Freddie Prinze Jr.: WWE's Releases Makes Me Want to Start a Wrestling Promotion

By Connor Casey

WWE has released roughly 80 wrestlers in 2021, often in waves of 10 or more at random intervals. The cuts have ranged from established stars like Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt to NXT Performance Center trainees to promising former NXT Champions that had yet to find their footing on the main roster like Karrion Kross, Keith Lee and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott. Fans have consistently voiced their frustration about the releases, arguing that it's hard to invest in characters when many of them can be gone at the drop of a hat regardless of how much TV time they're getting. 

But Freddie Prinze Jr., actor and former WWE creative team member, has a different outlook. He explained that the suddenly flooded pro wrestling free agency market makes him want to start running his own wrestling events. Prinze had two stints with the WWE, first from 2008-09 and then from 2010-12. He recently returned to television acting as part of the Punky Brewster revival, as well as portraying Caleb Dume on Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

"It makes me want to start a wrestling brand," Prinze said. "Everybody sees that and they get sad. I see that and I get hungry. I was in Karrion Kross' DMs the day it happened. I was like, 'Hey man, I didn't go back to work for fun. I went back to work to invest in things.' So imagine having Keith Lee and Karrion Kross on the same roster and making people wait to watch them fight and having their stories connected but separate. Even if it was just indie shows, which is what it would have to be, I'm not trying to go put fifty million dollars on something, but there's so much talent out there now but I think people would love to watch."

He then confirmed that he was interested in returning to the business to run an independent wrestling promotion. He said he's talked with networks about their interest and TV rights. He noted that he'd need help on the booking side and that, "it's something I think about often." He said he's still taking steps toward making it happen, but wouldn't elaborate further.

Do you want to see an independent promotion run by Prinze Jr.? Let us know down in the comments! 

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