Former manager discusses the reality of WWE contracts after Matt Riddle's unexpected release (Exclusive)
Former WWE manager Dutch Mantell recently spoke about the company releasing several of its stars this past week.
Soon after the merger with UFC and the formation of the new company TKO Group Holdings was announced, WWE started laying off some of its staff. The top stars affected by these budget cuts include Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Mansoor, Elias, Rick Boogs, Emma, Riddick Moss, Aliyah, Top Dolla and many more.
This week on Smack Talk, Mantell stated that WWE's hiring process was similar to that of pro football. The stars are aware of the fact that they could get fired at any time. The veteran also detailed that every superstar has a limited time inside the squared circle, and unfortunately, the time with the company had run out for some superstars.
"Hey listen, it's like pro football. You get hired to get fired. I mean how long is a guy gonna play pro football, not long because they expect that." [6:15 - 6:27]
You can watch the full video here:
You can catch the full results of SmackDown here.
Matt Riddle is the latest name to be released by WWE
Just before this week's episode of SmackDown went on air, former United States Champion Matt Riddle took to Twitter to announce that he had parted ways with the company.
In a recent statement, Riddle informed fans that he was no longer under contract with the company and wanted to thank them for the memories. Riddle also expressed gratitude to the fans for their support throughout his journey.
"Just wanted to inform everyone that I’m no longer with WWE. Thank you for the memories and opportunities also thank you to all the fans for the support and love you give me every time I go out to the ring. See you all soon 🤙"
It would be interesting to see where some of these released stars show up in the upcoming future.
What are your thoughts on the recent releases made by WWE? Sound off in the comments section below!
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