NXT Housecleaning - Derrick Bateman, Sakamoto, Percy Watson, Briley Pierce & More Released

[Lock Jaw]

Now that Linda lost her bid twice, I guess WWE feels ok with releasing people again.... and so it begins.

Derrick Bateman is a huge shame. Dude had so much charisma on NXT. Thought for sure both him and Johnny Curtis were bound for big things on the main roster, or at least big midcard things. The Bateman/Maxine/Curtis storyline is one of my favorite things from WWE in the past few years.

Briley Pierce is Dolph Ziggler's younger brother. That's about it.


EDIT- Full list of releases:

Derrick Bateman
Briley Pierce
Sakamoto
Audrey Marie
Brandon Traven
Percy Watson
Anya

[Lock Jaw]

I guess Bateman can work on becoming the next Steve Blackman now.

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[whiteyford]

Kinda shocked at Bateman but he's still young and I guess getting some seasoning elsewhere can only do him good.

[Emperor Smeat]

:wavesad: USA Guy

[Poit]

Bateman :wavesad:

[XL]

Oh man. I love Bateman. I also imagined a Kurt/Eric Angle deal with Ziggler/Briley and then adding him to the stable they have going on.

[VSG]

2 more apparently- Sakamoto and Audrey Marie :'(

[VSG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23WWE">#WWE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23NXT">#NXT</a> my friend thank you for everything SAYONARA</p>&mdash; Mr.SAKAMOTO (@WWEMrSAKAMOTO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWEMrSAKAMOTO/status/335443231569498113">May 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Welp see ya later @<a href="https://twitter.com/wwe">wwe</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/wweuniverse">wweuniverse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23itsfine">#itsfine</a></p>&mdash; Derrick Bateman (@DerrickWWE) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerrickWWE/status/335431001671090179">May 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I guarantee that was the funniest and most entertaining "You're released" phone call in WWE history. Bye, everybody!</p>&mdash; Briley Pierce (@HotYoungBriley) <a href="https://twitter.com/HotYoungBriley/status/335429383663804417">May 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/heelziggler">heelziggler</a> you need a personal assistant or anything? My resume speaks for itself! (Just, uh, don't read the last little part...)</p>&mdash; Briley Pierce (@HotYoungBriley) <a href="https://twitter.com/HotYoungBriley/status/335452766979899392">May 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[Lock Jaw]

Damn. Heard good things about Audrey Marie.

[Innovator]

You can add Percy Watson to the list, sadly.

[Savio]

Who thought Percy would be the next big thing?

[whiteyford]

Gertner

[VSG]

I like how Ryan Clark has again plagiarized his "news article" from PWI.

[Lock Jaw]

Also, "Branden Traven" and "Anya".

[Corndad]

Percy :( "Oh No!"

[XL]

Oh man. Percy Watson would have been the perfect parter for Zack Ryder if they wanted to put him in a team. Or as a third man/replacement for Darren Young in PTP.

[#1-norm-fan]

There are a shitload of less entertaining guys on the roster than Percy Watson. Makes no sense.

Also...

:wavesad: USA Guy

Bateman was not very good and awkward to listen to... but that corny USA Guy thing might have worked for him. Too bad it never made it to being an actual gimmick. :-\

[Ultra Mantis]

Bateman was actually quite entertaining at times.

Those other guys kind of sucked though.

[#1-norm-fan]

Bateman with a microphone in his hand on NXT made me cringe before he even got a word out. I felt embarrassed for him.

At least Watson seemed comfortable being corny and goofy. Bateman was just awkward. Which like I said, could have actually worked out for the USA Guy gimmick.

His bonding in nerdiness with Daniel Bryan was fun too.

[#1-norm-fan]

Of course, it didn't help that he was paired up in some way with Johnny Curtis for most of his NXT run and had to constantly be interacting with an insanely charismatic and entertaining motherfucker with an awesome gimmick.

[Ultra Mantis]

He had a unique promo style that really worked for his initial goofy babyface character and he was capable of putting on a good match with the right opponent. He did make a terrible heel though and would never get over a serious character. I guess he wasn't "adaptable" and thats why hes gone.

[DrCrawford]

percy was awesome in his original nxt run. then they castrated his character and he became bland

[Bad News Gertner]

Bateman was horrendous

Well......and so ends the biggest miscalculation I've ever made. REALLY was off on Percy Watson.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Percy :( "Oh No!"

http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/kool-aid-man.jpg

[Bad News Gertner]

Gonna have to update the pink slip pool

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Audrey Marie :(

Fucking Emma getting over.

[XCaliber]

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[ClockShot]

Spring cleaning begins again.

Sakamoto, he just vanish after the 10th time Tensai beat the shit out of him?

[Mr. Nerfect]

He had a unique promo style that really worked for his initial goofy babyface character and he was capable of putting on a good match with the right opponent. He did make a terrible heel though and would never get over a serious character. I guess he wasn't "adaptable" and thats why hes gone.

This is essentially what I think. If Bateman can take his "USA Guy" gimmick and get some seasoning in Japan playing a loud, obnoxious American heel, I think it would do him the world of good and allow him to work on his weaknesses (bland ring work and making a terrible heel).

Really sad to hear about Audrey Marie. Maybe she asked for her release or something. She was fucking hot and made for a decent ring worker. With Paige, Emma and Summer Rae all being ready for the main stage, it would have been nice to have seen Audrey Marie and Anya work on NXT and continue to build characters and such.

Sakamoto leaving has me a bit sad. There was something about the guy that reminded me more of a Tajiri than a Yoshi Tatsu. It really felt like the guy could kick your head off or something. He would have been interesting mid-card padding for the main roster. I'm sure the guy will have no problem getting work elsewhere.

Briley Pierce is a bit of a shocker, since I could have seen him helping Dolph out on the main roster at some point. The guy is really new to the business, so if he buckles down and puts together what his brother did, I'm sure he'll get another chance.

Percy Watson has me sad. The guy was insanely charismatic and could have been a super-over part of any show. I've got no clue why they took what worked and removed it from him. If Watson can show off his athleticism on the indy scene and become a "great worker," I could see him one day getting another shot.

[Inadequacy]

I'm super bummed about Derrick Batman ring released.

"Oh no my pants!"

[Immortal Moose]

Percy Watson :( though I had forgotten about him.

[Tom Guycott]

I just saw Sakamoto AND Briley Pierce on NXT. Didn't know it was thier swan song. They acknoledged Briley being Dolph's little bro, and he seemed to have a "Crash Holly" air about him. Didn't even have a real chance to see what they could do.

Meanwhile, Vader's bland kid and Bo Dallas still have jobs. Injustice, I tell you.

[Mr. Nerfect]

There's nothing wrong with Jake Carter. I also think there needs to be more "wait and see" with Bo Dallas. He reminds me of Cody Rhodes -- people are saying he is bland now, but when he actually gets to play a character like his brother does, he could turn out to be something.

[Tom Guycott]

JC isn't doing anything of note, and personally I've seen him a few times and he doesn't seem to be anything special (just big, but we all know how much that means to WWE). Maybe that'll change in time. If any one of these two is an unmolded Cody, it would be Carter. As for Bo, he's more of an example of WWE seemingly wanting to shove him in our faces because they believe he is somethig special, even when the audience doesn't.

And my point was, two people who didn't really get a shot vs. one who is just kind of treading water and the other that's being force fed to us is a huge shame.

[Theo Dious]

Now that Linda lost her bid twice, I guess WWE feels ok with releasing people again....

Christ are you people still touching yourselves over that IT WAS SEVEN MONTHS AGO FOR CRAPPING OUT LOUD.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I'm not happy about the releases, don't get me wrong, but I do think there is something there with both Carter and Dallas. It just hasn't come out yet.

[Skippord]

was really hoping one of these would be Bo Dallas

and also a report that Bo Dallas went straight to the poor house afterwards and then retired from wrestling

[Bad News Gertner]

I hope the WWE shoots Bo Dallas out of Stamford via a cannon.

[mike adamle]

I was never that into Percy Watson, I guess we'll see what he can do in TNA in 3 months.

[mike adamle]

Kurt Angle vs. Percy Watson could be a potential MOTY.

[Shisen Kopf]

Say no to Bo. What a crappy rassler.

[Corporate CockSnogger]

Kurt Angle vs. Percy Watson could be a potential MOTY.

I agree. Or hopefully we can get Percy Watson vs Jeff Hardy vs Mr Anderson in a triple threat cage ladder match. Wooooo

#TeamGorm

[Corporate CockSnogger]

Derrick Bateman vs Austin Aries in a best of 9 strap inferno first blood match could be a hell of a series

#TeamGorm

[mike adamle]

Perhaps Briley Pierce could get signed by TNA as well. I'd assume he'd naturally feud with Zema Ion. Culminating in an Ultimate X Submission Match at Bound For Glory.

[mike adamle]

Maybe they could have a storyline where Austin Aries issues an open challenge to any international superstar at Bound For Glory. They could have Sakamoto answer the challenge. (Probably spelled Tsakamoto in TNA, the T would be silent.)

[mike adamle]

Maybe Audrey Marie could show up at BFG and be the special ref. for the knockout's match.

[Corporate CockSnogger]

hahahaha yeah good one!

[CSL]

Bateman :(

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Bateman's already got some indy bookings lined up. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Watson and Sakamoto pop up on the indies very soon as well.

Seems that if you've ever appeared on WWE television, even in a very small capacity, you can find indy work rather easily.</font>

[Vastardikai]

Maybe they could have a storyline where Austin Aries issues an open challenge to any international superstar at Bound For Glory. They could have Sakamoto answer the challenge. (Probably spelled Tsakamoto in TNA, the T would be silent.)

Pronounced Sakamoo, then?

[#1-norm-fan]

I hope the WWE shoots Bo Dallas out of Stamford via a cannon.

And he literally lands in the Impact Zone during a taping.

"WHAT IS THIS!?!? BO CANNON HAS JUST ARRIVED IN THE IMPACT ZONE!!! AND HE'S LANDED ON TOP OF BULLY RAY! 1! 2! 3! BO CANNON IS THE NEW TNA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!!!!!!!!"

[mike adamle]

Pronounced Sakamoo, then?

Yessir.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Sakamoto would be a great addition for the X-Division. So would Percy Watson, actually. In Watson's case, I'd probably prove myself on the indies and work on my ability to get over without a character. If Watson can become a "darling" and really get everything going strong, I'm sure the door will be open for him to return at some point. There's probably just nothing for him at the moment.

[Fignuts]

I don't know who any of these jobbers are.

[mike adamle]

Sakamoto would be a great addition for the X-Division. So would Percy Watson, actually. In Watson's case, I'd probably prove myself on the indies and work on my ability to get over without a character. If Watson can become a "darling" and really get everything going strong, I'm sure the door will be open for him to return at some point. There's probably just nothing for him at the moment.

Sakamoto would be used just as well as Okada in TNA!

[Ermaximus]

Watson should channel a Norman Smiley type gimmick.