WWE News & Rumor Roundup: More releases to come soon? Ex-US Champion refused to lose to John Cena, Drew McIntyre on possibly facing Roman Reigns (November 8, 2021)
We're back with another edition of WWE News and Rumor Roundup. Following the recent wave of talent releases, a new report indicates that the company could make more cuts soon.
Meanwhile, what did Drew McIntyre have to say about another showdown against Roman Reigns? A former United States Champion has admitted that he actively pushed not to lose against John Cena back in 2013.
We'll also take a look at the potential reason behind Eva Marie's release, as well as The Rock's reaction to rumors about a long-awaited dream match.
Without further ado, let's jump right into the recent news and rumors that made headlines:
#5. 10 additional names considered to be "on the bubble" by WWE
Since the departure of 18 WWE talents on November 4, Dave Meltzer has highlighted that there were around 10 more names that higher-ups wanted to release but ultimately didn't.
There is a possibility that such talents might get cut from the roster soon, but as of right now, the company considers them to be "on the bubble." Meltzer stated on Wrestling Observer Radio that a few WWE NXT veterans could be on this list as a result of the brand's extensive focus on younger stars moving forward.
“Of all the people that were cut, there were probably about 10 others that were in strong discussion about being cut. Pretty much everyone that was not being used well was on the bubble and they were considering cutting. I’m gonna guess when I saw the list of the people that were originally looking at being cut but were not, that a lot of those people I can see them being cut. Essentially everyone at NXT that’s a veteran that you don’t see on TV. All of those guys. Again, they are trying to get younger," said Meltzer.
He named two WWE stars, Danny Burch and Timothy Thatcher, who are reportedly "on the bubble" right now. However, Meltzer noted that "legacy stars" like Tommaso Ciampa might be safe from getting released in the current scenario of NXT.
"The idea is to get young guys in there…Ciampa and a few others might be safe just because they’re kind of legacy stars and you still want them on television just to kind of ease the transition. Although eventually with the direction they’re going, Ciampa doesn’t fit. They may keep him but a lot of the other ones like Danny Burch or [Timothy] Thatcher, those kind of guys. I’m not saying going to be cut but they are on the bubble. Their names were definitely considered also. Everyone in their 30s that’s not on TV right now was in a discussion of who [to] let go,” added Meltzer.
At #WWELondon, Tommaso Ciampa defeats Bron Breakker to retain the #WWENXT Championship. https://t.co/yrh2hxbOit
As per other reports, WWE could be planning to evaluate NXT talents every six months, and if performers aren't improving within that timeframe, it might lead to more releases.