WWE's Push For Lars Sullivan Cancelled?
NXT star reportedly absent from tapings.
A planned push for NXT star Lars Sullivan has been shelved over recent weeks, according to renowned wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer.
The WON chief told listeners today that he was "90%" sure WWE officials had been preparing Sullivan for a run at the NXT Championship. This would have culminated with a match against Andrade Almas, the current holder, at TakeOver: New Orleans over WrestleMania weekend.
But these plans, he continued, appear to have changed after the 29-year-old - who has been on the company's books since 2014 - was surprisingly absent from recent television tapings. His last recorded match came at a live event in North Carolina on January 6; nearly one month ago.
In the time since, it is reported that he has not been seen at WWE's Performance Centre in Orlando. His employers have made no reference to any fitness problems either on television or their website, which is normally common practice when a wrestler suffers a long-term injury.
A purported 300-pounder, Sullivan has drawn praise from fans for the originality of his gimmick, a classic big-man heel with a dash of cunning. His most impressive outing to date came in November at TakeOver WarGames, where he defeated Kassius Ohno in the night's opener.