News on Test's Firing

[Loose Cannon]

Credit: PWInsider.com

We have a bit of an update on the details behind the release of Andrew "Test" Martin, probably the most interesting story of the three major cutbacks WWE made to their active roster this week.

The reason is because Test is still rehabbing from major neck surgery that when all is said and done will have kept him out of the ring for nearly a year. Test still has six more months to go, and won't be able to work.

The man who informed Test of his release was JR's successor, Johnny Ace. Ace informed Test that for what he was being paid they could sign six developmental talents, and that it was purely a financial decision made by Vince McMahon, and not him. This prompted Test to ask the question, "what am I supposed to do for the six months I'm unable to work", Ace apparently replied something to the effect of, "well, I had hoped you had saved some money".

Apparently, Ace told Test to give them a call when he's healthy to come back to work, to which Test replied "no thanks".

[Loose Cannon]

Ouch, that's pretty low. That's like what happened to Waltman back in 98, Fed-EX_Style

[Nark Order]

I'd be pissed off if I were Test too, they just basically screwed him over big time. Many wrestlers have had major injuries that have kept them out for extreme periods of time but were still kept under contract such as: Edge, Benoit, Guerrerro, Angle, HBK... And I hate the whole "You're not our problem anymore" mentality that the WWE has.

Test was raped.

[Kapoutman]

Ouch, that's pretty low. That's like what happened to Waltman back in 98, Fed-EX_Style
Yeah. I understand Test to say "No Thanks" when asked to go back to them after his rehab. That sucks for him. Can't they at least get him a good-bye bonus or something?

[Loose Cannon]

you're also starting to see how less and less Shane's pull has become in the WWE.

A few weeks back when Vince wasn't able to be at Raw, he called HHH before Shane to take over.

Now Test, who is buddies with Shane, gets fired like this.

[Disturbed316]

That's pretty harsh, I thought WWE had a policy of not letting go of guys when they were injured?

If they can do that to Test, then they should have done it to Droz years ago.

[Head]

I guess I'm crazy for thinking there would be laws passed against this kind of stuff.

[Splaya]

Man that sucks for Test. Among the few, I actually liked him with his stay with WWE. It also sucks for Shane because I really wanted him to take over the company.

Hopefully when Test is healthy, he makes his way on over to TNA

[BigDaddyCool]

I guess I'm crazy for thinking there would be laws passed against this kind of stuff.

Workers comp. laws would, but I'm pretty sure that wrestlers have to sign contract and what not and it isn't the same set of laws for them.

Also, Test sucks, and is getting paid way to much for what he produces work wise.

[VonErich Lives]

you're also starting to see how less and less Shane's pull has become in the WWE.

A few weeks back when Vince wasn't able to be at Raw, he called HHH before Shane to take over.

Now Test, who is buddies with Shane, gets fired like this.

I think Shane probably still has a lot of say, but they always said the plan was to have Shane run the "office" not the "show", Shane to focus on merchandising, PPV deals, etc... etc...

Steph was always the "creative team member/leader" and it seems natural HHH will move into the role w/ her someday.

My guess... TNA keeps building little by little, small ppv's and such... gets some X-wwe'rs and someday down the road... Vince kicks the bucket... and w/ in 3yrs you'll see TNA or another small league head to head w/ the WWE. It will be the old monday night wars all over.

[Gertner]

Not happy about this.

[Dark Kane]

If you guys very carefully read the article, Johnny Ace clearly said that Test is welcome to return to WWE when he's cleared to work, but at the end of the article Test says "No thanks". Why did Test refuse to re-instate his career after he's cleared to wrestle again? It's simple. Money. Vince said he released Test because of Financial problems. Vince is all about the money, that's all he cares about. It's just Vince's way of putting more money into Vince's pockets.

[Disturbed316]

lol what? No, it's because he feels he's being shitted on by them (which he is).

[Innovator]

Wow, this reaks of Bischoff firing Austin.

Test just got fucked over, and didn't even get a reach around.

[Mr. JL]

Wow, if this is fucking true... the WWE just hit a low that I'd never imagined they could hit. Fuck the WWE.


Wrestling definitely needs a Union or something to stop this shit.

[Gouda]

It's not fair to do this to Test while you have others being out for extended periods of time also. Look at Chris Nowinski (Though I don't know if this is a good example since I think he possibly does other stuff around the company?).

They could have at least gave him a good reason. One that isn't crap.

[Mr. JL]

It's not fair to do this to Test while you have others being out for extended periods of time also. Look at Chris Nowinski (Though I don't know if this is a good example since I think he possibly does other stuff around the company?).

They could have at least gave him a good reason. One that isn't crap.
Or they could have at least offered him a simular position that Nowinski has got in place. That is just absolute shit though.

[Head]

If you guys very carefully read the article, Johnny Ace clearly said that Test is welcome to return to WWE when he's cleared to work, but at the end of the article Test says "No thanks". Why did Test refuse to re-instate his career after he's cleared to wrestle again? It's simple. Money. Vince said he released Test because of Financial problems. Vince is all about the money, that's all he cares about. It's just Vince's way of putting more money into Vince's pockets.
The whole point is that they're not willing to pay him while he can't work.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I suppose they would be willing to re-sign him after he's cleared to wrestle again, but he declined. I hope Test didn't shut the door on the WWE, and really considers returning when he's able to.

[CYCLOPTERSAURUS]

I was never much of a Test fan, but that is just cold.

[John la Rock]

^ ya what he said

[M-A-G]

I guess I'm crazy for thinking there would be laws passed against this kind of stuff.

Nothing that can be done. By definition in their contract, the wrestlers are merely independent contractors meaning they are willingly offering their services for a fee. Anything that happens on the job is their own responsibility save for some exceptions. If said independent contractor can't offer the services anymore, the 'employer' does have somewhat of a right to terminate the agreement. Sucks but it is in the fine print.

[Excellance of Execution]

This sucks for Test. You would think that if you got seriously hurt working for a company, whether your considered an independant contractor or not, that the company would try and help you out in some way. This is very low blow for the WWE. Maybe it's just me, but if i was Vince, i would feel obligated to help Test get through his injury, seeing he did it while working for him. Pretty heartless if you ask me. At least he's dating Stacy, she'll have to support his ass now.

[6to1]

Workers comp. laws would, but I'm pretty sure that wrestlers have to sign contract and what not and it isn't the same set of laws for them.

Also, Test sucks, and is getting paid way to much for what he produces work wise.
piper was right there needs to be a wrestling union, but the guy should have saved his money. nash brags about how he saves his money, he said he saved all his wcw money.

[The CyNick]

Pretty douche-bag-ish of the WWE.

I mean I'm no huge Test fan, I dont think he'll ever get over in the WWE, but at the same time, its pretty low to fire his when he cant make a living.

Hopefully he finds some work elsewhere when and if he gets healthy.

Someone needs to write the book about WWE morphing into WCW.

[Gone Mad]

Well, Vince, maybe you wouldn't have financial problems if well,.. you didn't pull off crap like XFL or base his wrestling shows around his love for his son-in-law.

All I am going to say is WWE's loss is TNA's gain (and judging from this week in releases, looks like their future roster will be packed).

[Took]

Test works his ass off for the wwe, injures himself doing his job for them, and they treat him like this? Hell right now that shit wrestler who watches christians back is injured..he's still around, yet he sucks.

Remember Bret saying in his documentary how Vince treats his wrestlers like circus animals..and then when he sees fit he just dumps them with no regard for any of the work they did for him? Yeah, Bret was right.

[Nark Order]

They let Nowinski serve the company in other ways because he's a god damn graduate of Harvard. I'm sure he has considerable pull over some because of that.

[Corkscrewed]

Aboslutely shit. That's incredibly cold of Vince and Co., and I think Test could potentially have a case out of this.

Lita was out a year. She stayed. Like everyone has said... there are a ton of people who've been hurt. If Vince wants to save money, why doesn't he fire useless, indecent bags of shit like JBL?

Asswipe.

[KayfabeMan]

That's a scumbag reason.

Vince has enough money to give himself a pay raise, offer a $250K Diva Search, and a $1 Million Tough Enough - but not enough $$ to take care of his one of his boys when they are down and need him the most.

Test was there for a while, it's not like we're discussing Mordecai or Jamie Knoble. The situation that they put him in, and then left him in is just ridiculous. They should have at least fronted him 1/2 of his pay for the next six months to help him out. Whether or not he saved money isn't relevant to the fact that you drop a guy when he needs the help.

It is bullshit like this that cost Vince a lot in the mid-90's when all of his boys walked to WCW for the better pay and benefits. Sure, some of the guys milked the fact that WCW was paying them to sit at home while hurt - but other guys needed that, and it was a blessing for them, to keep their bills paid and their family fed. Hopefully TNA will smarten up, do what's right, and make WWE's loss their gain.

Keep it up Vince, if all of it falls right you might just help the competition.

[Mr. Nerfect]

They let Nowinski serve the company in other ways because he's a god damn graduate of Harvard. I'm sure he has considerable pull over some because of that.

I don't know if that's accuarte. If they really wanted him, he'd have won Tough Enough. Nowinski has/had wrestling talent, and mic skills, and he is intelligent, but I think they're keeping him just in case he can return later on down the track, because he could be a huge star.

[Mr. Nerfect]

That's a scumbag reason.

Vince has enough money to give himself a pay raise, offer a $250K Diva Search, and a $1 Million Tough Enough - but not enough $$ to take care of his one of his boys when they are down and need him the most.

Test was there for a while, it's not like we're discussing Mordecai or Jamie Knoble. The situation that they put him in, and then left him in is just ridiculous. They should have at least fronted him 1/2 of his pay for the next six months to help him out. Whether or not he saved money isn't relevant to the fact that you drop a guy when he needs the help.

It is bullshit like this that cost Vince a lot in the mid-90's when all of his boys walked to WCW for the better pay and benefits. Sure, some of the guys milked the fact that WCW was paying them to sit at home while hurt - but other guys needed that, and it was a blessing for them, to keep their bills paid and their family fed. Hopefully TNA will smarten up, do what's right, and make WWE's loss their gain.

Keep it up Vince, if all of it falls right you might just help the competition.

Test was one of the few loyal guys to the WWE. Now htis is just me playing devil's advocate, but I think Test was a product of a WWE developemental system, wasn't he? If so, the WWE may feel like Test owes them for teaching him how to run the ropes, and giving him a few opportunities, and not the other way round.

I personally think it is a fairly stiff move by the WWE, not true to the "never leave a man behind" saying. Same goes for Billy Gunn, who just entered rehab. Billy has been in the WWE since 1993 or something of the like, and now the WWE's just sort of severed their ties with him. I hope Billy G lands on his feet and goes over to TNA. Same with Andrew Martin. I always thought these two guys were mainstays, and I could have seen both in a management role (possibly on the creative team or as road agents).