE and working hard in OVW to one day return to WWE television and live my dream once again. Our business is all about patience and taking the good with the bad. If nothing else, you can be sure when you see Beth Phoenix, you will get 110% from me...everything in my heart.

 

All my love,

 

-Beth

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

C'mon Beth, you're supposed to check out WON and see that you're fired. It's not as classy as Bischoff firing Austin by proxy, but it's just as efficient!