Eddy Thorpe Reveals Reason for Requesting WWE Release

Eddy Thorpe parted ways with WWE back in May and now he has revealed why he asked for his WWE release in the first place.

While speaking to Wrasslerap, Eddy Thorpe was asked why he requested his WWE release. Thorpe explained that everything started to fall apart for him mentally around WrestleMania 41 weekend.

A week or two before the event, he already had a feeling things weren’t going to go his way. Even ten, he went to speak with Shawn Michaels face-to-face, only to find out he had nothing lined up; no meet and greets, no matches, nothing at all.

Thorpe shared how WWE had a habit of giving wrestlers momentum only to pull them off TV for a few weeks, which killed any hype they built. Though he didn’t agree with the approach, he accepted it as part of the business.

“I had a breakdown. I broke down to my girlfriend. It started Mania 41 weekend, maybe a week or two before. I already knew by then it was too late to expect anything, but I still went to meet with Shawn—just to hear it face-to-face. So I ask, ‘Do I have anything at Mania weekend?’ And the answer was no. No meet and greets, no matches, nothing.

The thing they did a lot was give someone momentum, then take them off TV for two or three weeks. That kills your buzz. But I was ready to take it on the chin because that’s part of the business. Do I disagree? Of course. But I accepted it.”

Eddy Thorpe then asked if he could DJ small afterparties during WrestleMania weekend, thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal, especially since he planned to do it for free under a different name. He even mentioned that promotions like GCW and West Coast Pro had afterparties he was invited to be part of.

Thorpe noted how WWE hosts afterparties all the time, so he figured it wouldn’t be an issue. At first, Shawn Michaels told him he didn’t mind but would ask management. A week later, Eddy received a message that WWE wasn’t okay with it, which really upset him, especially because of how he was treated when he DJed on TV. He described that experience as one of the worst and most uncalled-for things he’d ever gone through.

Thorpe also pointed out that other wrestlers were doing side projects, getting paid, and keeping the money, and he had no issue with that. But watching WrestleMania and seeing YouTubers in big matches against stars like AJ Styles while NXT talent like himself was overlooked was hard to take. Even wrestlers from other companies were messaging people in NXT, admitting how tough it must be to watch from the sidelines.

“Then I asked, ‘Is it okay if I play music?’ And they were like, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘Can I DJ small afterparties?’ Because I knew WWE had matches going on during Mania week—even GCW shows—and Joey Janela reached out like, ‘Yo, I’m trying to DJ in Vegas.’ He mentioned GCW had an afterparty, and West Coast Pro too. I was talking about doing it for free, under a different name. Not to mention, WWE throws afterparties with DJs all the time. And I can’t get a 30-minute set? I can’t be involved at all?

I remember Shawn saying, ‘I don’t care if you do it, but I’ll ask.’ Then a week later, I got a text saying no—they’re not cool with it. And I was pissed. Especially after the whole experience when I did DJ on TV—that was absolute bullshit. One of the most uncalled for things I’ve ever gone through.

Then I look around and see other talent doing side stuff, getting paid, and keeping the money. No hate to them. But then I’m watching WrestleMania, seeing YouTubers wrestle AJ Styles, and other guys get featured. Even people from other companies were texting NXT guys saying, ‘Sorry, bro, that must be hard to watch.'”

Thorpe thought about the last character he played in WWE. His final TV appearance was with Lexis King, whom he called a “greedy white man.” Meanwhile, Eddy had to take on the role of a medicine man, a Crazy Horse-type, an educator, basically carrying the entire weight of Native identity.

And while real injustices were happening to his people, he was being asked to play a watered-down, performance-friendly version of his culture that was more about making others comfortable than telling the truth.

Thorpe felt like his culture was being turned into a gimmick. He was told to smudge on camera and do a sweat lodge as part of a wrestling storyline. He questioned how any of that actually made sense. There was only one other Native wrestler on the roster with him, and that person was about to get released. Their big cultural “moment” ended up being some vague video footage of shadows and smoke in the NXT parking lot, filmed by people who didn’t understand what any of it meant.

“So how am I supposed to separate all this, when the last thing I did on TV was go out there and wrestle Lexis King—playing the greedy white man? And me? I gotta be the medicine man. I gotta be Crazy Horse. I gotta be the educator. I gotta wear every hat. I’m watching everything go down out there, but then I gotta go out and dance by a fire for these guys?

I gotta be this gimmick, this b****** version of myself, for people who are funding and supporting systems that are doing real harm. I’m supposed to make it all more palatable—water it down so it doesn’t feel as ugly. And after all that, I broke down, man.

I just sat there thinking—f*** me—for every tattoo I got, for every time I went out there wearing my jewelry and trying to represent on TV. They took our children, cut their hair, gave them Christian names, beat them, raped them. We didn’t even have religious freedom until 1990. I grew up without religion. But now I gotta go on camera and smudge? I gotta do a sweat lodge?

How does that even make sense? We had one other Native kid here with me, and they’re gonna release him in a few weeks. And our big cultural moment is a B-roll shot of shadows and smoke in the NXT parking lot? Shot by a bunch of white guys? This is messed up.”

Eddy Thorpe felt like he was being asked to cheapen something sacred for the sake of entertainment. He recalled being told, “Shawn thinks it’s really cool,” and how empty that felt. He wanted to ask how Michaels would feel if his own religion was treated the same way.

Thorpe compared it to Shawn’s grand WrestleMania entrance where he descended in white, looking like a god, something the audience accepted as powerful and meaningful. But when it came to Native culture, the treatment felt hollow, like a sideshow.

At that point, the former WWE star felt the weight of it all. Young fans looked up to him, but he no longer believed in the system he was part of. He said he spoke to someone on staff and told them honestly; he could feel it coming, and he didn’t think he could stay in WWE anymore.

“Who does a sweat lodge before a match? And when I questioned it, they said, ‘Well, Shawn thinks it’s really cool.’ Two days later, it was, ‘Well, Shawn says if you think of anything…’ And I’m like, this doesn’t make sense. I wanted to ask him, ‘Shawn, how would you feel if we put your religion out there like that?’

But of course, it’s different. When Shawn descends from the heavens at WrestleMania, all dressed in white like he’s God. It’s like, ‘Oh, that’s powerful. They pray too.’

You know what I mean? At the end, all these kids were looking up to me. And I’m talking to one of the homies on staff, explaining where I’m at. I told him—I knew it was coming. I just don’t think I can stay here anymore.”

Right now, Eddy Thorpe is working on building a life that fits what he believes in and loves doing and so we’ll have to see what’s next in store for him in the business.

What are your thoughts on Eddy Thorpe’s experience in WWE? Sound off in the comments.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.