Latest Details Behind Drew Gulak’s WWE Exit

A new report has some additional details around Drew Gulak’s exit from WWE. As reported, Triple H took a question at the WWE Backlash post-show press conference in which he said Gulak was not actually released from the company; instead, he said that Gulak’s contract was not renewed. Fightful Select noted that Gulak is still with the company as of right now but, as Triple H noted, was informed that his contract was not renewed despite his wishing to remain. The site has confirmed that with multiple people in WWE and NXT.

The report notes that the claims by Ronda Rousey that Gulak once pulled the drawstring of her pants backstage did lead to an investigation from WWE into both the incident and Gulak in general. Sources in NXT told Corey Brennan that they believe Gulak’s public response to the matter made matters worse for him, but was not the deciding factor in his contract not being renewed.

Several talent in NXT made claims to Brennan that Gulak was a “bully” in NXT and was known target minor injuries in talent. One talent said that during a match, Gulak intentionally re-dislocated a fingert had had been dislocated before and another alleged that he would intimidate talent into not reporting the matters. Another incident reportedly took place last year in which Shawn Michaels and NXT coaches reprimanded him for intentionally spiking an opponent during a match, while one talent who had worked with Gulak said he was “odd” in that he would “test” talent and see how they would react to such incidents.

As to Triple H’s comments, WWE and Triple H both said privately that The Game’s comments at the press event were not meant to be directed toward Fightful and PWInsider, and that his specific issue with the question as asked to him was that Rousey’s accusations were not the factor behind Gulak’s exit. Both Fightful and PWInsider are said to have received apologies from the company.