A Wrestlers Guide To Walking Out on WWE

Austin Aries walked out earlier this year, Neville walked out earlier this month, Nia Jax may have walked out earlier this week. It seems like talent in WWE is increasingly unhappy, leading them to find greener pastures elsewhere. Aries claims he’s making more money in six weeks working on the Independent scene than he did in his last four months in WWE. Cody Rhodes, who left last year, is now the biggest draw in the business. I imagine Neville will do well for himself working for various promotions across the world.

If you’re an unhappy WWE superstar, it may sound like you’re better off traveling the world and setting your own schedule than having to work on Christmas. And maybe it is. But that’s only the case if you meet a certain criteria.

*Have Value

WWE releases dozens of superstars each year. Some are the victim of budget cuts, others decide they’ve had enough and walk out. Whatever, the case is, they’re gone. The ones you still hear about are the ones that have value. Do you know what Hugo Knox or Bull Dempsey or Simon Gotch are up to? Probably not. Dempsey and Gotch are still wrestling, but they’re only working a handful of dates each month. Those guys weren’t a big deal in WWE. Thus, they weren’t in high demand on the Independent scene.

*Know Your Worth

And what this means is, think of your value, and then half it. Wrestlers who have been in WWE tend to think they can go on the Indy scene, ask for hundreds of thousands, and promotions will immediately give in.

It doesn’t work like that.

This is why I think Ryback does podcasts. He thought he was worth more than most promoters were willing to pay, and when he found out that promoters weren’t going to pony up, he decide to give his thoughts on everything. And fair play to the man, someone on 411 seems to care a lot about his opinion.

*Have Work Ethic

Sami Callihan and CJ Parker never made it to WWE. Callihan only had a handful of matches on NXT television. Parker was nothing more than an enhancement talent.

Both guys are doing well for themselves on the Indy scene because they have work ethic. They embraced the grind of the Indy scene. WWE/ NXT might be a hassle, but you know where your next paycheck is coming from and you know you’re taken care of in other ways. In WWE, you just have to be your best superstar.

On the Indy scene, you have to be a wrestler, promoter, and manager. Some guys are overwhelmed by the fact that a promoter screws them or they have to arrange their own travel, and it wears on them to the point where they get out of the business completely.

*Have A Backup Plan

If you don’t have work ethic and you quickly realize that being a wrestler seemed much cooler on television than it is in real life, you better have a backup plan. Whether it’s getting into acting, hosting your own podcast, or being an MMA fighter; make sure you have a backup plan.

At the end of the day, despite WWE’s decreased ratings and increased unhappiness, it’s doubtful that many wrestlers are going to walk out. Even the unhappiest WWE employee will find things much easier hearing “creative has nothing for you” than trying to navigate the Indy waters in search of that next paycheck.

I tweet @jeremylambert88