Did Drake Maverick Know WWE's Plans All Along?

Last-minute scramble or elaborate, heartbreaking work?

Drake Maverick
WWE.com

PWInsider is reporting that NXT star Drake Maverick didn't have a clue about WWE's plans to rehire him until the very last minute.

In fact, he was under the impression that he'd be seeking a new employer sooner rather than later. That'd explain why Maverick sought to trademark both 'Spud' and 'Rockstar Spud' after news broke of WWE's mass exodus in April.

Why would he bother doing that if he knew he was staying put? It makes sense, and helps shoot down rumours from some online that the company knew exactly what they were doing and wanted to capitalise on emotion stemming from what was quickly dubbed 'Black Wednesday'.

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Since then, Drake has worked some matches in WWE's Cruiserweight Title tournament, lost the final to El Hijo del Fantasma (who has since ditched his mask and rebranded as Santos Escobar) and signed a new deal with the promotion to appear on NXT exclusively.

According to PWInsider's sources, Maverick didn't really know the full plan until it played out. He was just going along for the ride and keeping his options open.

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That still won't satisfy some who think the storyline was in poor taste.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.