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[jecclr2003]

WWE Release Yet Another 3 Superstars
Date Added: November 04, 2004
Story By: Daniel Edler
Source: WWE.com

-- WWE have released yet another three superstars, taking the tally in 48 hours to a massive 9 releases. Below is the official statement:

The WWE released Johnny Stamboli, Rodney Mack, Jazz, Gail Kim, Chuck Palumbo and Nidia from their contracts today. We wish them the best in their future endeavors.



Kinda makes you wonder WHY they are freeing up so much money from contracts?

Maybe the negotiations with Sting have started up again.... we'll see I guess.

 

[DarienA]

Gail Kim? Geez I thought she was kinda hot in a not over the top way....

I'd hit it.

As for Nidia her face is kinda Serena Williams like Mannish... but a bangin body.

 

[dskillzhtown]

I just think they are trying to make up for loss PPV revenue. I have read they are expecting this year's Survivor Series to be one of the least ordered of all time. I didn't know about Johnny Stamboli, Rodney Mack, and Jazz. Shrinking the already small split rosters seems not the right thing to do. If they had a halfway competent writing team, they could find stuff for everyone to do. Even if it is just being jobbers. This is a great time to be Austin, Brock, or Goldberg. Their value keeps going up everytime the PPV buys go down.

I hope Nidia comes back home to Houston and starts stripping again. It would be nice to see her WWE-funded additions, lol.

 

[raYne]

While I could care less about the released male wrestlers... how can you let go Jazz, Gail Kim AND Nidia (actual wrestlers) while keeping the bs "eye candy" around that that is Stacy, Torrie, Dawn Marie..etc? All of whom esentially have the same "match" on a daily basis.

 

[StoOgE]

Look for Vince to go back to some old tried and true names..

People that could return:

Hogan, Goldberg, Brock, Savage.. and possibly (but not likely) Hart or Austin. Austin is a likely return candidate, but I dont know that he could actually wrestle, and Hart is done in the ring.

And if Vince can get Foley or the Rock to come back in a larger role Im sure he will throw money at them.

At this point the newly heal turned Edge might be their best shot at getting viewership up, they guy is creating CRAZY levels of heat. Instead we are going to get another 6 months of HHH with the strap beating everyone who challenges him in feuds that last a month to a month and a half tops.. then Orton will win the Royal Rumble, get around the fact that he cant get a title shot with HHH and take the strap at WM21. Orton is Trips little buddy, so we can expect him to hold onto it well into next Fall. Thanks HHH.

 

[jecclr2003]

Don't know, but SOMETHING is going on.

Perhaps they are thinking of re-merging the rosters soon, that'd be the only logical reason why they've released 9 talents in the last 3 days. Thats a substantial cut in talent. Even thought their PPV rates are down they still have brought in more money in th elast 3 years than they ever have due to having the split company and being able to tour both companies at once.

The sad part about it is Test, he was released while suffering an injury from working for WWE. When he asked what he's supposed to do now John Laurentis told him "Hope you saved your money". Granted he was never the biggest name, on the other hand they didn't go out of their way to push him either. But that's just COLD.

What it boils down to is this, McMahon has no clue how to handle the younger talent anymore. He gives them a small push, pulls out from underneath them and then never gives them another chance.

He's going to have to do something and FAST. Eddie G is up there as is Taker and Angle can't go much longer. 8/10 of their big name talent is WELL over 30, closer to 40. Hell Batista is 38! Without this younger talent they have no company in the future.

Congrats vince, you're leaving quite a mess for your kids to clean up when you leave!

 

[DarienA]

Test may not have been the "smartest" wrestler to ever come down the pipe, but I thought he made a great Nash-like heel.... during one of his heels stints that I vaguely am trying to remember....

 

[jobber]

WTF?! Gail was just on Raw

Nidia

Jazz

The MACK

RIP to my fallen talent.

 

[jecclr2003]

Well looks like TNA got an expanded roster now. Better hope they get a prime time TV slot now.

 

[Lyte Edge]

Okay, so none of these wrestlers are big names, and most weren't even midcard wrestlers, but this still seems bad. The rosters are already too small for more cuts IMO, and yet even with the firings, they hire three more "divas" and have that $1,000,000 Tough Enough contract. Couldn't they have kept most of these guys for that amount of money? Hope the winner is worth that cash.

Getting rid of the female wrestlers over the divas makes sense for the WWE though. Not enough T and A with those women. :/

 

[Minotauro]

Well looks like TNA got an expanded roster now. Better hope they get a prime time TV slot now.

Are you out of your mind? If TNA can't turn a profit with their current roster, they never will. The problem is, TNA is basically the Jeff Jarett show. Anything that might distract from him, regardless of it's popularity, will be shut down. Just try to enjoy it while it lasts.

EDIT: Oh, and about the cuts, I really have no problem with any of them. Aside from Jazz and Gail who lent a decent amount of credibility to their fledgling womens' division, everyone else was pretty expendable. Mack was just hired as a new managee for Teddy Long once D'lo was fired. Stamboli was generic...I still probably couldn't pick him out of a lineup of shitty dead-end indy workers. A-Train was a decent worker with a bad gimmick and a clueless WWE booking him. Nidia wasn't any good in the ring and didn't have a decent look to make up for it. Chuck Palumbo was an average worker and unimpressive on the mic and Billy Gunn just sucked.

With all these people gone, the WWE could hire some prime un-signed indy talent for half the cost or work more on developing new talent. No complaints either way here.

 

[bishoptl]

Rodney Mack - ASS. Couldn't catch heat if he was bodysurfing Hell's Great Lake of Fire.

Jazz - Married to the heatless wonder above, plus she looks like a more compact and muscular version of Cuba Gooding Jr. With long hair.

Gail Kim - Can't wrestle a lick, and nearly killed Trish Stratus THREE TIMES in her first 6 months of wrestling. Still greener than a Granny Smith, and has no business in the ring. Good riddance.

Johnny Stamboli and Chuck Palumbo - these guys got fucked over bigtime. The FBI had all the makings of an excellent mid-card heel group, but their push was always half-hearted. One month, you'd see 'em for a bit, then nothing for ages. Palumbo should be particular pissed, after going through the Billy Gunn gay wrestler angle and coming through relatively unscathed. Dropped ball here, WWE.

Nidia - I loved her with Jamie Noble, but after they killed her trailer-trash gimmick and tried to push her as equivalent eye candy with the real hotties, she had no chance. She can actually wrestle, which is a shame. When the audience connects to a character, removing all of those character's idiosyncracies and still expecting the audience to relate is a crapshoot at best. See Victoria for another example of this idiocy - and if the WWE touches her, somebody's getting shot.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Nidia - I loved her with Jamie Noble, but after they killed her trailer-trash gimmick and tried to push her as equivalent eye candy with the real hotties, she had no chance. She can actually wrestle, which is a shame. When the audience connects to a character, removing all of those character's idiosyncracies and still expecting the audience to relate is a crapshoot at best. See Victoria for another example of this idiocy - and if the WWE touches her, somebody's getting shot.

Yeah, I agree with that. Not sure wtf Vince is doing. I am sure she will hit the indy circuit...or if I am lucky hit the Houston Strip Club circuit.

 

[Ecrofirt]

If WWE got Sting I would watch wrestling every week.

Fact.

 

[StoOgE]

If WWE got Sting I would watch wrestling every week.

Fact.

Sting and DDP are both looking for work from what I have heard. A deal to get Sting has fallen through several times.. and Im not sure if anyone outside of Bishoff ever liked DDP.

 

[jecclr2003]

Bish I actually agree on most parts.

But problem was Gail Kim COULD wrestle. Maybe hers was a version of stage fright and she just froze up once she hit the ring. Who knows.

I agree as well that they didn't know what they had in Palumbo and Stamboli as a team. Could have done some good stuff, especially considering Johnnys immense strength.

Releasing Test while injured is just wrong though.



As for TNA, no crap they aren't turning a profit. A startup company wont make ANY money for the first 2 years. They've already come alot farther than anyone owuld have guessed.

With the right writer they can capitalize on Vinces shoddy use of talent and make themselve a nice roster.

 

[bishoptl]

Maybe Gail Kim magically improved after her first year. I wouldn't know, since whenever she graced my television screen I'd go to the bathroom. What I do remember is her nearly breaking Trish's neck attempting an arm-bar drag off the turnbuckle in one of her first matches. A freaking arm-bar! My son can do an arm bar, and he's 2!

TNA won't do shit as long as it continues to be the "PROVE TO VINCE THAT JEFF JARRETT IS OVER" show. The guy is a career mid-carder, always has been. Booking himself in high profile angles and matches over and over just makes him look silly. Thankfully there's enough other good stuff going on in TNA that I can tune out the Double-J when necessary.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Maybe Gail Kim magically improved after her first year. I wouldn't know, since whenever she graced my television screen I'd go to the bathroom. What I do remember is her nearly breaking Trish's neck attempting an arm-bar drag off the turnbuckle in one of her first matches. A freaking arm-bar! My son can do an arm bar, and he's 2!

TNA won't do shit as long as it continues to be the "PROVE TO VINCE THAT JEFF JARRETT IS OVER" show. The guy is a career mid-carder, always has been. Booking himself in high profile angles and matches over and over just makes him look silly. Thankfully there's enough other good stuff going on in TNA that I can tune out the Double-J when necessary.

See, I can't see Nash and Hall (no matter how old they are) putting up with that. Not in TNA anyway. I see the Outsiders thing shaking things up, not sure positively or negatively.

 

[bjork]

What it boils down to is this, McMahon has no clue how to handle the younger talent anymore. He gives them a small push, pulls out from underneath them and then never gives them another chance.

Only Orton can save us now!

[bail out photo]

 

[Brian Fellows]

Maybe its the end of the brand split......... now they just need to fire The Undertaker, Lita, Heidenreich, Rosey, Maven, Mark Henry, Scott 2 Hotty, and Garrison Cade.

 

[GaimeGuy]

I think it's time to give Edge and Christian big pushes in the WWE. Their time is NOW.

 

[StoOgE]

and they need to bring band Christians music from right after the tag team break up... the first time the chorus came in with the "finnaly, Christian is on his own" I thought I was going to laugh to death.

Hell, team the "brothers" back up and let them beat the hell out of everyone.. heel, face who cares. I would eat that shit up. They are walking proof that cocky/funny works.

 

[Lyte Edge]

Yeah, I want to see E and C back together again. Let Trish stay with them, give them the tag titles/IC title and they could have a nice little faction going.

I still want the brand split ended aboce all else. Okay, fine, Edge is now moving up the card. That's great and all, but it's still all about Triple H, and the bottom line is that there's just not anyone else on his "level" to keep feuding with him for very long. At least if the brand split was over, there's popular wrestlers like Angle and Oldertaker to feud for the title.

 

[Guzim]

From WWE.com

WWE releases Rico

The WWE has released Rico. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

What the hell is going on?

 

[The Faceless Master]

damn, i was just about to post about Rico!

 

[Ripclawe]

Meltzer is saying 2 more cuts are coming.

 

[DMczaf]

When the hell is the WWE going to quit the stupid 2 brands thing and go back to 1 roster?

 

[Lyte Edge]

Meltzer is saying 2 more cuts are coming.

So 12 wrestlers are getting released in the span of one week? CRAZY.

"We have no use for these people on our programming. Hey Bob, we need someone to beat the crap out of Shelton Benjamin on RAW. HEY, I KNOW LET'S GET MABEL!!!!!!!!!!" Ugh.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

I really do not see the big deal about these people getting released. I will never miss them.

 

[bishoptl]

Rico? Oh man, poor guy. He worked so hard to get to the WWE, they saddle him with that ridiculous Queer Eye gimmick, and he makes it WORK...only to be released. Bummer.

 

[Minotauro]

Rico?! Okay, now, this is bullshit.

 

[GaimeGuy]

It's not good when a company starts cutting talent left and right. Considering the already low morale in the WWE, the stars are probably in a panic mode right now.

Oh, and screw the Jesus-music-knockoff that christian had: BRING BACK "BLOOD BROTHER!"

 

[Guzim]

Hopefully Tyson Tomko will get fired.

 

[bjork]

Rico can at least say they put him over Flair on Raw.

The others, though...

 

[Ripclawe]

I don't know what's going on, but its not about money since WWE is rolling in it.

 

[pilonv1]

Rico? This is retarded. I know he's like 40+ but jeez. It's not like they can bring up any more people from OVW, and there's nowhere else for talent to come from.

However I'll miss Gail Kim the most because of those matches on RAW a few months ago where she'd bust out all those awesome submissions.

Next two predictions - Nunzio and Garrison Cade.

 

[WasabiKing]

Rico's story was great, with all the jobs that he had, and what it took for him to get to the WWE, I became a fan. Cutting out 2/3 of FBI sucks, but they never got the push they deserved. They were hilarious, but got squashed by BikerTaker...

 

[Hollywood]

Bring back Hogan damnit .. screw all these jobbers.

Or wait till billionare Ted starts up an organization next year. Hogan and Austin ... plenty of talent. Will be awesome.

 

[Bog]

Rico got released? Fuck you, WWE. Holy shit.

 

[pilonv1]

Or wait till billionare Ted starts up an organization next year. Hogan and Austin ... plenty of talent. Will be awesome.

Except one is an immobile old man and the other has a career ending neck injury.

 

[dskillzhtown]

When the hell is the WWE going to quit the stupid 2 brands thing and go back to 1 roster?

Everything Dave is saying is pointing at the brand not coming back together. Linda and Shane have said the same thing. Saying that finally the brand split is catching momentum. For as bad as WWE has been, the split house shows are still bringing in money. I can't see them giving up that revenue stream.

 

[bjork]

Shane McMahon apparently said something recently about wanting to start a boxing promotion in addition to RAW/SD rosters, so who knows...

 

[Fatalah]

About TIME. The WWE needs to be the way it used to be. I want to actually CARE about the wrestlers in the videogames...... And you wonder why they don't do a complete roster on videogames these days....cause whats the point? get rid of the scrubs with no talent.

nidia! good riddance!

 

[WasabiKing]

For as bad as WWE has been, the split house shows are still bringing in money. I can't see them giving up that revenue stream.

Honestly, I don't think it's bringing in a lot more money with the split. They may have upped the frequency when visiting certain locations, but the costs also increase, You're also under the false premonition that people will go to both brands religiously. If revenue is staying flat, they would actually be losing money, not making it when it comes to margin.

 

[PS2 KID]

Now if NWA can stop sniffing Triple J's jockstrap maybe there would be more room at the top for someone who got dropped from the WWE.

 

[Minotauro]

I really don't get why everyone wants them to end the brand split. Personally, I much prefer there being two rosters. With only one, they can only push maybe ten guys at a time. Plus, having two shows a week makes it difficult to come up with new storylines all the time. Having a week between shows allows them to actually spend time planning what they're going to do in the future. Now, whether they've been successful with this lately is up for debate but I don't see how sandwiching the rosters back together will help.

 

[Revolver]

I liked Gail Kim, she had a couple of nice submission moves and Nidia could actually wrestle unlike the other "divas". Johnny the Bull got screwed. Isn't Big Vito with TNA? Reunite the Mamalukes!

I want to see E and C back together already, quit teasing us with the possiblity.

 

[LakeEarth]

Cutting out 2/3 of FBI sucks, but they never got the push they deserved. They were hilarious, but got squashed by BikerTaker...

I couldn't imagine them not getting rid of the other 1/3. I mean they hate little guys, why keep him and drop Palumbo (I know, ECW guy vs WCW powerplant guy but still)