WWE Rumors: Backstage feeling on how Shawn Spears is performing in AEW (Exclusive)

One of the most notable WWE departures of 2019 came when Shawn Spears (fka Tye Dillinger) was granted his release in February.

Three months later, the former NXT Superstar made his debut for AEW at the company’s first pay-per-view, Double or Nothing, where he competed in the Casino Battle Royal on the event’s pre-show.

Since then, he has turned heel and brought WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard on board as his manager, while he has been involved in rivalries with Cody Rhodes and Joey Janela.

Speaking on the latest episode of Sportskeeda’s Dropkick DiSKussions, Tom Colohue told Korey Gunz that WWE has looked at Spears as an example as somebody whose release did not affect them negatively, which partly explains why they have recently allowed other Superstars to leave.

“Whether or not AEW is ahead [in the ratings] now, there is a constant belief that in the WWE that they will continue to do what they do and it will see them above AEW.

“There is also, and I believe the man in question will not thank me for this, but unfortunately this is what I’ve been told by sources in WWE, that they have looked at the example of Shawn Spears and considered that to be a release that didn’t affect them negatively in any way, including his entire run on AEW.

“They do not believe that it impacted them negatively, they don’t believe it hurt them, they don’t believe it strengthened AEW, and they are willing to put more people into that path.”

WWE announced earlier this week that Luke Harper, Sin Cara and The Ascension's Konnor and Viktor have been released.

For more details on AEW and WWE, listen to Sportskeeda's Dropkick DiSKussions with Korey Gunz and Tom Colohue!