With his indie career in full swing – including a NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship match – James Ellsworth’s the talk of the web. Which is probably why his two week old appearance on Talk is Jericho is making the rounds. And while we’re all excited about what Jimmy Dream will do next, of course the anecdotes getting the most play are about his time in WWE.
Two stood out. Both are glances behind the scenes, one from early in his time with the company and one from the end.
First, the good news! In late 2016, around the time it became known he’d been signed to a full-time contract with The ‘E, it seems Ellsworth still hadn’t been officially welcomed into the fold. Who extended the invitation?
“Bray Wyatt’s like, ‘Yeah, Ellsworth, stop dressing in that extra talent dressing room. I was wrestling AJ [Styles] for the world title and I was still dressing in the extra talent dressing room! I didn’t want to make anyone mad about walking into the WWE locker room.
… so Bray Wyatt was the one to say, ‘No, you’re with us now.’ He was the one. And I think when I got released, I texted him, ‘Hey man, you’re the one who did this for me and I won’t forget that.’”
Which transitions us to the less great news. It comes up a couple times in the interview… you can tell that no matter how professionally and gracefully he took his release, or how optimistic he is about his future, the man with two hands and a fighting chance was not ready to go…
Here’s the story of his conversation with Vice-President of Talent Relations Mark Carrano:
“He’s like, ‘Hey, I’ve got some news for you’ and as soon as he said that, my heart dropped and I’m like, ‘Is it what I think it is?’ When he says that… And I like Mark. He was great to me while I was there and that [has] got to be a hard job… and it’s just like, ‘They’ve decided to let you go for now.’
And I’m like, ‘Huh? Well, why?’ And he’s just like, ‘I think they felt like it ran its course.’ And to me, I’m like, ‘Well..’ and I start spitting out ideas. I’m like, ‘Well, can’t I go to 205 Live? And like, [Carmella] still has the [Money In The Bank] briefcase!’
Well, that’s my first, initial reaction, like, ‘No, there’s so much more left I can do’ and I still feel that way.”
Maybe that just bums me out so much cause I feel the same way, but… damn.
Anyway, sounds like the door is still open, and if Ellsworth keeps getting attention with his work at his own promotion in Maryland and elsewhere, WWE will probably keep him on their radar.
