WWE Rumors: Recently Released Superstar Allegedly ‘Rubbed People The Wrong Way’ Before He Was Cut
Further details have surfaced regarding WWE‘s decision to part ways with former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, just six months after he signed a multi-year contract with the company.
As reported by Sportskeeda on Friday, the publication’s Tom Colohue recently appeared on Korey Gunz’s Dropkick DiSKussions podcast, where he discussed Velasquez’s release from WWE, which was first reported this week by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. According to Colohue, the former MMA fighter “rubbed people the wrong way” soon after he signed with WWE and had made a number of critical mistakes that made company officials wary of him.
“He didn’t say anything about his initial injury when he signed his contract. He said he was going to be in the Royal Rumble when it hadn’t been announced, so he was pulled. He posted a picture with Ronda Rousey in the WWE HQ when nobody was supposed to know they were there. He unfortunately just made a catalog of errors early on.”
Out of the three incidents that contributed to his purported backstage heat, the photo op with Rousey was the most recent, having taken place on March 5. As previously reported by Wrestling Inc., WWE chairman Vince McMahon allegedly “[freaked] out badly” upon learning of the photo, as Rousey’s return to the company’s Stamford, Connecticut headquarters was supposed to be “top secret,” with only a few high-ranking officials meant to be aware of the visit.
Had the pleasure of running into the pioneer that definitely also inspired my interest in the sport. Great to see you @rondarousey. @wwe pic.twitter.com/IipeX4ZK1Y
— Cain Velasquez (@cainmma) March 5, 2020
As for the other “errors” mentioned above, Colohue tweeted shortly after the Royal Rumble in January that Velasquez was removed from the event at the “last second,” adding that this backed up previous rumors about WWE’s “loss of faith” in the ex-UFC champ. His knee issues, on the other hand, were reportedly the reason behind his quick loss to Brock Lesnar at the Crown Jewel pay-per-view in October.
Although the timing of the reports on Velasquez’s release made it appear as if he was let go far more recently than the wrestlers who were cut by WWE on the week of April 15, Colohue noted that the former UFC star was actually released “a couple of weeks ago.” He explained that WWE allegedly chose not to announce the move right away because it wanted to avoid the “potential mainstream attention” that could follow such a high-profile cut.
As Velasquez had reportedly been making good progress in training and had impressed WWE officials with his potential as a crossover star from the world of mixed martial arts, Colohue speculated that it’s possible he may be rehired once the promotion’s financial situation improves. Despite the mention of backstage heat, the Sportskeeda contributor stressed that the 37-year-old was likely released mainly as a cost-cutting measure, as opposed to any concerns about his attitude or actions behind the scenes.
