Jan 6, 2022 14:15:19 GMT System said:

Did Triple H cheat on Stephanie or something?

Johnny Ace and Kevin Dunn seen HHH getting success with NXT as a threat to their power in WWE and basically moved to destroy NXT to stop HHH from taking over after Vince retires.

Gabe Sapolsky has just gotten released.

These stories about parting shots at HHH and Jonny Ace and Dunn kicking it to HHH are such smarkbait it's ridiculous. It looks to me like it's just a clear out, i.e. this department was run this way and failed so we're going to change everything about it. I don't agree with it, particularly the dismissal of Regal but it's so dramatic to think it's some sort of political power move just because a few Sean Sapp sources backstage at WWE have suspected it to be. That won't stop people from pole vaulting to conclusions, obviously.

Did not even realize they had Gabe under contract.

I do not think the stories are wrong. HHH built up his own system with NXT and it was clear that at some point it was no longer a developmental fed. The top guys were not being sent up, but kept down. I can easily see Vince's inner circle going what the fuck and wanting to know why after HHH started groups like the Shield or Wyatt Squad stopped coming up and instead were staying in NXT. To me that alone would justify Dunn and Ace gutting the fucking fed. Gargano and Ciampa were top stars in AEW for years but never moved up. Undisputed Era was on top for years but never moved up. It was clear at some point NXT stopped being a feeder fed. Then Joe was released and suddenly reemployed by NXT. If I was the one who let Joe go I would be pissed to see the minor league override my decision. Moreso NXT started to have a huge roster, and the training team keep growing, with little results being produced. To me that looks like a high cost / low payoff, and clearly stopped being what WWE was paying for. Main roster was wanting the next Roman or Cena. Instead they were getting sent up crap that they could not use then released, while the top guys were staying there. I would have been pissed.  I mean keep Gargano and Cole and send me up Cross?  Come on. 

Think with 2.0 they just saw it time to start cutting the insane costs that NXT was taking on.  I expect more releases still to come as they scale it back down to FCW size.

Jan 6, 2022 11:15:52 GMT NATH45 said:

The main roster is littered with veteran talent to learn from.

We have to remember that once upon a time, developmental wasn't a 5+ year circle-jerk, with workers too afraid to work two nights in a row. It was relatively short and sharp and the real education came working the pros.

John Cena & Randy Orton were signed in 2001. Batista & Brock in 2000 and by 2003 these guys were working with the likes of The Rock, Chris Benoit, The Undertaker, Triple H, etc and these 4 are among the biggest names in the history of the business.

They learned from doing house shows. They don't do house shows like they used to, how should they learn instead?

Dark matches is the new system. But that is more how NXT guys learn to work in WWE. Which should not be needed.

Jan 6, 2022 11:15:52 GMT NATH45 said:

The main roster is littered with veteran talent to learn from.

We have to remember that once upon a time, developmental wasn't a 5+ year circle-jerk, with workers too afraid to work two nights in a row. It was relatively short and sharp and the real education came working the pros.

John Cena & Randy Orton were signed in 2001. Batista & Brock in 2000 and by 2003 these guys were working with the likes of The Rock, Chris Benoit, The Undertaker, Triple H, etc and these 4 are among the biggest names in the history of the business.

The Ruthless Aggression Season 2 on the Network covers a lot of the developmental programs they had, it certainly looks like they are going back to that method of developmental. The fact they’ve made some documentaries about developmental in the past shows to me they are making a planned long term cultural change once again in that system.

Jan 6, 2022 14:15:19 GMT System said:

Did Triple H cheat on Stephanie or something?

Comment of the Thread so far.

Trips clearly let the Savage Rumors get the best of him!

Jan 6, 2022 16:16:32 GMT CM Punk'd said:

Gabe Sapolsky has just gotten released.        

Somewhere, Ethan Page just popped a champagne cork. 

Jan 6, 2022 16:53:41 GMT nazzer said:

Jan 6, 2022 11:15:52 GMT NATH45 said:

The main roster is littered with veteran talent to learn from.

We have to remember that once upon a time, developmental wasn't a 5+ year circle-jerk, with workers too afraid to work two nights in a row. It was relatively short and sharp and the real education came working the pros.

John Cena & Randy Orton were signed in 2001. Batista & Brock in 2000 and by 2003 these guys were working with the likes of The Rock, Chris Benoit, The Undertaker, Triple H, etc and these 4 are among the biggest names in the history of the business.

They learned from doing house shows. They don't do house shows like they used to, how should they learn instead?

The flipside is, they can work a single match a month in NXT 1.0.

As c said - they can work dark matches now, or once the fundamentals are there, they work with the top guys on the main roster. I think I pointed out a few months ago, how some of the top guys in NXT were barely wrestling on television with 10-15 matches a year between NXT and Takeovers. So it was never a case of putting in the long hours for some.

Numerous young guys are currently buddied up with vets, either as tag teams or rivals. Would you rather work with NXT guys or Cesaro, Nakamura, Orton, Sheamus, Rey, Styles? Easy answer.

They also changed the formula, if you want guys to work like Johnny Gargano - then sure, you need more time mastering those nuances, but if you want a John Cena type - then it's purely repetition.

On tenures in developmental, take a guy like Kona Reeves - signed in 2014, released in 2021. At what point does he finally "get it" and begin putting together a decent match? Clearly doesn't get it.

In quiet news, Petey Williams has been hired by WWE as a producer.

Goodbye Samoa Joe again

Joe wondering how fast he can run back those Forbidden Door comments from the summer.

Jan 6, 2022 23:30:16 GMT NATH45 said:

In quiet news, Petey Williams has been hired by WWE as a producer.

Didn't realize it went in that direction anymore.

So called Joe getting released. He is coming to AEW for sure.  Well unless HHH hires him back again <.<

Imagine if HHH was released.

Jan 7, 2022 0:24:23 GMT @ness said:

Imagine if HHH was released.

That wouldn’t even surprise me at this point.

Joe is less shocking than Regal but still crazy considering he was released, hired back, WON THE NXT TITLE, then got hurt and is now released again.

Jan 7, 2022 0:24:23 GMT @ness said:

Imagine if HHH was released.

Vince: Hunter, you have been released from your contract as my son-in-law. NOW, GET HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE!

Jan 7, 2022 0:33:51 GMT RT said:

Jan 7, 2022 0:24:23 GMT @ness said:

Imagine if HHH was released.

That wouldn’t even surprise me at this point.

Joe is less shocking than Regal but still crazy considering he was released, hired back, WON THE NXT TITLE, then got hurt and is now released again.

The moment, he's released, Steph will call for a divorce.

I HAVE THE LAST LAUGH HHH, I WAS ALIGNED WITH VINCE ALL ALONG!!!

Interesting all these releases happen right after a bunch of people decided on their contracts. Rumor is the locker room is very demoralized and more people are expected to start asking for their release. Releasing Regal pissed a lot of people off.

Waiting now for the news that NXTUK is released. The entire fed at once.

Jan 6, 2022 23:30:16 GMT NATH45 said:

In quiet news, Petey Williams has been hired by WWE as a producer.

I think went to the WWE after Bound for Glory

Damn what did HHH do?

Made people think NXT was the best of the WWE shows. That cannot be allowed. All must suffer for his arrogance.

Jan 7, 2022 2:18:11 GMT c said:

Made people think NXT was the best of the WWE shows. That cannot be allowed. All must suffer for his arrogance.

If that was the case, then WWE would've also fired Finn, KO, Cesaro, Sami, Becky, Sasha, Charlotte, Bayley, Bliss, Asuka, McIntyre, Ricochet, Belair, etc.

Specifically people connected to Triple H and during the time NXT went head-to-head with Dynamite. They lost, so they have to be purged.

And Joe will return to the ring people are saying. He was not hurt or retired, Vince just did not want him in the ring anymore.

Jan 7, 2022 2:51:17 GMT c said:

And Joe will return to the ring people are saying. He was not hurt or retired, Vince just did not want him in the ring anymore.

Well he was injured. That’s why he gave up the NXT title. He recovered and wanted to return and they were like “nah.”