Vince Russo’s departure from Juggalo Championship Wrestling caught plenty of people off guard, and apparently that included talent inside the company. Choppa City’s Bruce Wayne revealed that he had no clue Russo was leaving JCW until the news hit the internet, admitting the entire thing came as a legitimate shock.
During an appearance on Jasmin St. Claire’s Off the Rails, Bruce was asked whether he saw Russo’s departure coming. Unlike St. Claire, who said she had a feeling something was changing around the time of Strangle-Mania, Bruce said he was completely blindsided.
“Well, I did not see it coming. Um, I was shocked. I found out on the internet.”
Bruce made it clear that Russo’s exit doesn’t erase what he brought to JCW. He credited Russo with helping the company produce storylines and generate numbers, but also acknowledged that wrestling doesn’t stop just because somebody leaves.
“This is how wrestling is. You got to keep rolling. So, it was going great when we had Vince, you know, doing numbers and the storylines are great.”
That reaction comes after Vince Russo officially announced that he was leaving JCW following months of frustration with the situation. Russo later went deeper into why he decided to walk away from the company, while making it clear there was no personal falling out with Violent J.
As far as Bruce is concerned, Russo has been doing this long enough that nobody can blame him if he decided the workload was no longer worth it.
“If he decides that, you know, he’s had enough or he’s tapped out or he’s wearing himself out, then so be it.”
The bigger question now is what JCW looks like without Russo running creative, and Bruce doesn’t sound worried. In fact, he seems pretty fired up about Violent J taking a bigger role.
“If Vince is stepping down, then that means the Duke Violent J is stepping up, baby. And I am more excited to see what Violent Jay has in store because we gonna be chopping suckers regardless.”
That lines up with what has already played out on JCW television. Russo was written off Lunacy by selling his 50 percent ownership stake to Violent J, giving the promotion an on-screen explanation for the real-life departure and leaving Violent J in control.
Violent J has also made it clear there is no bad blood on his end. After Russo left, Violent J called Russo a massive blessing for JCW and praised what he brought to the promotion during their time working together.
Russo leaving clearly surprised Choppa City, but Bruce Wayne isn’t treating it like the end of the world. JCW is moving forward, Violent J has the keys, and Choppa City sounds ready to see exactly what comes next now that one of the biggest creative changes in the promotion’s recent history is officially underway.
What do you think JCW will look like with Violent J taking a bigger role following Vince Russo’s departure? Do you think the company will keep its momentum going, or will Russo’s absence be noticeable? Let us know your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
