By now, most fans are aware WWE usually makes spring cleaning cuts sometime after Wrestlemania. It usually isn't this late, but it went down today.
7 men and 1 woman were let go. The Black Friday victim list:
*Cameron (Ariane Andrew): To think she was 1/2 of the Funkadactyls with Naomi before some Uncreative moron decided to break up the act. Hasn't been the same since.
Likely landing spot: TNA, where she has a few old friends, including Tyrus (pka Brodus Clay), on the roster.
*Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl): The last cruiserweight champion was set to mark a full decade with the company, but was cut before hitting the 10 year mark. Hadn't been seen since drawing a suspension for a wellness violation last fall, around the same time his updating of "Leprechaun" was ready to hit theatres.
Likely landing spot: 'Swoggle has already landed an indy date in New Jersey next month on a card co-promoted by Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling. Aside from that, who knows? TNA could come calling, or Jarrett could sign Postl to a GFW deal.
*Damien Sandow (Aaron Haddad): He's been with the company for a decade as well, mostly in developmental, and an earlier main roster run had him as "Idol" Stevens, managed by Michelle McCool, but that didn't pan, and he spent the next few years in Florida before getting called up for good as Sandow in 2012.
Likely landing spot: Don't laugh, but aside from indies, I think he could turn up in Ring of Honor or TNA. Can't see him anywhere else right now, unless he gets a call from Jarrett.
*Zeb Colter (Wayne Keown): The artist formerly known as Dutch Mantel apparently owns the trademark to his current persona, and his 2nd tour with WWE came to an abrupt, but expected, end after he disappeared last fall when Alberto Del Rio left him to form the now-defunct League of Nations. WWE made a mistake letting him go.
Likely landing spot: Colter will be on the same GFW card for his pal Jarrett next month, along with 'Swoggle and Booker T, but other than that, since his bridges might've been burned with TNA, he could turn up in Ring of Honor. Ya never know.
*King Barrett (Stuart Barrett): When NXT was a reality show, Barrett was the "winner" in season 1, and aside from that, he only won a few Intercontinental titles in six years with WWE. For some reason, be it injuries or bad luck, despite having the size Vince McMahon lusts after, Barrett was not given a shot to carry the ball as champion, and he peaked with a wonderful series of matches with Randy Orton around 2012.
Likely landing spot: Barrett is taking a holiday from wrestling, but I'd not be surprised if he is recalled, because I don't see TNA signing him, or anyone else.
*Santino Marella (John Carelli): Forced into retirement in 2014 due to a neck injury, Marella made a spot appearance on television last year, but there wasn't anything available for him to do, although if they land a TV deal in Italy......!!
Likely landing spot: Marella is retired, and is running his BattleArts promotion in his native Canada.
*Alex Riley (Kevin Kiley, Jr.): One of Dave Meltzer's idiot writers mistakenly wrote that Riley won season 2 of NXT in 2010 (he didn't--Low-Ki, as Kaval, did). After breaking away from The Miz, Riley floundered as a midcard face, and then went down to NXT (now a developmental program) after injuries ended his push. Last seen "doing the honors", if you will, for Shinsuke Nakamura on NXT recently.
Likely landing spot: Son of a former ESPN broadcaster, A-Ry, who swapped his tights & boots for an announcer's blazer in NXT in 2013-4, could move back to that and join ex-WWE announcers Jon Coachman, Max Bretos, & Todd Grisham at his dad's old employer, ESPN, or sign with Fox. If he chooses to continue to wrestle, TNA or Global Force would be a good spot for him, unless Ring of Honor appeals to him.
*El Torito: Made expendable when Los Matadores swapped out their masks and resumed being the Colon cousins.
Likely landing spot: AAA/Lucha Underground. This one's a no brainer. Can't see him in TNA or ROH.
A mass salary dump to clear space so Vince & Triple H can sign more talent from the indies? Yep, happens every year.
Who should've stayed: Barrett, Colter, Riley, Marella. Colter could be the last piece of the puzzle Jarrett needs to get a GFW TV deal in the US. The others could use a change of scenery, and will benefit. Cameron, like Mickie James & Maria Kanellis-Bennett before her, was aspiring to be a singer, and WWE wasn't 100% committed to supporting that, it seems.
As Cameron might put it, Girl-&-Guys 'Bye. Hope to see you soon.
