Eric Young quietly made his way back to WWE after leaving TNA earlier this year. The two-time TNA World Champion has apparently been working behind the scenes in NXT for months, although that doesn’t necessarily mean fans should expect to see him back in the ring.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider revealed the news during a recent Q&A after being asked about Young’s whereabouts. According to Johnson, speculation that Young could return to WWE after requesting his TNA release turned out to be right.
“That was the assumption for a lot of people when Young asked for and received his TNA release and it was correct.”
Johnson revealed that Young actually started working for WWE shortly after his TNA departure. Rather than returning as an active wrestler, he has been working behind the scenes as a producer for NXT since July.
“He started working for WWE as a Producer for NXT in July.”
As for whether Young could eventually step back into the ring, that part remains up in the air. Johnson didn’t rule it out, but he also hasn’t heard anything indicating that a wrestling return is part of the plan.
“I don’t know if he will wrestle.”
The update fills in a pretty big blank surrounding Young since his TNA exit. TNA announced on July 1 that the longtime company veteran had been released, but Johnson now says Young actually asked for his release before moving into his new WWE role.
At the time, TNA publicly acknowledged Young’s long history with the promotion while confirming that his departure was effective immediately. The company wished the former two-time World Champion well without revealing what he planned to do next.
“TNA Wrestling has come to the terms on the release of Eric Young effective immediately. EY has had a legendary TNA career, including twice as TNA World Champion. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Young’s departure came during a larger period of changes within TNA that also saw several other names leave the company. His exit stood out considering just how closely connected he has been to TNA throughout different eras of his career.
This also isn’t Young’s first time under the WWE umbrella, but his latest stint is taking a very different form behind the scenes. Whether that producer role eventually leads to another appearance in front of the cameras remains the big unknown.
What do you think about Eric Young quietly returning to WWE in a backstage role after leaving TNA? Let us know in the comments below.
