By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW has released Jimmy Havoc, Sadie Gibbs, and Bea Priestly from their deals. Gibbs confirmed her release (see below), and Dave Meltzer of F4Wonline.com reported that Havoc and Priestly were also cut.
Powell’s POV: Havoc was suspended indefinitely following a series of #Speakingout movement allegations made against him. He entered rehab after the allegations were made in June, and AEW noted in a statement at the time that they would review his status upon completion. The Havoc situation may be unique due to those circumstances, but it’s worth nothing that all three released wrestlers are from the UK, which may have been a factor due to travel bans during the pandemic preventing them from appearing at AEW events. AEW not made any official announcements regarding the cuts as of this update.
My journey it’s been one hell of a ride, I never expect it to get easier I just expect my core values and perception to evolve and for me always to find #GRACE within moving forwards. #UNDEFINABLE
Thankyou so much @TonyKhan @AEWrestling for giving me a chance of a life time 🙏🏼
— Sadie Gibbs (@TheSadiegibbs) August 13, 2020
Jimmy Havoc is a bum, glad to see this.
Cutting people during a pandemic? I expect the same criticism thrown at them as other companies got.
Nope. They’re bulletproof in the wrestling “journalism” world.
I guess writing that Tony Khan had a chance to be a leader and failed (Jericho working the show after Fozzy played Sturgis) doesn’t count? When it comes to WWE and the cuts, the fact of the matter is that Jake and I defended the cuts when they were initially made in our Dot Net Weekly audio show. We softened our stance after WWE had a record breaking quarter, but I still feel that most of the talent they released weren’t in the plans or hadn’t been in their plans for some time. As for the AEW cuts, Havoc clearly had to go. They paid Priestly and Gibbs throughout the pandemic until they were cut even though they weren’t able to use them due to travel restrictions. That’s commendable. At some point, tough decisions need to be made when it comes to paying people you can’t use. Meanwhile, WWE has continued to pay NXT UK talent, which is also commendable.
I don’t play favorites. What purpose would it serve? Believe me, I’ll be writing something similar to this when a certain Impact fan inevitably accuses me or John Moore of being pro-WWE or pro-AEW because he doesn’t agree with our assessment of his favorite company’s television show. In fact, I was going to chime in earlier this week, but you made the point that I would have made, so thanks for saving me the time.
Apples, meet oranges.
Explain to me how it’s the same? AEW could one wrestler with abuse allegations leveled against him, and two women who couldn’t travel. WWE cut 20, plenty of which could work. Why would the criticism be the same?