Watch: Drake Maverick Cuts First Promo After Earning New WWE Contract

Drake Maverick was unsuccessful in winning the interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship against El [...]

By Connor Casey

Drake Maverick was unsuccessful in winning the interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship against El Hijo Del Phantasma on this week's edition of NXT, but he still walked out a winner as Triple H approached him with a new NXT contract. Maverick was one of the 30+ active wrestlers who was released by the company back on April 15, but between his emotional reaction promo and his stellar work during the championship tournament, the former 205 Live general manager had built up a massive wave of fan support online. WWE uploaded Maverick's first promo after receiving his new contract to YouTube shortly after NXT ended.

"I don't think anybody in the space of a couple of months can tell you they felt like they lost everything twice," Maverick said. "I just kept holding on because I love this, I've always loved this. When I look at people that disrepect it, when I look at people who don't seize opportunities that are standing before them, I'm like 'if you don't want em, I'll take em!' And I took this one. And that's all it was, an opportunity. The 24/7 title was an opportunity, the 205 Live general manager was an opportunity. I took them, I ran with them. I ran with this, and I ran all the way to the finals. I'm disappointed I'm not standing here as champion, but now there will be another day."

Maverick, formerly known as Rockstar Spud, first signed with WWE in late 2017 and debuted as the 205 Live general manager in January 2018. In September of that year he began pulling double duty by becoming the heel manager for AOP, but the idea was scrapped by April 2019.

Maverick then turned his focus to the 24/7 Championship, becoming obsessed with the title to the point where it jeopardized his marriage. He held the championship a total of six times across 23 days, with his last reign ending in September. Though his matches were limited during his initial run with the company, Maverick was announced for the crusierweight championship tournament mere days before WWE announced his release.

"I'm very fortunate that WWE is still allowing me to compete in the NXT Interim Crusierweight title tournament, but it's very likely that those will be the last matches I ever have," he said at the time. "There's a lot of people I'm not going to get the chance to say goodbye to that I really loved and I really care about. They make me a better person. And again, I'm very fortunate that I still get that, other people won't get that. But if these are the last matches I have, I just want everyone watching at home to know you'll have my all. You'll have everything. It's not about a title anymore, it's about my life. It's about feeding my family, paying my bills. So if I don't make an impression, if I don't win, that's it for me."

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