Two WWE Developmental Releases
Chad Baxter indicated on Twitter Wednesday and Thursday that he has been released from his developmental contract with WWE.
“Good luck with your future endeavours,” he wrote in a message yesterday before stating he’s a free agent.
He then posted multiple fan messages offering encouragement, including one saying he can “always make an impact.”
Baxter, whose real name is Derek Foore, was a Notre Dame collegiate wrestling champion WWE Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco recruited last year. He sparingly competed for NXT until the summer, and then was primarily relegated to non-televised events.
Lucas Di Léo, a French wrestler WWE signed to a developmental contract earlier this year, announced on Facebook Thursday that he has parted ways with the sports-entertainment organization after requesting his contract release.
Di Léo, who appeared as Louis Fontaine for developmental league NXT, said he felt out of place in the company and wanted out. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on his shoulder in the coming days and didn’t wantWWE to foot the bill after having his mind already made up.
Di Léo also notes that he no plans to join TNA Wrestling. Here is a rough translation of his announcement: “Well, what I write will require a bit of open-mindedness and intelligence. From these facts, I think everyone will not be able to understand … I say that because in my previous post I pointed out that I was going to give more details in a few times etc etc and in private messages that I ‘I received, there was almost all the time the same thing: “Why?’
“So my turn … Why do not you know to be patient? Why do not you read it right? Why do you think we accountable?
“I say this without any animosity, just human to human … I always tried to be relatively close to the people who contact me, either for advice or simply encouragement, but sometimes …
“Anyway, to end rumors that may arise, I have not been fired from the WWE (WWE does not return the injured people) and I’m not going to TNA (…) …
“I asked to be released from my contract simply because I felt out of place here … It’s not a matter of level or anything, just a matter of honesty. I felt that I still had things to do before I get into this great machine that is the WWE. When I was active in a corner of my head, but from the moment I had to sit, I was working … The fact is that, frankly, I consider that it is not the time for me to be part of theWWE.
“Which was “hasty” decision is that I had to have surgery in a few days. From here there was a dilemma: take the transaction costs of the WWE and ask to be released after my rehabilitation or be a man and tell them what I thought before they invest money for me.
I chose the second option. I decided to leave now because I did not want the WWE pays money for me while in my heart I wanted to leave to explore other horizons.
“Separation was done in very good words, I learned a lot during my months alongside team coaches NXT and I met some very good people!
“I have no bitterness, I left a happy man, taking care not to slam the door behind me. I hope I have satisfied your curiosity …
“And for questions like, “it goes back to the ICWA? “… I have never left the ICWA.
“Whether I catch this or that French structure, I NXT main event, Raw Smackdown, I am in Mexico, North Pole, Japan, under water, in the snow or whatever, I am part of the ICWA.”
Latest From DDP and Jake Roberts
Change Made To Survivor Series Match
In a change to Sunday’s Survivor Series Pre-Show contest, the officialWWE website announced Thursday that Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd will square off against two members of 3MB. Gabriel and Kidd replace Santino Marella and Zack Ryder in the bout.
Damien Sandow Addresses Cody Rhodes’ Health
Damien Sandow appeared onBusted OpenThursday and was asked whether Rhodes Scholar peer Cody Rhodes will be healthy enough to compete at Sunday’sSurvivorSeriespay-per-vieweventafter suffering a concussion and strained shoulder at Tuesday’sWWEMainEventtaping in Cleveland, Ohio.
“He is recovering quite nicely,” said Sandow, who spoke incharacterduring theinterview. “I assure you that the appropriate actions are being taken to promote the best interests of both Cody Rhodes and Team Ziggler.”
Rhodes is scheduled for further evaluation Friday to determine if he can compete on Sunday.
NXT Results
Dark Match: Fandango beat Garrett Dylan with a pretty cool finisher. The crowd was digging Fandango.
Dark Match #2: Layla beat Alicia Fox with the Lay-Out.
Episode 1 – Airing December 12
(1) U.S. champion Antonio Cesaro beat Michael McGillicutty with the Neutralizer in a non-title match.
(2) Bo Dallas beat Axel Keegan with a Spear.
(3) Corey Graves beat Yoshi Tatsu.
(4) Roman Reigns beat Gavin Reid in a squash match.
(5) Tyson Kidd beat Leo Kruger with the The Dungeon Lock. After the match, Kassius Ohno came out and attacked Kidd from behind. As Ohno was about to hit his KO elbow, William Regal pulled Kidd out of the ring to close the show.
Episode 2 – Airing December 19
(1) Paige beat Sasha Banks (formerly Mercedes KV)
- Oliver Grey was in the ring awaiting his opponent when Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper came out on stage. Wyatt said it was time to meet the next son of the Wyatt family and out came Erick Rowan.
(2) Erick Rowan beat Oliver Grey with his unnamed finisher.
- NXT Commissioner Dusty Rhodes comes out to promote the NXT Championship match between challenger Jinder Mahal and defending champion Seth Rollins later tonight. He quickly turned his attention to the $5,000 bounty Vickie Guerrero placed on Big E. Langston a few weeks back and called her a bitch.
Camacho interrupted and says he is accepting the offer to take out Langston because he “needs money.” Langston then comes out and says next week Camacho can try to take him out. Big E. even offers Camacho the chance to choose anyone he wants to team up to try and take him out.
(3) NXT champion Seth Rollins beat Jinder Mahal (in 3MB gear) with Blackout to retain the NXT Title. After the match, Corey Graves came out and exchanged words with Rollins to close the show.
Episode 3 – Airing December 26
(1) The Usos beat Epico & Primo when Jey hit a splash on Primo. After the match, The Ascension appeared on the Titantron while The Usos celebrated their win, extending their rivalry.
(2) Big E. Langston beat Aiden English & Camacho when Langston hit the Big Ending on English when Camacho bailed. Big E. was mega-over with the crowd. After the match, Big E. did the five count not once, but twice.
(3) Kassius Ohno beat Percy Watson with the KO elbow.
- WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross came out and introduced NXT Champion Seth Rollins for an interview. Rollins was asked about his defense over Jinder Mahal last week and what’s next for him. Corey Graves interrupted, saying that he will become the next champion. Graves ambushed Rollins and placed him in a submission hold. Referees had to come out to break it up to close the show.
Dark Match: World Heavyweight champion Big Show beat Bo Dallas with the W.M.D. to retain the World Title.
Note: The Dallas vs. Show match may be included in the third episode.
Fear Of WWE Releases In The Near Future
there is fear in WWE that the company may start releasing some talent now that Linda McMahon’s US Senate campaign is over. The reason WWE didn’t do their normal “spring cleaning” cuts this year was due to the fact that Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign slogan was that she was a “job creator”. It obviously wouldn’t have looked good if WWE came out and released 10+ talents. Her opponents would have also used that against her.
We also know that there were some WWE developmental cuts this week and they are usually followed up with main roster cuts. We shall see.
Evan Bourne Update
Injured WWE wrestler Evan Bourne “should be back hopefully soon,” according to his former Air Boom tag partner Kofi Kingston.
“Yeah, Evan is doing all right, he has been doing some rehab for his ankle,” Kofi told Smacktalk Radio promoting Survivor Series. “He’ll be back before we know it and doing what he does best and that’s fly around the ring and do all types of superhero/action figure-esque video game type moves… Not sure the exact timetable on it, but, yeah, he’s doing great.”
More Later!
