Curtis Axel and Ariya Daivari reportedly gone from WWE
It appears the WWE producer tryouts for Curtis Axel and Ariya Daivari have come to an end.
In recent months, we've seen both Axel and Daivari on WWE programming several times to break up fights on RAW and SmackDown as they performed their producer duties backstage.
But according to a recent update from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, the tryouts have come to an end. Johnson stated that "budget cuts" are the reason that Curtis Axel and Ariya Daivari are no longer being brought into RAW and SmackDown, which has reportedly caused the other full-time producers to be "extremely overworked" to make up for their absence.
Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp (via Fightful Select) backed up Johnson's report stating that both men have been off the company's run sheets for weeks now as they are no longer being used going forward.
Backstage News from Raw & Smackdown
- Original VOMIT plans
- What WWE wanted to avoid in the COOKOUT
- Producers
- Producers scaled back
- Internal errors
- Ariya Daivari and Curtis Axel
FightfulSelect.com now https://t.co/rXnY1Wadpd
United States Championship open challenge scheduled for WWE RAW
Unless the company brings in new help, it's unlikely the producers will feel any relief on the road to SummerSlam as they have another big episode of Monday Night RAW to tackle tomorrow night.
Not only is The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar scheduled to appear, but it has also been announced that The All Mighty Bobby Lashley will defend his United States Championship in an open challenge match.
Lashley is currently scheduled to face Theory at SummerSlam for the championship, but a wrench could be thrown into those plans due to whoever steps forward to challenge for the title on RAW.
Who should answer @fightbobby's #USTitle Open Challenge tomorrow night on #WWERaw? https://t.co/g7aAOLITDi
While it may be disappointing to see WWE once again using the "budget cut" reasoning after releasing talent, fans have undoubtedly gotten accustomed to it over the last two years. Hopefully, the producers won't be overworked again this Monday night on RAW.