• WWE Always Mishandles Returns, Brings People Back With Outdated Gimmicks – ECW Veteran
On Vince Russo’s podcast, Stevie Richards delivered one of the most cutting criticisms of WWE’s creative habits, arguing the company always mishandles returning talent because they insist on dragging characters back exactly as they were 15–20 years ago – even if the gimmick is outdated, stale, or irrelevant today.
Richards cited Matt Cardona’s return as Zack Ryder, The Hardy Boyz’ poorly timed comeback, and Nikki Bella’s forced throwback presentation as examples of WWE’s inability to evolve with returning performers.
“Everything is always done wrong,” Richards said. “From The Hardy Boys returning during the final deletion peak… to bringing Zack Ryder back just because, ‘Oh, remember Nikki Bella wore a backwards red hat 20 years ago? Now she’s gotta do that forever.’ There’s no upgrade. They bring them back like it’s still 20 years ago.”
He argued WWE never takes the opportunity to do anything fresh or updated. Instead, they rely on nostalgia and repetition. “There’s no upgrade to do anything that isn’t like a 20-year-ago piece of business when they bring them back,” he said.
Richards insisted talent like Dolph Ziggler or Zack Ryder could return with entirely new personas that reflect who they have become over the years. “Nicky could’ve come back as Nic Nemeth,” he said. “Cardona could be Cardona, not Ryder.” But he said WWE refuses to do anything new – even when the performers themselves reinvented their careers outside the company.
He recalled how The Hardys’ big WWE return also ignored what made them hot again in TNA. “They returned during the peak of the Final Deletion stuff and WWE brought them back as this,” Richards said, shrugging in disbelief.
To Richards, WWE’s refusal to acknowledge growth or evolution is why returns consistently fall flat. “There’s no upgrade. There’s never an upgrade,” he repeated. “It’s always done wrong.”
• Former WWE Star Says He Made More Money From YouTube Than His Wrestling Career
On the “Mic Check with Mr. Anderson” podcast, Maven discussed how his YouTube success completely transformed his life – financially and creatively. He said he now earns more money from YouTube than he ever did during his WWE career. “I’m making more money now than during my wrestling days,” he said.
Maven explained that he enjoys a level of freedom and control he never had in wrestling. He answers to no one, chooses his own schedule, and creates his own content. For that reason, he said it would take a massive offer for him to return to the ring. “It would take an offer with a lot of zeros,” he said, laughing. “Because I’m happy.”
He also revealed that his YouTube success is largely due to his partner, Zach from Tap Out Corner. Maven said he randomly replied to a LinkedIn message from Zach, who pitched the idea of telling wrestling stories with modern YouTube storytelling techniques. “Wrestlers don’t use YouTube the way YouTube is meant,” Maven recalled Zach telling him. “His pitch was: we’re gonna tell wrestling stories the way YouTubers do.”
Maven said he put “100% trust” in Zach, and together they built a two-man operation that now outperforms his wrestling earnings.
