Just as surely as there will be a Wrestlemania in 2017, there will also be that dark day of cuts, now infamously known as WWE's "Black Friday."
It's the time of year, which normally comes around spring, when a new flock of current WWE Superstars are called to the carpet, given a sombre "it's not you, it's us" speech, and wished well in their future endeavours. But, oh not to worry, the door is always open for a possible future return! Right? Yeah... yeah, right.
The yearly cuts are always pawned off as a measure to cut expenses, when the reality is, that there's a creative team in place, which doesn't always know exactly what to do with each superstar. There's also a degree of politics in play as well, just as there is within any large company.
Nevertheless, yearly cuts happen, and they've become a yearly tradition that we’ve all come to expect. The only problem most of us have with said cuts, is the fact that often times, the wrong people are out in that hot seat. Case in point; Damien Sandow.
There's absolutely no reason whatsoever that Sandow should be on the TNA roster right now. Sandow was one of the most engaging, and entertaining characters of the past few years, yet he slipped through the cracks.
Regardless of what we think of the process, the fact remains. The axe will fall, and nonsensical cuts will be made. Superstars with a plethora of talent will be sent packing, while others with less potential remain on board, left to doing nothing more than collecting a paycheck.
It is what it is, and I could write a thousand and one articles on the subject, but it would still make no difference at all.
With the probability of talent that will be on the way out, there will also be new talent brought into the fold. There is that hope that some of today's top global names will find their way onto the WWE roster.
Maybe some of the best from Ring of Honor, NJPW, and possibly others, such as PWG, will get the call to try their luck on the biggest stage in the industry, the WWE.
That brings us to the topic of this article. We recently started a "5 up, 5 down" series, here on Sportskeeda. The previous one featured main roster talent that may be headed back to NXT, as well as NXT talent possibly headed up to the main roster.
As we continue that very series today, we take a look at 5 WWE Superstars who might get released in 2017, as well as 5 talented wrestlers who may get a WWE contract in 2017.
#5 DOWN: Tyson Kidd
This one is a sad pick for me, primarily because I'm a long-time Tyson Kidd fan. Unfortunately for Kidd, he's an injury magnet and has become an unpredictable liability, so to speak. Now, at 36 years old, his body isn't able to recover from significant mishaps.
Kidd has been in the wrestling business for over two decades now. It's pretty safe to assume, that at this stage in his life, and career, he's accomplished everything that he was destined to, in the wrestling business as he is also a former WWE Tag Team Champion.
Tyson has always been a solid performer and a hard worker. There just has to come a point where you start looking forward to life after wrestling, and there's certainly no shame in that. The talented superstar himself has dropped hints on leaving when WWE left him out of total Divas:
#5 UP: Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega is one of the most prolific stars in New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has the charisma similar to a young Razor Ramon. As a current Bullet Club member, Omega not only serves as the fourth and current leader of The Club, but he is also one-third of the Bullet Club sub-group known as The Elite.
Omega has reportedly turned down as many as four WWE offers in the past, but the rumours are strengthening regarding a new potential deal on the table that Kenny may not be able to turn down.
Also read: 5 returns we must see at Royal Rumble 2017
While the details are non-existent, Omega did win the 2016 G1 Climax, which secured him a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4th, 2017, at the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 11 at the Tokyo Dome.
Kenny Omega could be a home run pickup for the WWE. He surely wouldn't need a layover in NXT, but then again, I never expected to see Nakamura stay in NXT this long either. Regardless of the path he takes, Kenny Omega will be a welcome addition to any WWE roster, and will likely be a champion in a relatively short period of time.
#4 DOWN: Rosa Mendes
Rosa gave birth to her first baby, in February of 2016. This, along with her current relationship status, has become the focal point of her life while the WWE has become secondary for her.
Rosa has never really been known as a perennial competitor in the women's division, but she has been on the scene for a while, making her first appearance roughly a decade ago. Another contributing factor in Rosa possibly getting her walking papers, is the fact that she's 37 years old, in a division where the average age is dropping by the year.
Rosa was, and is a beautiful young lady. She had the appeal once needed to compete in what was known as the Divas division. However, things have changed in the past couple of years. Women's WRESTLING... actual in-ring wrestling has taken precedence over all aesthetic distractions.
Sure, the ladies of WWE are gorgeous indeed, but it is their actions between the ropes that have earned them a place in pay-per-view main events. This type of in-ring skill is just something that Rosa doesn't really possess.
#4 UP: Jay Lethal
Why Jay Lethal isn't already competing in a WWE ring, is beyond me. Lethal is by far, one of the most talented non-WWE wrestlers in the entire world. The former Ring of Honor World Champion lost the title in August, to Adam Cole, after an impressive run of 427 days with the strap.
At one point, Lethal held both the ROH World Title, as well as the Ring of Honor television title, during the House of Truth angle.
Jay Lethal has excelled at every turn, throughout his 15-year career. One of the most memorable runs, for me at least, was during his time with TNA, where he was feuding with Ric Flair. Lethal was absolute money all throughout that particular storyline.
The way he was able to successfully emulate The Nature Boy, it was something magical and a treat to watch unfold. Jay would be a perfect fit on a roster where storytellers thrive, with the complacent ones ending up on the chopping block.
#3 UP: Kurt Angle
Let's be honest for one moment here. Kurt Angle is just a couple of cups of coffee away from being 50 years old. With that factor in mind, let us not pretend that Angle is making a comeback to capture the WWE World Title.
Kurt has destroyed his body over the years, but at this point, he is still capable of delivering a decent performance. Just recently, Cody Rhodes took on Kurt Angle, in the main event of an independent show. Fans in attendance didn't necessarily show up to see some sort of a five-star performance.
It was just the idea that they were able to see a living legend, compete against Cody.
Kurt Angle is still a major draw. His name will always put butts in seats, that's a given. Not only that, but there are just some people who deserve to come back "home," and finish things right where they started. Kurt is undoubtedly one of those people.
#3 DOWN: Titus O'Neil
Titus O'Neil came into the WWE with a strong athletic background, having done well in football his entire life. In fact, Titus was given a full scholarship to play for one of the top football schools in the entire Nation, The University of Florida.
In 2009, O'Neil was signed to a WWE developmental contract and began his training at Florida Championship Wrestling, which is now known better as NXT. With his chiselled 6'6” frame, WWE officials were highly optimistic for the future with this guy.
Unfortunately, Titus never could find whatever it was that he needed to put a total package together. He has moments but lacks consistency. At the end of the day, Titus O'Neil is sort of like a conundrum. He's just difficult to figure out, and even more difficult to find a creative groove for.
The best case scenario for both WWE, as well as O'Neil, might just be to part ways and see if he can land on his feet elsewhere.
#2 UP: Ricochet
This guy is gradually becoming one of the most sought after free agents in all of professional wrestling. He will very likely end up in the top 10 of the next PWI 500. If he signs up to the WWE, I do believe he will need some time with the crew at NXT.
Even though Ricochet is a proven performer, he will need a little time to get a full grasp of the "WWE way" of business.
It's also important to note that as "Prince Puma," he helped get Lucha Underground established, and off the ground. A huge factor in why they are still doing so well, with such an unorthodox format, is because of some of the original stars, such as Puma.
In October of 2014, Prince Puma outlasted the other 19 combatants in the Lucha Underground "Aztec Warfare" match, where he became the first ever Lucha Underground Champion.
#2 DOWN: James Ellsworth
I know, I know...."he's got two hands, he's got a chance!" "He's the fans’ favourite underdog..." and then there are even some who compare this hack to Daniel Bryan. THAT'S where I draw the line! Sorry, folks, I honestly hate to be the bearer of bad news, but James Ellsworth is no Daniel Bryan.
I can't even put those two in the same sentence with a straight face. Guys, Ellsworth was a good dose of comic relief, but his welcome has been worn out now.
The fact that James actually holds wins over AJ Styles, is enough to make me sick. I feel as if Ellsworth has been nothing more than a black eye on the Smackdown brand.
Maybe there's a place for him in a Rosebud-type of situation, or maybe he can help stack chairs after the shows, or some other manual labour assignment as such. But, this guy should have never been given this much TV time. If he makes it to the next "black Friday," he should be one of the, if not THE first name on the board.
Sayonara, Mr. Ellsworth.
#1 UP: The Hardy Boyz
Just like with Kurt Angle, it's time for The Hardys to come back home. In fact, I believe we will see both Hardys back under the WWE banner, sooner rather than later. While I'll admit that the Broken Matt story has been quite captivating, it may be best if that particular persona dies on the doorstep of TNA.
Some things are just born by design, to work for one company, or for one individual. The Broken angle is a TNA thing, and it should always be remembered as such.
Matt is currently 42 years old, while Jeff is 39. Both of these guys have destroyed their bodies over the years, but they have proven in the last year with TNA, that they have more than enough fuel left in the tank to come back to WWE and contend for a tag title run.
The Hardys would bring back the old element of extreme tag team wrestling, which could ignite, as well as inspire the other WWE tag teams to step their game up, and give fans the style of quality tag team performances we were once used to.
#1 DOWN: Eva Marie
Excuse me while I beat this dead horse for a minute or two. Chances are, if you've read some of my previous work, you know how I feel about Eva Marie. When she first arrived, I honestly gave her a chance to show that she was willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become a quality women's wrestler.
Unfortunately, I believe she got a little too much of the Hollywood treatment, courtesy of Total Divas, and it all went to her head.
The other problem that I always had with Eva, is the amount of additional, special training she's received from people like Brian Kendrick, yet she still shows no sign of improvement. With the amount of training, special attention, and the added spotlight, Eva Marie should be delivering some "this is awesome!" performances.
Eva was suspended back in August, after violating the company's Talent Wellness Policy. She has yet to return to action.
Not that she's actually being missed at the moment. If she's around at the time of the next round of cuts, someone should pack her bags for her, and quickly escort her to the nearest fast-moving vehicle, be it an airplane, a train or another automobile, and get her away from Stamford as quickly as possible.
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