NXT Minus 6: We Wish You Well…

WWE is a business and the recent cuts are business decisions. That doesn’t change the fact that I am a fan, not a businessman. Today, we give proper goodbyes to six superstars recently sent to their future endeavors. 

6. Arturo Ruas I might be the only fan who will miss Ruas. He was a massive bad ass with legit wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu credentials. He hits hard, often and vicious. He brought a gritty level of reality & brutality to everything he did. His battle against Anthony Henry at Evolve 131 was one of my underrated gems of 2019.  

5. Tony Nese Nese is my favorite type of wrestler: he won me over. Vanilla Tony was a bland babyface, but he flourished as a heel. Although he didn’t win a match, he was the star of the 2020 Cruiserweight Tournament and one of the unsung heroes of the pandemic era. All year, he’s busted his ass in the forgotten wasteland of 205 Live, but he never let that impact his performance. He’ll find work sooner than later.

4. Ever-Rise Two more unsung heroes of 2020, pulling double duty on 205 Live and NXT. I don’t think anyone had more pandemic matches than Chase Parker and Matt Martel. It’s a damn shame they were cut just as they were finally given a chance to shine. Ever-Rise RULES Then…Now…Forever. And the guy who gave them their walking papers can kiss my ass Then…Now…Forever.

3. Killian Dain They cut Dain the same week they gave his wife a new gimmick??? Is it too much to expect even one fleck of grace from the E? Keeping him on payroll a few more weeks would have zero impact on the bottom line. Giving him the option to go to NXT UK seems like a no brainer. This is the shit that makes me think the WWE is no longer a wrestling company, but merely a thing that deserves our ridicule and mockery. 

2. Fandango: As far as I’m concerned, Fandango is another wrestler who never got a chance to shine. It’s obvious he’s a fantastic athlete capable of more than he was ever allowed to show as a dancer or fashionista. That stuff was entertaining, but I’m guessing little Johnny Curtis didn’t grow up with dreams of grinding his pelvis into the face of his partner. Speaking of…

1. Tyler Breeze: Breeze is not my favorite wrestler on this list, but this cut sucks the most. He was an NXT OG who helped build the brand. He was also the guy chosen for Jushin Liger’s only WWE match ever, no minor accomplishment. If any of the recently released deserved a proper goodbye, it’s Breeze. Maybe he got something in the back. It’s still a harsh reminder that WWE doesn’t think twice about chewing up their superstars and spitting them out like watermelon seeds at a summer picnic.