NXT releases

[AZUCAR!]

With the company about to hire an influx of new developmental talents to coincide with the opening of the company's Performance Center in Florida, several talents in the NXT/developmental system were released today.

PWInsider.com has confirmed that Derek Bateman and Briley Pierce have been released.

Bateman was seen on the final season of NXT before it morphed into the current incarnation of the series filmed in Florida. He was signed in 2007 and had been in the system for a long time.

Pierce is Ryan Nemeth, aka the younger brother of World champion Dolph Ziggler. On Twitter, he quipped, "I guarantee you that was the funniest and most entertaining "you're released" phone call in history." He had been signed to developmental in 2011.

Expect additional names to come out as there had been a fear of a major blood-letting among talents for months.

WWE has also released Sakamoto, who was originally paired with Tensai before being sent back down to developmental, this morning. He was signed to WWE in 2011 after originally breaking into the business under TAKA Michinoku in Japan.

WWE has also released developmental Diva Audrey Marie, who was signed in 2011 after being recruited by WWE and trained in the system.

There are at least two additional names we have heard were released from developmental and are working to double source them.

PWInsider.com has confirmed the following WWE NXT talents have also been let go today:

*Brandon Traven, who worked the Mid-Western independent scene as Brian Beaker before being signed to developmental. He had originally trained under Harley Race in Missouri.

*Percy Watson, who was signed to the company in 2009 and showed some real character and flashes of greatness on the fifth season of NXT, teaming with Titus O'Neil. He had been working regularly for NXT in developmental but was never moved on up full-time to the main roster.

*Anya, a 6'1" Russian kickboxer named Anna Bogomazova who was signed in the summer of 2012. She had been out of the ring of late with an arm injury.

Audrey Marie

 

[Killz]

Looking for cross-over comedic talent that was safe and marketable that WWE owned all the intellectual property to and would be sweet relief to the Sweet T and Santino characters for the 18 and over demographic? Bateman, all day long. He was a victim of the ridiculous NXT burial that took place after season 1 when all the on-screen personalities stopped giving a rats ass but his dynamic with Bryan, his promos and vignettes and even his damn ring work make him the standout start of season 2.

Percy Watson, too, whilst being stuck with a dumb catchphrase was a hell of a crowd worker and seemed to really connect with people. Those were two guys I always liked when I saw them and expected to make it to the roster eventually. Neither main event talent but certainly TV talent in my opinion. Victims of being surrounded by the excellent Shield, overshadowed by season 1 rookies and competing for real estate on NXT with ex-TV talents and guys who already have a following like Bray and Hero.

The others I can take or leave/haven't seen them wrestle. As for the idea of this cutting it boggles my mind to a certain extent. If you employ certain members of 3MB and the likes of JTG to work as jobbers on shows that barely make it to TV anywhere in the world then why not use guys who have actually connected with a crowd and who COULD become bigger stars given the chance? I don't know why the enhancement/filler talent isn't always younger guys and rookies because from a storyline perspective it completely makes sense and it gives them exposure and the company time to maximise their minutes as JR would say.

 

[Dale]

I think WWE has dropped the ball on a few of these to be honest.

Percy Watson when he was actually full in his Showtime gimmick on NXT Season 2 was fucking amazing. He could work well enough but he was madly charismatic and would have gotten over so easily on the main roster but they buried the fuck out of the character (I remember Cena saying something about it too) and made him into a boring ass FCW clone with no personality at all.

Audrey Marie just screamed WWE Diva and was actually pretty shocked by her release. She was a good enough worker for the Divas, was good looking and had a great body so i'm qiute baffled as to why they would release her.

Anya, i've never seen work but her description alone shows that she's worth keeping, they have absolutely nobody like her.

 

[CliqueClacks]

I'm going to miss Audrey, she was so sexy

 

[SAIYANS]

Sad about Audrey and Percy. They both could have been useful. Heck even sakamlto if partnered with yoshi for a Kai en Tai rip

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

Nothing to see here. Happy Bateman is gone, what an irritating turd he was on NXT. The rest were just fodder and weren't going to be used.

 

[The Cork]

Bateman and Danielson's bromance was the best thing about that nXt season, could of got over like Billy & Chuck homo heel heat IMO.

 

[Cwalker]

Damn I always liked Percy Watson. I thought he could have been a good midcard guy. His charisma was amazing.

The rest I don't really care about. I wasn't as big on Bateman as most and with his partner doing the whole Fandango thing, it was only a matter of time

 

[Chris]

Some of these are a little bit of a shock. Seems like they're cutting the ones that have had a bit of exposure like Bateman and Watson that didn't pan out.

 

[Weez]

BATEMAN, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Damn, I just recently realized I still have that same damn since since that season of NXT lol

 

[John McHenry]

Kinda a bit shocked by Dolphs brother the most. Having a brother in the company seems like always nice to have the instant possibility of a tag team. Also it's weird cause I imagine Dolph would be asking about his progress from time to time and relaying it back to him.

 

[DeathChamberzMusic]

I think WWE made some clear mistakes giving away there young potential. Sometimes you gotta just wonder about WWE decisions

 

[Rated R Superstar]

Haha, wasn't Triple H trying to push young talent ?

 

[Dale]

So NXT releases mean he isn't?

 

[Prodigy]

Haha, wasn't Triple H trying to push young talent ?

Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns say hi.