Below are a couple of top WWE news stories of the day, featuring Giovanni Vinci and Blair Davenport.
• Giovanni Vinci was among the names released during WWE’s latest wave of roster cuts. Vinci had support from some within WWE, but his return with a fresh character update wasn’t given any real follow-through.
With Vinci absent from television for some time, many assumed he had been pushed down the roster. His lack of TV appearances only added to the speculation, as he hadn’t competed on-screen in quite a while.
The Wrestling Observer reported the following about WWE’s canceled plan for Vinci:
“I called Vinci as soon as the team (with Ludwig Kaiser) split up. Was told they had a great idea for him doing the rich playboy gimmick. Oh well.”
• Blair Davenport has been released from WWE. She first gained recognition in NXT UK before transitioning to NXT, where she won the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge in 2023. She was drafted to SmackDown in 2024, marking what seemed to be a significant career move.
However, her time on the main roster was brief, with only a handful of televised matches. One of her most notable appearances was in the tournament for the inaugural Women’s United States Championship, where she was eliminated in the first round. Her last match took place in November 2024.
WWE had plans to use Blair with Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green & Piper Niven, but that never happened. Here’s what Fightful Select reported:
“Fightful asked about Davenport’s status in November, December and early January, and were told that she hadn’t been discussed for creative plans.
Not until around the Royal Rumble, when we asked about her speaking in the background with Piper Niven was a direction given. We’re told that recently she was brought to TV and pitched on the idea of joining Chelsea Green and Piper Niven’s group. It got as far as a Secret Service outfit being prepared, but had been delayed.”
