Beth Phoenix leaving the NXT commentary team following WarGames

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Fignuts Are they though? Last I heard, NXT wasn't exactly a goldmine when it came to the wrestlers salaries.

Well, that’s the goal for when you make it. At least. I’m sure some of the higher profile names down there are either at the $100k mark or very close to it. But I was talking more in terms of what this turns into when you actually secure the job in a company-wide context.

Originally Posted by Fignuts Keep in mind, I'm not saying the training required at the performance center should be fun. I'm sure no one thought Verne Gagne's training regimen was fun, but it helped forge stars for decades. But if the work environment is shit, then everybody loses. The wrestlers do it just for the paycheck without any passion, and in turn, the product becomes even more bland and soulless than it already is. Again though, more context is needed before the people in this story can be judged.

You’re not wrong, per se, and you’re obviously saying that more context is required, but just on the flip side: There’s a difference between something being shit and it not being fun.

You’re starting a potential career in professional wrestling. You’re learning a very specific skill-set that probably needs to be sharpened more than it has been industry-wide. It’s hooking people with your movements and actions, both in the context of a worked match and as a personality outside that context.

It’s a job. It’s a talent-based endeavour. There are some things you can learn and some things that you’re just going to have more or less of than other people. If anyone and everybody can do it and have a blast, it can make the pursuit of excellence in the field kind of trivial. That’s when you end up with people who should be in the crowd in the ring. It should be *hard*. Granted, that doesn’t mean it can’t be “fun” at times either. But I think there are also clear positives to making sure that people understand that this isn’t just a lark. I don’t think that necessarily eliminates passion, and people can be passionate about doing something at the highest level and making the absolute most money out of it for them and their employer. And if it produces more stars, that can attract more people who want to be stars into the field, which is good for wrestling in the long-term.

[GD]

Originally Posted by Mr. Nerfect You’re also getting paid six figures to take those bumps.

Originally Posted by Queen Darlene People in NXT are getting paid six figures?

Originally Posted by Fignuts Are they though? Last I heard, NXT wasn't exactly a goldmine when it came to the wrestlers salaries.

Originally Posted by Mr. Nerfect Well, that’s the goal for when you make it. At least. I’m sure some of the higher profile names down there are either at the $100k mark or very close to it. But I was talking more in terms of what this turns into when you actually secure the job in a company-wide context.

I don’t know if I should be amused or concerned. It was funny at first but I’m not sure how someone can see no fault in themselves and do this amount of backpedaling.