Ex-WWE Star Accuses Company of Forcing Him Into Stereotypical Gimmick

Eddy Thorpe is speaking out about his time in WWE—and he’s raising serious concerns about how his character was portrayed.

The former WWE Superstar, who was released in 2025, claimed during an interview with Dale Clifford that he felt creatively boxed into a stereotypical Native American role instead of being allowed to fully express himself.

Thorpe explained that from early on, he felt WWE leaned heavily into a narrow identity for his character, rather than giving him creative freedom to develop something more authentic: “WWE kind of stereotyped me into that type of character, as opposed to letting me be more free.”

He then broke down how limiting that approach felt, saying his character was reduced to a single label without any depth or broader identity.

“When you get a character—it’s a very deep conversation to have… because it’s like, all your character is… you’re ‘an Indian.’ Like, what does that mean outside of ‘look at him’?”

Thorpe even recalled bringing the issue up in a Q&A with John Cena, explaining how he felt certain decision-makers only recognized his identity through outdated visual stereotypes. He went on to describe how those expectations carried into storytelling and promos, often pushing his character into clichéd situations that didn’t reflect reality.

“If I’m not covered in animal bones, if I’m not wearing chokers, then these old white men don’t see it, and I’m not ‘an Indian’ to them. And then, if he’s cutting a promo—well, what would an Indian be doing? Oh, he’s out by a fire smudging his injury, passing sage over it.”

According to Thorpe, those creative choices didn’t just limit storytelling—they made it harder for audiences to connect with the character in a meaningful way. Despite those frustrations, Thorpe said he tried to work within the system, adjusting promos and pushing for changes where he could.

“That just limits everything. Imagine if it was a white character and all he does is pray—he just stands there and prays. Who’s going to gravitate to that on a grand scale? So it’s like—be a good soldier. This is what they want, do the best you can, rewrite things if you can, but give them the best.”

Even then, he described ongoing pressure to present himself in a certain way that didn’t align with how he saw his character. Looking back, Thorpe said the deeper issue was who was creating the character in the first place—and their lack of understanding.

“And then I’d do my best in promos to make it sound how I think it should, but you’re always being told, ‘But come on, you’re a babyface,’ and they try to get you to sound like a Disney princess at times. But I’m playing a character written by white men who don’t know anything about my people.”

He closed by explaining how that disconnect made it difficult to stay true to himself, especially when the portrayal drifted too far from reality: “And I said that—because if I stay out in that forest too long, I’m not a person. My people don’t know that guy.”

Thorpe’s comments aren’t just a critique—they’re a direct shot at how WWE handled his identity on screen. And with more former talent speaking openly after leaving, this kind of criticism isn’t going away anytime soon. If WWE wants to avoid more situations like this, it may have to take a closer look at who’s shaping these characters—and how they’re being presented.

So what do you think—was WWE out of line with how Eddy Thorpe’s character was handled, or is this just part of how wrestling characters are built? Drop your thoughts below.

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