Released WWE star "was not going to be taken seriously" by Vince McMahon due to his size - Reports
Drake Maverick was one of eight WWE Superstars released during the most recent wave of cuts, but he was reportedly on the chopping block for the previous round.
On November 18, WWE released Maverick, John Morrison, and the remaining members of Hit Row, among others. These cuts came just two weeks after the company let 18 Superstars go in another cost-cutting measure.
According to a new report from Dave Meltzer, Maverick reportedly survived the cuts last time around, but WWE sources were not surprised by his release on Thursday. Meltzer reports that Vince McMahon was never going to perceive Maverick seriously due to his relatively small size.
Age was also a factor in Maverick's release; at 38 years old, he does not fit with the company's focus on younger talent.
Meltzer's report from the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter is as follows:
"[Maverick's] departure was not a surprise since he was considered to be cut just a few weeks ago, but survived that round," wrote Meltzer. "Someone of his size was not going to be taken seriously by Vince McMahon, and while a great personality when put on the screen, his age and size worked against him."
Fightful has learned that WWE have released John Morrison, Top Dolla, Ashante Adonis, Isaiah Swerve Scott, Tegan Nox, Drake Maverick, Shane Thorne, and Jaxson Ryker.
As Meltzer notes, Maverick's humorous personality when he appeared on TV. In recent weeks, he had been featured on WWE RAW as a contender for the WWE 24/7 Championship.
Drake Maverick's first reaction after his WWE release
My immediate thoughts...
#wwe @wwe #nxt @wwenxt #thankyou https://t.co/jMtv5X50KQ
Maverick released an emotional video on Twitter following his release, and the clip has been getting a lot of attention from well-known wrestling personalities. John Cena was part of the group that came out and vouched for him on social media.
During his WWE run, Maverick won the 24/7 Championship eight times, and he was often booked in comedic angles on WWE TV. WWE first released Maverick in April 2020, but the fans rallied around him, so he was quickly re-hired in June
Maverick's powerful post-release promo made it clear that he could return to his former persona, Rockstar Spud. Moving forward, it seems like he's ready to show the world what he can do in the aftermath of his release.
What do you think about Meltzer's report? Where do you hope to see Maverick go from here? Sound off below.