Recently Released WWE NXT Star Talks Being Pulled From Diamond Mine Faction
This former WWE NXT star was set to walk out with the Diamond Mine just days before their release.
Former NXT star Arturo Ruas (a.k.a. Adrian Jaoude) has confirmed that he was set to debut alongside new black and gold stable Diamond Mine before his unceremonious release in late June.
It had been reported that Ruas, alongside fellow NXT performer Marina Shafir, was very much in the brand's plans when it came to pulling the trigger on the hard-hitting faction. Now, whilst speaking to Wrestling Inc.'s Nick Hausman, the one-time NXT man has shed some light on the subject.
As far back as Ruas' last match on the black and gold show - against KUSHIDA in November - the star was under the impression he would be eventually joining up with Malcolm Bivens' new unit. Though at that point, it wasn't known as The Diamond Mine. Ruas unfortunately went down injured shortly after, but was still being pushed to show up in the group upon their eventual debut.
Then, just when it looked like the faction's first appearance was finally going to become a reality, Ruas was told, only a few days before their debut, that he would only be joining up with the rest of the gang at a later date. He would be released that very same week:
"And finally they were like, okay, it will be this day. I was like, let’s go. The group were talking together, and then days before, not weeks — they billed it on Tuesday. I got a call Saturday. ‘Hey man, we’re putting you off now, but you’re going to be on soon. I felt like something’s weird, something’s off here. I was like, ‘Hey, let me know more. What’s happening?’ They said, ‘No, nothing’s happening. You’re good. You’re going to be on later because if you debut all together, it won’t make sense, but in the future, you’re going to be there. That’s it.’ The same week, bye bye.”
The Diamond Mine would ultimately make their presence known two week's ago, with Bivens lining up with Roderick Strong, Tyler Rust, and Hideki Suzuki on the Tuesday night programme.