'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Simon Gotch believes Finn Balor’s delayed call-up from WWE NXT played a part in his own move to the main roster in 2016.
Gotch performed alongside Aiden English in The Vaudevillains tag team between 2014 and 2017. Both men debuted on the main roster in April 2016, three months before Balor was drafted to RAW.
Speaking on Rene Dupree’s Cafe de Rene podcast, Gotch revealed that Triple H wanted to keep Balor in NXT for longer than originally planned. As a result, The Vaudevillains and several others moved to the main roster to appease fans until the Irishman’s RAW arrival.
“There was discussion of bringing Finn Balor from NXT to the main roster,” Gotch said. “Triple H did not want that to happen at the time because he was still using Finn as a separate part of the storyline in NXT, so the goal was to sort of throw some buffer material in between for the main roster.” [18:30-18:47]
Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Big Cass, and Enzo Amore joined the main roster in the same week as Aiden English and Simon Gotch. Six years later, only Crews and Corbin are still with WWE out of those six superstars.
Finn Balor and The Vaudevillains' mixed main roster fortunes
Aiden English and Simon Gotch featured sporadically on WWE television before the latter received his release in 2017. Finn Balor, meanwhile, became the inaugural Universal Champion just a month after his main roster debut. However, he was forced to relinquish the title due to a shoulder injury.
Reflecting on that time, Gotch admitted he felt like a toy who was being used to prepare fans for Balor’s long-awaited call-up.
“That’s why they called up like seven of us at one time,” Gotch continued. “Here, take all these guys and do something with them, and then when you’ve sort of worn out the new toys when they get brought up, we’ll be ready to give you Finn.” [18:47-19:01]
Gotch added that WWE’s focus on female superstars may have impacted The Vaudevillains’ lack of television time. Following their call-up, WWE began featuring two women’s matches and one male tag team match on most shows. Before that, events regularly included one women’s match and two male tag team matches.
Please credit Cafe de Rene and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
