Andre Chase is out of WWE now, and he is finally saying the quiet part out loud about Chase U.
While speaking with Duke Hudson, Chase said the group kept delivering on NXT, but WWE still acted like it did not really want them in a top spot. According to Chase, Chase U kept getting over to the point where WWE basically had no choice but to give them the titles.
“Chase U just keeps succeeding and succeeding, but like we don’t really want them to succeed. Like, we don’t want them in that spot. And it got to a point where it was like, we got to put the titles on them now.”
Chase said WWE clearly understood the value of the act, but instead of fully rewarding Chase U, the company often used that value to help other people. He brought up Riley Osborne and Oba Femi as an example, saying WWE used the Chase U connection to get Riley to the finals so Oba could beat someone attached to a popular group.
“They needed somebody for Oba to beat in the finals. So we’re like, ‘Oh, we’ll just have Riley debut that he’s in Chase U when he had never had any interaction with us.’ But again, they knew that Chase U was so valuable that we can get it to the finals, but then have Oba beat Chase U and it makes him because he’s going to win the North American Championship the next match.”
That is where the frustration really kicked in. Chase said WWE could clearly see what Chase U brought to the table, but the payoff always seemed to go somewhere else.
“So like it’s just another example like they knew what they had with us. So like they would do certain things like, ‘Oh so you do see our value. You’re just not really going to give it for us. You’re gonna find every way you can to give it to someone else.’”
Chase also pointed out that Chase U was not just some cute act getting reactions. He said they were all over NXT television, sometimes appearing in five segments on the same show, and that was not happening by accident.
“There were times we were in five segments. Five. You know how expensive one minute of television is? And there was times we were on five segments which is crazy. And like, not once or twice. Not once or twice. No. And the thing is too we were also doing good ratings. Like I tracked ratings every week.”
According to Chase, WWE kept putting them on TV because the numbers backed it up. He said fans were not changing the channel when Chase U appeared, and from a business standpoint, that should have mattered.
“I’m sure the reason they put us on TV in five segments is because they knew people didn’t change the channel when we were on. Like, we gained viewers from a business perspective.”
Duke Hudson also backed up the business side of the argument by pointing to merchandise sales: “I remember looking at the merch sales as well.” Chase said that is what made the whole thing so frustrating. Chase U was getting TV time, gaining viewers, selling merchandise, and checking the same business boxes top acts are supposed to check. Still, he felt WWE kept deciding the success was meant to benefit someone else.
“What more from a business perspective, which is what we’re supposed to be doing here, like putting every ass in, filling seats, whatever the case may be, selling merchandise. Any of the great metrics that any top guy or any great wrestler has said, hey, these are really important. We were checking those boxes and it just still seemed like, yeah, but it’s not for you. It’s going to be for somebody else.”
The comments come after Chase revealed that he is moving forward outside WWE under the new name “The Professor” Andre Chance. He has already started taking bookings, including Atomic Legacy Wrestling’s Star Spangled Slammer 10 on July 4 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
At the end of the day, Andre Chase is making it clear he believes Chase U did everything WWE should want from a successful act. They got reactions, helped ratings, sold merch, and stayed heavily featured, but in his eyes, WWE still never fully let them be the story.
Do you think WWE dropped the ball with Chase U, or did the group go as far as it could in NXT? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
