Report: WWE Scrapped Big Plans For These Released NXT Wrestlers
WWE took "plans change" to a new extreme prior to last week's NXT releases.
Released WWE wrestlers Arturo Ruas and Marina Shafir were originally pegged to be part of NXT's new Diamond Mine stable before being released by the promotion last Friday, reports Fightful Select.
Ruas and Shafir were amongst 14 NXT and 205 Live wrestlers let go by the promotion in its latest round of cuts. Per the report, Diamond Mine had been in the works for months, with Ruas and Shafir both featuring in the plans.
Ruas was reportedly pencilled in for a Diamond Mine role until mid-June but was informed that plans had changed just a few days in advance. Meanwhile, Shafir was going to be playing something of a "female enforcer" role.
Diamond Mine debuted on last week's episode of NXT, with manager Malcolm Bivens introducing Roderick Strong (Shafir's husband), Hideki Suzuki, and Tyler Rust via a beatdown of Kushida. Despite making their first appearance without Shafir and Ruas, some people in the company felt the duo would still be added to the group at a later date.
Both wrestlers would have at least fit Diamond Mine's aesthetic. Shafir is a former professional mixed martial artist, while Ruas is a jiu-jitsu black belt. Sadly, however, it wasn't to be.