Controversial New WWE Signing?, Wang Yang's Suspension, More
Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
WWE signed independent wrestler Brian Cage, 24, to a developmental contract following a tryout during last week's swing of California. However, this signing has a little controversy to it. WWE had six guys at the tryout and he just happened to have the best physique of any of them. And of course, he was the one that got signed. Some people were grumbling about the message it sent, especially considering that Cage got knocked out in his dark match before officials with Jimmy Wang Yang after taking a simple high crossbody maneuver.
Regarding Jimmy Wang Yang's suspension, he recently failed a drug test and was suspended for 30 days as a result on Monday, June 9. It is believed that he did not fail for steroids, although the company doesn't release information on what the wrestlers fail for. Internally, Yang's suspension was not a major topic of conversation, at least compared to the suspensions of William Regal and Jeff Hardy. Also, when word got out that day, talent feared a possible drug test on the horizon. As it turns out, the Raw wrestlers were drug tested later that day in Oakland. Yang was the sixth drug suspension of the year following Derrick Neikirk, Neil "Chet the Jet" Bzibziak, Jeff Hardy, Afa, Jr., and William Regal.
Former WWE U.S. Champion MVP was interviewed by the Brisbane Times in Australia today. In the interview, MVP discusses life before becoming a wrestler, which included a prison term for armed robbery and kidnapping at the age of 16. After serving nine years in jail, he was able to receive a work release and started training as a wrestler, while doing bodyguard and bouncing work to support himself on the side. The article notes that he tries to help other prisoners turn their life around. "You send a guy to prison, you put that black mark on him and he gets out he can't live anywhere, can't work anywhere, his options are extremely limited. I'd like to show people your options are limited but you need to have the resolve within to overcome," MVP explained.