Tegan Nox Thinks WWE Is Going Back To The Divas Era: "I Don't Fit The Demo"
Nixon Newell sheds light on her perceived reasons behind her WWE release.
Former WWE wrestler Nixon Newell has spoken her mind on her release from the market-leading promotion last November.
Newell, who competed as Tegan Nox in WWE, had been with the company for over four years when she was let go, enduring a torrid run of luck (including a trio of career-threatening knee injuries) in NXT before finally being moved to the main roster last July. Initially brought to SmackDown in a thrown-together tag team with Shotzi, Nixon was Raw-bound through the WWE Draft three months later, though she never made an appearance for the show.
In fact, speaking with Chris Denker on Into The Danger Zone, Newell has revealed she wasn't even brought to a red brand taping.
On top of this, the Welsh star revealed that she didn't make it back to the road schedule after testing positive for COVID-19 ahead of a Raw show. When she got the all-clear, WWE gave her her walking papers (h/t Fightful for the transcriptions):-
"I didn't even make it to a Raw taping. I switched brands, technically went to a Raw taping in Texas, got COVID, was told I tested positive, and had to drive sixteen hours on my own, straight home, and after that never went to a Raw taping, ever. Just had to sit at home. As soon as I got cleared from COVID, I got released pretty soon after. 'Oh, you're cleared from COVID, your blood tests came back fine.' 'Great, I can finally see if this actually goes somewhere,' and then wasn't taken on the road. Next call, wasn't need. Next time, wasn't need. Three or four weeks out, 'you're not needed anymore, budget cuts.' 'Okay, no worries."
Continuing, Newell stated that she felt like she didn't fit the profile WWE is looking for as the companty goes through what she believes is a return to the "Diva era":-
It's a lot of different things. Everyone is walking on eggshells. With all the releases happening, you kind of feel, 'it could be me next.' I just had this feeling where I wasn't...not welcome, but as such wanted; I don't fit the demographic that they're looking for. I'm a five-foot six blonde-brunette girl, covered in tattoos. Watching the product now, it's very much Diva era, going back to it, I feel. I always felt like I was on the chopping block, even if I could wrestle. I was not much of a personality or character enough for them to keep my job, which is weird. If they give me a character, I take it and run with it. I was always kept as 'the girl next door' and I'm not the girl next door. Let me be me. I was me for six years before I got signed, let me do something like that. I always had the feeling that I'm not what they're looking for. As soon as they split me and Shotzi up, I was like, 'Yeah, I'm on the block next.' We found out we switched brands as we were in the car going back to the hotel."
Nox's 90-day WWE non-compete clause expired yesterday, meaning she is now legally free to sign and appear for other promotions whenever it pleases her.