WWE legend goes in-depth into his sudden release from the company
At a time when the WWE seems hard-pressed to find quality talent, it wouldn’t seem prudent for them to sever ties with a long-serving member of the company. But that is what happened in November last year with former WWE Superstar and 11-time Tag Team Champion Billy Gunn.
Gunn, who was a coach on NXT at the time, was unceremoniously released by the WWE after a drug test showed elevated testosterone levels at a powerlifting competition he entered. Gunn was suspended from the sport for four years following the test.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard website, Gunn contritely cleared the air about the whole situation:
“The first thing I want to make clear is the powerlifting meet that I went to. I wasn’t on it to win that powerlifting contest because it was me against me anyway. I popped on their test, because I was over their test limit.
“Let’s face it: I’m 52 years old. I have my [prescription] from the doctor, but it was the way it all came out is what they had to do. I don’t blame them at all, and I’m going to take every single bit of it because it wasn’t fair to NXT for what Hunter had done for the company.
“What he’s done with that brand is amazing. [WWE] had to do what they had to do. They did it, and I’m perfectly fine with it, and hopefully one day they’ll hire me back because I feel I was a pretty good coach. It’s just the way it all came out. It wasn’t anything that WWE did; they [had] to do what they did, and I feel like I let the NXT kids down. I never, ever wanted to do that. Ever. So I’ll take that.”