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James Ellsworth discusses WWE payments following 2017 release
Professional wrestler James Ellsworth has revealed that WWE continued to pay him following his release from the company in November 2017. Speaking on the podcast ‘Developmentally Speaking’, Ellsworth described the situation as “weird,” noting that while he was let go, he was brought back to television a few months later.
Ellsworth stated that his payments never ceased during the period he was off-screen. He did not provide specific details regarding his contract structure or the exact reasons for the continuous payments.
After returning to television in 2018 to work alongside Carmella, Ellsworth’s tenure eventually concluded when his contract expired. He noted that his departure coincided with an on-screen storyline where SmackDown General Manager Paige fired him. Ellsworth suggested that because he was brought directly to the main roster by Vince McMahon rather than training through the NXT developmental system, it may have been easier for the company to move on from his character to make room for other talent.
Entities
Carmella · James Ellsworth · Paige · Vince McMahon · WWE
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Ellsworth returned to WWE television in 2018. zonawrestling.net · superluchas.com · www.ringsidenews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Ellsworth worked alongside Carmella on SmackDown. zonawrestling.net · superluchas.com · www.ringsidenews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Paige fired Ellsworth as part of an on-screen storyline. zonawrestling.net · superluchas.com · www.ringsidenews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Vince McMahon personally offered Ellsworth a job. zonawrestling.net · superluchas.com · www.ringsidenews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] WWE continued to pay Ellsworth after his November 2017 release. zonawrestling.net · superluchas.com · www.ringsidenews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] James Ellsworth was released by WWE in November 2017. zonawrestling.net · superluchas.com · www.ringsidenews.com