Hornswoggle has revealed that he was paralyzed from the waist down when he was just four years old.
The former WWE star recently appeared on Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast. He discussed things such as his start in wrestling, hiding under the ring, and more.
Talking about the various health issues he has had to deal with throughout his life, Hornswoggle revealed that he was born with a bad case of scoliosis. He underwent surgery to make things better when he was just four years old but the former Cruiserweight champion actually ended up getting paralyzed from the waist down:
“When I was young my people, we’re born with scoliosis. When I was born, I had it real bad and when I was four, they tried to do the surgery on me to straighten it.
The doctor never did a surgery on a person like me. So he cut me open, he hit a nerve in my spine and ended up paralyzing me cuz he’s never done surgery on my people. I was four. I had that surgery and then was paralyzed from the waist down and just full body cast.”
Hornswoggle had to get another surgery where a rod was inserted into his back after this. After the second surgery, the doctor had warned Swoggle’s parents about playing dangerous sports:
“Then we found a doctor in Minneapolis who specializes in little person surgeries and put a rod in my back. First thing he says when we get out of surgery to my parents at the time is ‘Hey no trampolines and no contact sports.’
Years and years later obviously when I started working for WWE, He randomly like emailed or called my dad or something. He was like ‘I see he didn’t listen to me very much’ and my dad goes ‘yeah he didn’t listen to me either obviously'”
The former WWE star later revealed that over time his nerves have gone around his spine and cut feelings from his legs. While he’s still able to use his legs, he can’t feel any sensation in them. Per Swoggle his legs always just feel cold.
Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl is the latest ex-WWE star to sign a Legends deal.
The wrestling veteran made the announcement during a recent appearance at ACW Wisconsin. He confirmed that as of last week, he has signed a deal that will allow him to be featured in action figures, video games, and more moving forward:
??BREAKING NEWS??@DylanPostl has a massive announcement for the ACW Faithful!
WWE has been very active in signing veterans to legends deals in recent months. Just in last few weeks, DDP, RVD, Mick Foley, and even Jesse Ventura have confirmed new contracts with the company.
Veterans wrestlers are not the only ones the company has been signing. They’ve also been engaged in active negotiations with a number of current top stars.
The officials have reached out to talents such as Kevin Owens, Nia Jax and Liv Morgan in recent times. Rhea Ripley is one star who is very close to signing a new deal with a significant raise.
Hornswoggle was an active member of the WWE roster from 2006 to 2016. He was assosiated with names such as Finaly and DX during his time in the company.
The two most famous storylines involving the 38-year-old include him being revealed as the anonymous Raw GM in 2012 and as Vince McMahon’s illegitimate son in 2007.
The former WWE star has continued being active in the wrestling business since his departure from the Endeavor-owned promotion. He has made appearances for companies such as TNA, ROH, and even AEW since 2016.
WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view had several big stories going into it. The Shield’s War with a newly reformed Evolution, Bray Wyatt continuously trying to get John Cena to follow the Fireflies, and Daniel Bryan’s first title defense following the Miracle on Bourbon Street at WrestleMania 30.
However, almost no one was talking about the budding feud between 3MB and the Los Matadores. Despite this complete lack of appreciation, it was 10 years ago this month that these teams would clash in what is widely considered one of the greatest “Pre-Show” matches in WWE history: Wee LC.
The bout was built as a punny version of WWE’s Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match (TLC), with Hornswoggle taking on Los Matadores’ El Torito. WWE went all out with smaller ladders, chairs, and tables; even going so far as to bring in other Little People for the roles of ring announcer and even commentary table.
While the match’s construction has middle-school-level humor written all over it, the participants took it very seriously. They wanted to prove that they could turn what could easily be a lemon of a match into delicious lemonade and that they did! During a recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE Superstar Hornswoggle spoke about the match, which he describes as the “coolest” match he’s ever done.
“Wee LC. That’s the most talked about match I’ve ever done. I will never top it. I will never do anything cooler have never done anything cooler than that match…
One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome. And then I remember being in my gear literally to like, two matches left and Torito was leaving. He goes ‘You Okay?’ I go I’m okay…I’m still in the moment, man.”
The match was filled with exciting and chaotic moments, as Superstars smashed through tons of tables and ladders, with each competitor’s team members getting involved in the action themselves. Although the former Cruiserweight Champion is proud of the match in hindsight, he admitted that he was very nervous about how it would be received. He feared that the fans would dismiss it or even boo.
“I didn’t know how they would react, it’s two midgets. One a bull, a midget bull and a midget Rockstar going into a match on the pre-show. First thing that crowd sees that night. With mini ladders and mini tables, mini chairs, mini commentary and mini announcer I didn’t know how they’d react. I thought they’re gonna blow the sh*t up. I really did.
And I remember being backstage in my heart knowing we’re going to kill it. In my mind going, if they start booing, we’re done. The coolest moment of my life match of my life, going into it is gonna be the worst thing ever.” – Hornswoggle
As fate would have it, the crowd did just the opposite. Instead, the New Jersey crowd in the Izod Center that night went wild for the Pre-Show Classic. Respecting the innovation, humor, and physical action that came with the match.
Hornswoggle notes that the match was a tremendous source of pride for him, a match where people backstage didn’t just enjoy the match ironically, but sincerely. The former Superstar looked back on the evening as a “shove it” moment, where they got to prove everyone wrong.
“I never thought it would hold up like it has I never thought it would be such a not even talked about thing. [It was] A shove it up the a** moment. I’ll say to the fans, I guarantee the locker room didn’t take it seriously. Shove it up their a**. I get to gorilla and everyone is on their feet clapping for us. One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome.”
For those interested, Dave Meltzer himself awarded the match 3 stars, tied for the second-highest-rated match on the entire 2014 Extreme Rules card, tying with Wade Barrett and Big E’s Intercontinental Championship match. Both though lost out to the epic Shield vs Evolution 6-man-tag match, which gained a 4.75 rating.
Regardless of one’s affinity for “star ratings”, it does reflect how highly people respected and enjoyed the first and only Wee LC match to date. The bout is looked back on incredibly favorably by the WWE Universe and consistently referenced as a gem of a match.
Could we see another Wee LC match in WWE? Most likely not. However, if the company’s new regime has taught its fans anything, it’s “Never Say Never!”
Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl was very suspicious when WWE called him with an offer, especially considering how bad his audition went.
Postl debuted on WWE’s main roster in 2006 as a ‘Leprechaun’ that would often aid Fit Finlay. The following year, Hornswoggle would win the Cruiserweight Championship and was the final champion before the title was reintroduced in 2016.
Hornswoggle Makes it to WWE
Postl would become a household name thanks to his tenure with WWE, but his journey to being a Superstar wasn’t easy. During the Oh You Didn’t Know podcast, Postl recalled his woeful audition.
“WWE I always say they were looking for a person like me but now I can just say, WWE was looking for a midget. They were trying out midgets to be Finlay’s Leprechaun. It just wasn’t happening. Then Ken [Anderson] said to Fit, he goes, ‘Hey I got the guy. He’s good hearted, he’s a good kid, he can take bumps,’ All of this. They try me out in Green Bay actually.
“There was a Smackdown taping in Green Bay. They pulled me in to the promo room with Fit, asked me to do a Irish accent, I failed miserably. So much so that I remember, I don’t know if Fit even remembers. We walked out, I go, ‘oh man how did that go,’ He goes ‘Huh, not very well.'”
With his audition being a dud, Postl wasn’t expecting to hear anything from WWE. That is why he was in no hurry to answer the call that would ultimately change his life.
“I didn’t expect to hear back. Two weeks later a blocked number came up on my phone three or four times in the morning, about 8- 9 in the morning and I kept sending it to the voicemail because I was like ‘I’m not paying this credit card company that wants my money, not happening.’ Then finally, there’s a voicemail, [It says] ‘Dylan this is Tommy Dreamer. We want to give you a lot of money and hire you. We want to give you a contract, please call me back.’
“And I was like ‘Someone’s f***ing with me.’ A, Because they’ll never hire me and B, Because no one talks in such a monotone voice for a whole voicemail, a whole minute and a half voicemail. No one talks in, ‘Dylan call me back please, this is Tommy Dreamer.’ No one also would introduce himself in an office position as ECW’s Tommy Dreamer. None of this shit matched up, I was like ‘Someone is f***ing with me.’
“So finally I give him a call and he goes, ‘Oh you decided to call me back, that’s good. We’re gonna pull you to TV, you’re going to start as Finlay’s Leprechaun, I guess.’ [Then] it was literally off to the races, three weeks later, I’m travelling to the Philippines.”
Postl would remain with WWE until 2016. He would make a one-off return in 2018 for that year’s Greatest Royal Rumble match. He would also appear during the 2019 Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
Which former WWE Superstar helped Postl after his release from the company in 2016? Click here to find out.
Former WWE star Hornswoggle was shocked by his WWE release when it happened. At the time he had no idea what to do next. In a tough situation like that, it was a fellow former WWE star in Brian Myers who helped him get back on his feet.
Swoggle recently appeared on Road Dogg’s Oh You Didn’t Know podcast. The former Raw General Manager discussed things such as getting hired by WWE without much wrestling experience and the memorable WeeLC match.
Talking about his release from the promotion in May 2016, the 37-year-old mentioned how he never thought about life after WWE. Like many other names released alongside him, Hornswoggle was also left shocked when it hit him:
“It never hit me. I was there for so long, I thought ‘Oh they can’t fire a midget.’ They did eventually. They fired [El] Torito and I the same day. It was a mass firing. It was that moment where it hit me. The day I got released it was like everything stopped.
It was just this weird moment where I remember sitting on my living room floor and like everything stopped, the whole world almost froze. I sat there and I go ‘Shit. What am I gonna do? I’ve never wrestled independently in all reality. I’ve been paid well, for 10 years of my life, two weeks under 10 years. What am I going to do? I have a child who is in elementary school. As a single dad, what am I going to do?'”
Brain Myers Took Care of Hornswoggle
It was a fellow WWE alumnus who helped Hornswoggle at this time. He recalled calling Brian Myers, better known as Curt Hawkins to WWE fans in a state of shock. Myers not only calmed him down but helped Swoggle take the first step to get back on his feet:
“I remember this first person I called, was Brian Myers, Curt Hawkins. I remember calling him and I go ‘What do I do?’ Because he was released at the time too. He goes, ‘Get up off the floor. Stop fucking crying and I’m calling you back. Give me a bit.’ I go. ‘Okay, great,’ He goes ‘See if those green pants still fit, you got to start working.’
I was expecting a call like, around suppertime with a date or two, he called me back 30 minutes later, with 16 dates. He goes, ‘I got you. Here’s the people. Here’s what you message. Do your thing.’ He goes ‘Let’s have fun. Now is the time to have fun.’
I think about that moment, at least once a week, where it’s like, he was in that world. He got released. And he did not have to look out for me, obviously he was my friend, but he didn’t have to do that. It was one of those like he just wanted me to be okay. It’s something I truly truly like, I’ll never be able to repay that in my life ever.”
Hornswoggle has made appearances for promotions such as Impact, ROH and even AEW since his release. He has also opened his own wrestling school in Wisconsin. You can check out his full interview below:
Vince McMahon is an interesting person to say the very least.
After retiring ‘for good’ in July of last year, the billionaire is back in charge of WWE, being appointed ‘Executive Chairman’ last month and replacing his daughter Stephanie.
The 77-year-old McMahon has declared that he will retire again if it is in WWE’s best interest, and has kept away from creative meetings and TV tapings thus far.
Hornswoggle
Out of all the little people WWE has used over its many years Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl is perhaps the most recognizable.
The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion (and Anonymous Raw General Manager) debuted as Finlay’s ‘leprechaun’ in 2006 but would have a solo career in his own right.
While speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Postl explained that Kevin Dunn would often refer to him as “the midget,” a term found offensive by many little people.
“Kevin Dunn on a headset. I was underneath the ring, and I could always hear the conversations between everyone. Everyone. The producers in the back, Kevin Dunn in the truck, Vince in the back.
So Kevin Dunn’s like ‘Vince, we need to figure out how to get the midget back to the back.’ [As Vince] ‘Goddammit Kevin! We don’t use that word. He’s a little person.’”
Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl.
Postl added that Dunn gave “apology after apology” over the use of the term, both to McMahon and himself.
After being released from WWE in May 2016, Postl would make sporadic appearances, including as part of the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble.
Postl has also appeared for Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor and had a cameo appearance for AEW Dynamite in November 2020, as part of The Inner Circle’s trip to Las Vegas.
AEW’s Anthony Ogogo recently caused a stir online with some comments about Jonathan Gresham winning the ROH World Championship. Ogogo even tagged Gresham in his Tweet.
“Super cute that @TheJonGresham was the last ever ROH champ, kinda reminds me when Hornswoggle was the last ever cruiserweight champ. Congrats kiddo,” Ogogo Tweeted.
Super cute that @TheJonGresham was the last ever ROH champ, kinda reminds me when Hornswoggle was the last ever cruiserweight champ. Congrats kiddo.
Ogogo then responded to Grace claiming he does not know who she is.
“Sorry darling, who are you? Hammer locks are child’s play, that’s why Gresham can do them. I’m at the knocking mf’s out and becoming the best athlete turned wrestler there’s ever been, part!” He Tweeted.
Sorry darling, who are you?
Hammer locks are child’s play, that’s why Gresham can do them. I’m at the knocking mf’s out and becoming the best athlete turned wrestler there’s ever been, part!
“Damn bro, who pissed on your cornflakes? I was putting you, and Lil Bill, over. I was buzzing when you did your little thing off the top rope. But if you wanna compare lives, I’ve done a shit ton more in my life than you’ve done in your short life, kiddo. Cheers”
Damn bro, who pissed on your cornflakes? I was putting you, and Lil Bill, over. I was buzzing when you did your little thing off the top rope. But if you wanna compare lives, I’ve done a shit ton more in my life than you’ve done in your short life, kiddo. Cheers ?. https://t.co/CmSoWzU4cTpic.twitter.com/yATiLqVueD
Bro I used to be a fan, trust. I googled ur arse, you’re only 35, short life means you’re young af, I don’t give a f*ck about ur height. I’m sorry you’ve got the short end of the stick. Anyway I’ve got big boi shit to do with @AEW I’ve gotta go & get on my de plane, de plane! ? https://t.co/4da5O7XXWu
You two should should be celebrating the ‘big’ title win. Have fun, just don’t let Lil Bill chew bubblegum, ya know because he’s a 35 year old that wears braces ? ?. https://t.co/FH7MjuCAJQpic.twitter.com/LQwYATS0LK
Take all the shots you want at me or my career but to act like @TheJonGresham isn’t one of the best professional wrestlers in the world is what actually offends me. https://t.co/JtPV3kSmq2
Hornswoggle recently sat down with journalist Chris Van Vliet ahead of Gangrel Wrestling Asylum’s “Let it Ride” show from Dania Beach, Florida. The sold-out show featured names such as Scott Steiner, Jacob Fatu and of course, Hornswoggle.
Hornswoggle’s pro-wrestling career was never supposed to happen, however. He was told at an early age he would never play contact sports.
“With my medical history, it’s a lot scarier. I have a metal rod fused in my back and I was told no trampolines and no contact sports,” Hornswoggle said he was told at 4-years-old. “I somehow said f**k you to that mindset and said I’m going to be a professional wrestler.”
Hornswoggle needed the rod to straighten out his back and the first surgery he received did not go well. Subsequent surgeries were needed to correct the first surgery.
Hornswoggle On Finding Out He Was Going To Be Vince McMahon’s Son
“I found out that day at 4 PM,” he said in regards to the day he found out he’d be portraying Vince McMahon’s son. “Bruce Pritchard comes up to me and goes ‘give me your cell phone.'”
Hornswoggle then said that Pritchard took his phone, put it in his pocket and said “You’re Vince’s son, we need to sneak you under the ring, no one can know.”
He then hid under the ring for several hours before the segment.
The full interview can be viewed in the player below:
Cleveland, Ohio based independent company AI Wrestling has announced a great match for WrestleMania weekend. The company will be holding ‘The Slumber Party Massacre’ on Thursday April 4th from the White Eagle Hall in New Jersey. AI Wrestling say that the venue is just “30 minutes outside of Manhattan.” The show will be part of GCW’s “The Collective” so it will likely be affiliated with a Joey Janela themed event.
In something straight from the Joey Janela playbook…Scott Steiner will be taking on former WWE Superstar Hornswoggle. It is a mismatch, but the potential Steiner promo before this match could be the greatest thing ever committed to tape.
There’s been some interesting reactions to the announcement. WWE Superstar Xavier Woods simply tweeted this reaction:
Two former WWE Superstars have been spotted in Saudi Arabia and are presumed to be involved with tomorrow’s Greatest Royal Rumble event in Jeddah.
According to a report from PW Insider, Hornswoggle and Shawn Daivari have both been spotted in Saudi Arabia.
Shawn Daivari and Hornswoggle Returning To WWE?
It wouldn’t be a surprise if both wrestlers are returning to the company. Hornswoggle, 31, had a nearly 10-year run with WWE from 2006 to 2016. He was released on May 6th, 2016 after not having appeared on television since a Wellness Policy violation the previous September.
Swoggle was said to have been popular with kids during his run with the company. This fact may have led to his inclusion in the D-Generation X reunion storyline from 2009-2010. Real name Dylan Mark Postl, Swoggle also played the role of the Anonymous General Manager, Vince McMahon’s son, and Fit Finlay’s leprechaun. El Torito and Hornswoggle also wrestled in a well-reviewed “WeeLC Match” at Extreme Rules 2014. Recently, Swoggle has been a regular for Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion and competed in a tournament to crown an inaugural TV Champion.
Shawn Daivari was with WWE from 2004 to 2007. His most famous role was when he was aligned with the controversial Muhammad Hassan character from 2004 to 2005. Daivari would later align with the Great Khali as well. The Great Khali has been confirmed for the Greatest Royal Rumble match on Friday, so Daivari’s role on the show might be related to him.
The 33-year-old Daivari wrestled for TNA, ROH, and Lucha Underground after being released from WWE. In TNA, Daivari is a former X-Division champion. He was released from the company in 2009, however, when his Feast of Fired briefcase contained a pink slip.
Shawn Daivari’s younger brother, Ariya Daivari, has been wrestling in WWE’s Cruiserweight division on 205 Live since its inception. Ken Anderson and Shawn Daivari currently run “The Academy: School of Professional Wrestling” out of Minnesota.
Former WWE Superstar Hornswoggle recently did an interview with Uproxx to talk about several professional wrestling topics. The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion first discussed not being brought back to WWE for the Cruiserweight Tournament:
“I get asked that so much. I think they think like, ‘Oh, he’s definitely not 205 pounds or less right now.’ I mean, it’s not close, but I can see why they’d say that. No, and I wish they would have made mention in some way.”
Having been the last person to ever hold the old Cruiserweight Title belt in WWE, Hornswoggle said he would’ve like to have kept it:
“Yeah. And they never did anything with it, ever. And I just want that real title [belt] they never gave me, ’cause they always said, ‘We’re gonna bring it back.’ I said, ‘No, you’re not. You’re not gonna do that.’ I just want the real one.”
Hornswoggle then discussed his historic Wee-LC match against El Torito and revealed he received a standing ovation from Vince McMahon and many others backstage after the match:
“Unexpected. People expected it to be us biting each other’s asses on top of ladders. Instead, we beat the piss outta each other and ourselves. It was a lot of moving parts, man. Everyone was so excited. Everyone involved was so excited, between the agents and all the guys involved, we were so excited for everything. And I remember getting … I say it at every interview.
“I get to the back and didn’t get ungeared for like two hours. I was like, ‘This is so awesome.’ Easily, maybe my only standing ovation in ‘Gorilla,’ even from Vince [McMahon], which made me feel really good about myself. It was awesome. That’s the one where, if someone asks what I do, I give them that. I’ve only watched it once. It’s one of the three matches in my career I’ve watched. I’ve never watched any more than that. I don’t watch my stuff.”
As for his Hornswoggle gimmick in WWE, it was then discussed how the company couldn’t make up their mind if the character was a child or an adult:
“It was all the time. Literally, one week it was a child, the next week I was a grown-ass adult. I was drinking beer on SmackDown, getting hammered on SmackDown backstage, ’cause they just have me keep doing the takes. And it would bust, and I would bust it on purpose a couple times just so I could keep drinking the Guinness. I finished a four-pack of Guinness during a shoot; it was awesome.
“Bruce Prichard proceeds to go, ‘Are you drunk?’ ‘No, sir. I would never drink at work. I would never get drunk.’ He goes, ‘You’re drunk.’ I go, ‘Nah. Meh.’ He goes, ‘How about we stop drinking so much and we actually do this?’ And I go, ‘Ah, okay, I guess.’ ‘Cause we just kept topping off the beers.”
You can read Hornswoggle’s full interview with Uproxx by clicking this link here.
Reigns is set to challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship, in what is expected to be the main event of WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans.
– Former WWE talent Hornswoggle is set to perform a comedy show from the Allways Lounge & Cabaret in New Orleans on WrestleMania 34 weekend. It all goes down on Friday April 6th at 9:30 pm and combines a stand-up comedy routine with funny storytelling. Click here for more information.
Impact Wrestling star Swoggle (formerly known as Hornswoggle in WWE) was recently a guest on Eric Bischoff’s podcast, Bischoff On Wrestling. During the interview, Swoggle discussed his run as the Monday Night RAW anonymous General Manager, the original plans for the storyline, and why they didn’t work. Check it out:
“I get a call from one of the writers and they say, “How is your New Jersey accent?” I said, “I can’t do accents, man.” He said, “Well start.” I said, “Ok.” He goes, “You’re going to be ‘Big Nick from Jersey’ and you’re going to be the RAW GM. You’re not going to be Hornswoggle. You pulled the wool over all the kids and their parents’ eyes and you’re going to be a heel GM.” I said, “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.” My character wasn’t talking at the time so I said, “So now I can talk and I’m a heel and I am somehow from New Jersey?” He goes, “Yeah!” I said, “And this makes sense?”
“And he goes, “YEAH!” So I said, “Ok… I will learn a Jersey accent.” I tried and tried and tried and couldn’t do it. Before the show we were doing rehearsals in the ring and while it’s going on two of my best friends, Curt Hawkins and Kofi Kingston, are sitting in the stands watching me fail miserably in these rehearsals with this terrible accent. Finally they just cut the microphone and just said it was awful. It was so bad. Something that was supposed to be a major heel GM run for several months turned out to be this one night and for nothing. It sucked. It really sucked because I could have talked and been a heel and that’s always something I wanted to do in my WWE run.
In a new interview with Kayfabe Commentaries, former WWE star Hornswoggle talks about the incident that apparently ruined his friendship with CM Punk.
When asked about why his friendship with Punk ended, Swoggle says it was all over a phone number. Swoggle says he lost his phone and asked Punk for a mutual friend’s number, and it set off Punk. He says Punk took it as Swoggle “using” him, and that was the end of the relationship.
CM Punk was released by WWE in 2014 and Swoggle was released in May of this year.
– Former performer Hornswoggle (now known as ‘Swoggle’) has been added to the two-night JT Lightning Invitational Tournament. The event is hosted by Absolute Intense Wrestling in Cleveland to honor promoter James “JT Lightning” Haase, who passed away in 2011 due to cancer. Details on the event are here and tickets can be purchased here.
– Here is behind-the-scenes video from the UpUpDownDown Pizza Hut ad that aired on Raw with The New Day, Dolph Ziggler and Sasha Banks:
– Triple H and Stephanie McMahon tweeted behind the scenes photos from today’s Tapout shoot:
– John Cena will be back co-hosting the “Today” show on NBC Monday, May 9th, Tuesday, May 10th and Friday, May 13th. Cena returns to WWE RAW on Memorial Day later this month.
– Hornswoggle tweeted the following on taking bookings after his WWE departure was announced yesterday:
Well no time is better than now. Wrestling shows, conventions, signings, bat mitzvahs, whatever you'd like…bookhornswoggle@gmail.com
The last time WWE did a big round of cuts, it was Thursday, June 12, 2014, when they released JTG, Drew McIntyre, Jinder Mahal, Aksana, Curt Hawkins, Teddy Long, Camacho, Brodus Clay, Evan Bourne, Yoshi Tatsu, and referee Marc Harris. Since then, the company moved in a different direction, electing to allow most contracts to expire. It made enough sense: It’s not the type of thing you necessarily want to publicize. For whatever reason, that changed today, Friday, May 6, 2016.
While WWE doing a big round of cuts is surprising in and of itself, the choices themselves aren’t necessarily out of left field. Let’s take a look at who got cut and why it may or may not make sense:
Zeb Colter (Wayne Keown): Veteran wrestler and booker Dutch Mantel had has career revived for one last big run starting in 2013 as Jack Swagger’s manager. Billed as having served with Swagger’s father (who was portrayed by fellow southern veteran Jimmy Golden) in Vietnam, he reprised his mid-’90s Uncle Zebekiah gimmick as a Tea Party-loving heel and was cutting some of the best promos in the business. However, the character had largely run its course and, except for a six week run last fall, he had been off TV for two years. A lot of people already thought that he was gone, as he’s been taking independent bookings, using his Dutch Mantel Twitter account again, and the official Zeb Colter Twitter account had its “Verified” check mark removed.
El Torito (real name unknown; formerly Mascarita Dorada): The Mexican mini star had nothing to do after Los Matadores were dissolved, having been off TV since last fall. Unless WWE brought in someone from Mexico to be his opponent as a house show opening match act, what could they even have done with him? It’s a shame since it’s so talented. Hopefully he can pick up where he left off in Mexico.
Alex Riley (Kevin Kiley Jr.):He was never really given a shot. His initial babyface turn on The Miz got over to a surprising degree with live crowds, but that fizzled. He could talk well and improved in the ring and occasionally got a minor spotlight (like his match with Shinsuke Nakamura airing on NXT next week) but he clearly hasn’t been any kind of priority for a long time. He didn’t wrestle for an eight month stretch last year and only worked 29 matches to date in 2016.
Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl): He had been off TV for the better part of two years, barely wrestled, and failed a drug test last fall. If WWE was going to do a round of cuts, it was inevitable that he’d be on the list, though not necessarily due to any fault of his own. He deserves credit for lasting a decade in the company, especially since he was brought it seemingly to sabotage Finlay’s push.
Cameron (Ariane Andrew): The former “Tough Enough” contestant never really improved to the point she could carry her end of a match, though she was a very entertaining personality on “Total Divas.” That, and her boyfriend Vinny becoming a fan favorite character, clearly helped extend her run. Even if she had improved more, she had a big hill to climb with fans after saying on Tough Enough that Melina vs. Alicia Fox was the greatest match she had ever seen. She had just nine matches this year, had been off TV since a January NXT appearance, and hadn’t been on main roster television in about a year.
Santino Marella (Anthony Carelli): He had announced his retirement at a house show in his home town of Toronto almost two years ago, though he had teased returning at times on social media. That seemed a lot less likely after this:
Well folks bad news, we had semi-emergency surgery today, had to remove all the hardware in my neck, not sure what recovery will entail
It was honestly pretty surprising that he was still under a talent contract at this point, especially if releasing him was in the cards.
Wade Barrett (Stu Bennett): He had announced he wasn’t renewing his contract. While a lot of his setbacks in WWE were just bad luck with injuries, he was completely derailed by the transition from Bad News Barrett to King Barrett. He went from a guy who was funny but able to be taken seriously as a tough guy to a total joke who ran around wearing a crown.
Damien Sandow: They built to his babyface turn with the Damien Mizdow gimmick…then it fizzled. Then he vanished. What happened? Who knows?
Hornswoggle’s first post-WWE booking has been announced. He’ll be appearing for WrestlePro on Saturday, June 11th in Keyport, New Jersey. Based on the poster, it appears he’ll now be known as Swoggle.
It’s been rumored that some releases are coming today and Hornswoggle is the first casualty. WWE announced on Friday morning:
Hornswoggle Released
WWE has come to terms on the release of WWE Superstar Hornswoggle as of Friday, May 6, 2015. WWE wishes Hornswoggle the best in all of his future endeavors.
Hornswoggle (real name Dylan Mark Postl) had been with the company since 2006 and is a former Cruiserweight Champion.
— The official WWE website has confirmed that Tatanka has signed a Legends contract. Tatanka had previously wrote on Facebook that he would be seeing fans in Dallas during WrestleMania 32 week. Here’s the company’s official statement:
As he announced via Twitter Monday, Tatanka — a mainstay of WWE programming in both the early 1990s and mid-2000s — has signed a WWE Legends contract. The Native American Superstar was a fan favorite in the WWE Universe, appearing in several WrestleManias, crushing opponents with his End of the Trail finishing maneuver and wowing fans with his signature war dance. Please join WWE in congratulating Tatanka.
Shortly after being suspended by WWE for violating the company’s Wellness Policy, Hornswoggle was seen in a video falling down some stairs at the wedding of former WWE Superstar Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers). The video was uploaded by former WWE champ CM Punk.
Former TMZ producer Ryan Satin of ProWrestlingSheet.com reports that the whole video was a work and planned ahead of time. Hornswoggle was being introduced at the wedding by legendary WWE announcer Howard Finkel before he falls down the stairs on purpose in order to get a rise from the guests.
Shortly after being suspended by WWE due to a violation of the company’s Wellness Policy, Hornswoggle took a nasty fall at the wedding of former WWE Superstar Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers). Myers and his fiancé Liz officially tied the knot last weekend, with a number of wrestlers in attendance.
Former WWE ring announcer Howard Finkel was also there – and introduced members of the wedding party to the guests. CM Punk of all people posted a video of Hornswoggle’s grand entrance:
WWE.com announced on Monday that Hornswoggle has bene suspended for 30 days for violating the company’s Wellness Policy.
“In accordance with its Talent Wellness Program, WWE has suspended Dylan Postl (Hornswoggle) for 30 days, effective immediately, for his first violation of the company’s policy.”
WWE taped the following matches for this week’s edition of WWE Main Event prior to the WWE SmackDown television tapings on Tuesday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Dark Match:
– Hornswoggle def. Heath Slater in the dark match for the live crowd. The Wisconsin native Hornswoggle actually picked up the “W” after hitting a top-rope tadpole splash.
WWE Main Event:
– Charlotte def. Alicia Fox in Divas action to kick off the taping. Charlotte won via the Figure Eight. A solid match with good pop from the crowd.
– Stardust def. Jack Swagger in the second match taped for Main Event. Stardust won with Dark Matter. A below average match, writes Shane. “I didn’t really see the point of having them wrestle. Barrett had no impact on the match. It really just seemed to be a time filler. The crowd wasn’t really into it either.”
– The Prime Time Players def. The Ascension in tag-team action. Titus O’Neil got the win via Clash of the Titus. Decent match. The first half was slow, but it picked up and ended well., according to Shane. The finish was pretty quick and didn’t have much build up.
– Fandango def. Adam Rose in the final match taped for this week’s edition of WWE Main Event. Rose performed his heel act before the match. Very short match. Apparently, Fandango is a babyface again? This concluded the Main Event taping.