• James Ellsworth Reveals Title Feud He Was Going To Be A Part Of
Former WWE wrestler James Ellsworth was the guest on this week’s episode of the Chris Van Vliet show, where he recalled his WWE run.
He talked about getting another call from WWE, after his first appearance on RAW against Braun Strowman, in which he was asked to work on SmackDown.
“Six weeks after that first RAW appearance, they brought me into Philadelphia. They did the angle where AJ was looking for a partner and nobody wanted to team with him. So, Daniel Bryan, who was the general manager at the time, made me his partner. I was walking outside for my entrance and The Miz beat me up, and Miz wound up being his partner.
So, that night, they go, ‘Hey, we’re going to bring you back next month. You’re going to be involved with The Miz and Ziggler rivalry.’ They were feuding over the Intercontinental Title at the time. So, they called me back a month later and they did the same idea they were going to do with Miz and Ziggler, just with AJ and Ambrose. Instead of wrestling the Intercontinental Champion, I was wrestling the WWE Champion.”
Ellsworth then recalled his negotiations with WWE at that time, and revealed that he requested to join NXT when he was doing nothing, but his request wasn’t approved.
“It all just happened so fast and slow at the same time. Those six weeks were the slowest six weeks of my life. Checking my email nonstop, still doing indie shows, still working my regular job in case it didn’t work out. Very fortunate and just a blessing in the sky for me. It did work out.
They had already told me that, ‘Hey, we don’t know if we’re going to give you one or two years. We’re just trying to figure that out. You are getting signed.’ So, they told me that pretty early on. They just couldn’t figure if it was going to be one or two years.
I wanted to go to NXT. I’m sad that I didn’t. Yes, I had a great run at WWE, but if you go through the Performance Center and you go on to NXT, they have time and money invested in you! So, you got a job! As long as you stay cool, you got a job forever! I remember them telling me, ‘No NXT, you’re on the main roster.’
When they have nothing for me, I go, ‘Hey, can I go to NXT? I will move to Florida. I will go to the Performance Center every day.’ I think there was envy from some people when I first got there, but I envy the people that did [go through NXT]. Not only did they get the best learning experience in wrestling, they got job security.”
Also Read: James Ellsworth Was Set To Return On SmackDown 1000 To Face Former WWE Champion
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• ON THIS DAY IN WWE HISTORY (December 16, 2002) – WWE Monday Night RAW
On this day in 2002, World Wrestling Entertainment aired another LIVE episode of their weekly TV show ‘WWE Monday Night RAW’.
It was broadcasted from the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando, Florida and featured matches & storyline segments on the road to the ‘WWE Royal Rumble 2003’ PPV.
Here’s the card:
1. Trish Stratus & Test vs. Steven Richards & Victoria
2. Christopher Nowinski vs. Maven
3. Christian vs. Goldust
4. Rob Van Dam & Kane vs. Batista & 3 Minute Warning
5. Lance Storm & William Regal vs. Dudley Boyz
6. Jeff Hardy vs. D’Lo Brown
7. Booker T vs. Chris Jericho
