The Real Reason WWE Pulled Talent From SouthSide Wrestling Farewell Show
It wasn't just pure spite.
UK indie Southside Wrestling recently announced they were shutting their doors pending an imminent merger with RevPro, with the company naming their 26 October event as their farewell show.
Cannibalising bogeyman of the Britwres scene WWE soon left all their big valedictory plans in tatters, pulling out all the NXT UK talent which had been scheduled to appear at Stevenage's Gordon Craig theatre. As a consequence, stars Kay Lee Ray, Joseph Connors, Xia Brookside, Ilja Dragunov, Saxton Huxley and Ligero were all nixed from the show.
Southside subsequently released a statement on the matter, pulling absolutely no punches in calling out the global conglomerate for their apparent greed. In the wake of their plight, AEW's Cody chimed in, offering to help the group out with a talent exchange. It was later announced that the start-up group's MJF and Shawn Spears would help fill in for the departed WWE squadron.
It now emerges WWE had a reason beyond spite for shearing Southside of their contracted stars. According to Mike Johnson, writing in PWInsider, NXT officials grew concerned that the event is technically to be ran by RevPro, following an incident this past month which saw referee Aaren Wilde legitimately attacked.
WWE decided they did not want their talent appearing in an environment which they did not approve of, nor subject them to any possible danger that could risk them missing upcoming NXT UK shows.
It's understood the decision is not predicated on RevPro's ongoing relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling.