WWE News: Social Outcasts Adding A New Member To Replace Adam Rose
Generally around this time of year (right after the conclusion of WrestleMania), there is a roster purge within the WWE. We’ve witnessed the main roster debuts of several NXT standouts, including Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Enzo & Cass, and The Vaudevillians, but no cuts have been made as of yet. Hovering over that roster bubble we have to imagine would be the Social Outcasts and The Ascension to name a few. And both made news for the wrong reasons over the past week at a time when it’s wise to be on your best behavior.
The WWE has tried to provide all of the talent with their WrestleMania moment by stacking the card with everyone on the roster. No matter how large or small the role, the opportunity to appear in front of that type of crowd for that type of an event is an honor. That was the good news for Adam Rose and Konnor. The bad news is they were both recently suspended for 60 days after violating the company’s drug policy for a second time in accordance with its Talent Wellness Program. That left the Social Outcasts with just three of its founding members and The Ascension tag-team with Viktor to fend for himself.
On Wednesday, Adam Rose released a statement regarding his views on the suspension, stating that he was taking prescribed medication that he and his doctor were following the correct protocol on. On his Twitter bio, he still lists himself as a “Social Outcast 4 Life,” but he’s probably skating on thin ice after this.
So the Social Outcasts are down to just Heath Slater, Curtis Axel, and Bo Dallas for the time being. Viktor is without his tag-team partner and faces uncertainty for the next two months with the other half of The Ascension on the sidelines. So perhaps in an effort to not punish those four, Viktor has replaced Rose in the Social Outcasts on the current WWE European tour, as reported by Wrestling Inc. Viktor joined Curtis Axel for Axel’s match against Goldust, wearing a Social Outcasts T-shirt as seen in the tweet below. Goldust won the match, but Viktor and Axel double-teamed him afterwards until R-Truth made the eventual save. No word on whether this will continue on Monday Night RAW or SmackDown, but at least it provides some temporary direction for those not suspended.
Wait, Viktor is in the Social Outcasts?! Poor guy… pic.twitter.com/FOcmUMZHUm
— Adam Blampied (@AdamTheBlampied) April 20, 2016
The Social Outcasts were feeble in their attempts to recruit Apollo Crews to the group last week. The WWE rookie said he would join the faction if one of them could beat him, but Crews picked up singles victories against each member (including Rose) to avoid that stipulation. It appears Crews will continue to be booked in squash matches as a way to build up his win-loss record, and Viktor would accommodate that role nicely at the moment, especially if they advance his inclusion in the Social Outcasts to television.
The Ascension was one of the most decorated tag-teams in NXT but have fallen flat since their arrival to WWE. And now with the company reviving the tag-team division, including the booking of a tournament to determine new number one contenders to The New Day’s titles, The Ascension fall even further down the line. That team clearly suffered the most. The Social Outcasts could survive with Slater, Axel, and Dallas running the show. Adding Viktor wouldn’t be the end of the world, even if it were just a temporary solution.
[Image via WWE]
