WWE News: Ryback Teasing TNA Signing & Name Change

Ryback becomes the second non-active roster member of the WWE to attempt to steal headlines away from the company’s second pay-per-view of the month of May, Extreme Rules. Cody Rhodes requested, and later granted, his release from the company earlier Sunday, prompting many current superstars to show their support via social media. Cody’s wife, Eden, inevitably incited Cody chants when she would step in the ring to perform her ring announcing responsibilities. Then, during the Extreme Rules kickoff show, Ryback tweeted the following, as reported by Daily Wrestling News.

#FeedMeMore during #ExtremeRules if you want to see Ryborg in the Impact zone…?

— RYBACK (@Ryback) May 23, 2016

Perhaps the timing of Ryback’s tweet was coincidental, or maybe he did it purposefully seeing that the last time he performed in WWE, he sported a weightlifting belt that read “Kickoff Show-Stopper” during his United States Championship match with Kalisto. But obviously, the bigger news to come out of Ryback’s tweet is the tease of The Big Guy joining TNA.

Technically, Ryback is still under contract with the WWE. The company has seemingly decided to wait out the remaining few months of his contract rather than release him outright before it expires. Ryback was sent home from the site of Monday Night RAWon the first Monday of May after a contract dispute with Vince McMahon. Likely seeing the writing on the wall, Ryback – real name Ryan Reeves – took to social media to post a lengthy blog regarding his frustrations with WWE and the pay structure within it.

Five days after Vince McMahon told Ryback to go home, the WWE executed their biggest talent purge since 2014, releasing eight performers on May 6, or “Black Friday.” Ryback was not among those released, and neither was Cody Rhodes, who’s been performing as Stardust. Both are searching for new jobs now, however, after those frustrations forced them into their own decisions.

The other part about Ryback’s tweet refers to the fact that the WWE owns the Ryback name, so if he were to join TNA, or another rival sports entertainment company, he’d be required to wrestle under another moniker. Among the current stars in TNA who used to wrestle with the WWE under different names are Drew Galloway and Tyrus. Galloway was the chosen one in WWE as Drew McIntyre, while Tyrus wanted somebody to call his mama, performing as Brodus Clay in WWE. The Hardy Boyz, Matt and Jeff, have performed in both companies under the same name, and Lashley simply lost his first name Bobby when he moved to the Impact Zone.

What shouldn’t go unmentioned is the fact that Ryback also included a subtle emoji of a wink face. He’s touted himself as being very creative, whose creativity was deterred in WWE, so the entire post could just be a way to rile up conversations and keep his name fresh in people’s minds. But as soon as the likes of Damien Sandow, Wade Barrett and Ryback found themselves outside of a WWE ring, fans were thinking of their next destination immediately. Sandow, Hornswoggle and Zeb Colter have had no trouble finding work on the independent scene, but this is the first inkling of any recent relocation to TNA.

The WWE roster overhaul will continue to take shape over the next couple weeks and months. Returns from the likes of Seth Rollins, John Cena, Bray Wyatt, Enzo Amore, Neville and Randy Orton, NXT call-ups and several more releases are all expected in the not-to-distant future. Ryback may have actually been a part of the old guard that WWE officials were moving on from. He just got out ahead of it before he let the company decide his fate. Would The Big Guy have better success in TNA?