Released WWE star who cut his long hair was "heartbroken" after John Laurinaitis' advice

John Laurinaitis was part of WWE's management team for over 20 years before stepping aside in 2022 amid misconduct allegations. Javier Bernal, a former NXT star, recently disclosed details about a conversation he had with the executive.

On the January 21, 2022, episode of 205 Live, Bernal made his televised WWE debut in a losing effort against Draco Anthony. Ahead of the match, the up-and-coming star cut his long hair after being advised to do so by John Laurinaitis.

In an interview with Developmentally Speaking, Bernal admitted he was reluctant to go through with the haircut:

"For me, my hair is very much tied to my culture, and it was heartbreaking that I had to do that, especially because it didn't really amount to anything. There was no reason for it, but I did it anyways." [21:13 – 21:30]

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Bernal received his release from WWE in May. He lost against Channing Lorenzo in his final WWE match at an NXT live event on April 26.

Javier Bernal on his WWE mindset after John Laurinaitis' request

Many WWE talents have refused appearance changes and storyline ideas. However, Javier Bernal thought he should agree to John Laurinaitis' suggestion because he had only just joined the company.

Bernal, now known as Javi outside of WWE, added that differences of opinion behind the scenes can sometimes be frustrating:

"It is hard to stay positive, truthfully, and it's a bubble. NXT and main roster are two different things. Main roster comes with its own set of things, good or bad, I don't know, but as far as NXT, you're in a bubble. You see these people every day. You see these people more than you see your own home sometimes, and so when two people are conflicting or they can't agree, or like, 'Hey, I have this idea that I think is really good but you guys don't care about it,' it can be frustrating." [23:00 – 23:34]

In the same interview, Bernal recalled how John Cena once praised him to WWE management after a match.

Please credit Developmentally Speaking and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart