Umage fired for drug issues
Jun 14, 2009 9:14:33 GMT -5
Post by Chris Ingersoll on Jun 14, 2009 9:14:33 GMT -5
From the last OO update:
Yay, revolving door. >_<
Rick also suggests that maybe upwards of another dozen will be off-screen for a bit due to violations, but no names announced yet (and announcing the names is WWE policy for these things).
While Batista is going bye-bye due to injury, Kennedy does have another compatriot in the ranks of the "getting fired." WWE announced Umaga's release on Monday. This was a pretty sudden move, and came after WWE had conducted an extensive round of drug testing at the previous week's TV tapings.
WWE didn't originally announce it as such, but Umaga's firing IS related to those test results. Umaga tested positive, and it was his "second strike." This requires Umaga to be suspended for 60 days and to attend rehab meetings. When Umaga refused to go to rehab, WWE fired him. The reason they gave for "covering up" the drug-test-failure is because they did NOT suspend Umaga in keeping with the policy, but fired him for another reason (his refusal to attend rehab, although tomy way of thinking, that's STILL a violation of the wellness policy, just a violating of a different clause, and thus should still be treated the exact same way and not "covered up").
Plans had been in place for Umaga to be CM Punk's first World Title challenger to help boost Punk up and solidify him as a babyface champ, morphing into Umaga getting to feud with the Undertaker this autumn (a feud that has long since been planned -- and desired by Taker -- but has not yet happened due to various injuries). Now: that's out the window, and WWE's at least leaving open the possibility of Punk's title win over Jeff Hardy leading to a heel turn. They played it straight in material taped for this week's SmackDown, but in a post-tapings bonus dark match, they got cutesy and did some teases betwen Punk and Hardyt o see if the fans would bite. They did. So who knows?
For his part, Umaga has basically confirmed his part in this, but is also not accepting any indie bookings or anything just yet as he tries to figure out how to proceed or if he can still have a future in WWE down the line (note: obviously, he can, but it is all up to him).
WWE didn't originally announce it as such, but Umaga's firing IS related to those test results. Umaga tested positive, and it was his "second strike." This requires Umaga to be suspended for 60 days and to attend rehab meetings. When Umaga refused to go to rehab, WWE fired him. The reason they gave for "covering up" the drug-test-failure is because they did NOT suspend Umaga in keeping with the policy, but fired him for another reason (his refusal to attend rehab, although tomy way of thinking, that's STILL a violation of the wellness policy, just a violating of a different clause, and thus should still be treated the exact same way and not "covered up").
Plans had been in place for Umaga to be CM Punk's first World Title challenger to help boost Punk up and solidify him as a babyface champ, morphing into Umaga getting to feud with the Undertaker this autumn (a feud that has long since been planned -- and desired by Taker -- but has not yet happened due to various injuries). Now: that's out the window, and WWE's at least leaving open the possibility of Punk's title win over Jeff Hardy leading to a heel turn. They played it straight in material taped for this week's SmackDown, but in a post-tapings bonus dark match, they got cutesy and did some teases betwen Punk and Hardyt o see if the fans would bite. They did. So who knows?
For his part, Umaga has basically confirmed his part in this, but is also not accepting any indie bookings or anything just yet as he tries to figure out how to proceed or if he can still have a future in WWE down the line (note: obviously, he can, but it is all up to him).
Yay, revolving door. >_<
Rick also suggests that maybe upwards of another dozen will be off-screen for a bit due to violations, but no names announced yet (and announcing the names is WWE policy for these things).
