Booker T On WWE Releases: “Job Security These Days Is Nowhere Near What It Was”

Just yesterday, it was announced by Fightful that several WWE talents had been released from their contracts.

The company released many main roster stars including Nia Jax, Mia Yim, Karrion Kross, Gran Metalik, Lince Dorado, Eva Marie, "B-Fab" Briana Brandy, and Harry Smith.

The company also released NXT talents Scarlett Boudreaux, Oney Lorcan, Franky Monet, Ember Moon, Trey Baxter, Jessi Kamea, Jeet Rama, Zayda Ramier and Katrina Cortez.

Booker T spoke on the latest episode of The Hall of Fame Podcast about the releasing of 18 WWE talents.

"I hate to see it," Booker said. "Ember Moon, she's one of mine so definitely I hate to see her get released. But one thing I always teach my girls is if you're talented, cream always rises to the top, you'll find a spot somewhere. Ember, she's going to be okay. The business decisions as far as Scarlett, I don't know the behind the scenes dealing that go on with stuff like that. Franky Monet, I know she was talented, I thought she was money and I thought she fit right in and she was doing a great job. She was one of the girls that I thought you could do pretty much anything with as far as title picture, angle wise, working with and bringing somebody up.

"The business has changed, the business is totally different than it was back in the day. Job security these days is nowhere near what it was back in the day and that's due to, I hate to say it, but for instance Ember Moon, Scarlett, Valkyrie, they've been out there but their names hadn't been out there to where their names had been made. To where these are people that we can't get rid of, these are people we can't replace. Today there's an abundance of talent, the business is as hot as it's ever been as far as young people trying to get in it. People see guys like The Rock, John Cena, Batista doing movies and how this business has changed their lives, there's so many young people wanting to get in the business but you gotta know how to separate yourself from the pack."

Booker continued to state that he thought Ember had separated herself from the women's roster and shown she could be a mainstay with the company.

"Ember Moon, I thought she did that," Booker said. "I don't think Scarlett had a chance. I thought Ember Moon's performances in the ring had set her apart from everyone else because she was so different, she wasn't the diva. She was someone who was going to come out there and whip your ass and look good doing it at the same time, that's what made her a diva."

The 2x WWE Hall of Famer also spoke about Keith Lee, Karrion Kross and Nia Jax, who were three of the biggest names on the list of talent let go.

"Keith Lee is a guy who's got an abundance of talent," Booker said. "AEW is a company that is looking for guys, New Japan is a company that I think Keith Lee fits in perfectly. I think he'll be okay as far as working in the business. I don't know what Keith Lee's ailments were or if that has anything to do with his firing or his release or anything like that but I'm shocked.

"Nia Jax, I'm definitely shocked about that name being in that group right there because I thought she was one that was going to be around for a long long time. I thought she was talented. Karrion Kross, I must say he was taken out of the frying pan and threw right into the fire. Bring him up to the main roster and then the wardrobe changes. I don't know and I could be wrong but I'm quite sure Karrion Kross was probably a little perplexed about man, what the hell is going on? Just a minute ago I was the most over son of a gun in NXT that the company had and then all of a sudden I came over, wardrobe change, no Scarlett, the fans not buying into it at all. I'm sure he had to be wondering what the hell was going on as well. I don't know man, we're in a different place, different time. For me, it's hard to speak on what [the younger guys] are going through right now in this turbulent world of professional wrestling and trying to keep a spot."

Booker continued to talk about Nia and one of the main reasons he believes she was let go by the company. The former World Heavyweight Champion said she should've been more like Awesome Kong and believes that would have helped her stay in the WWE.

"I love Nia, one of my favourite people," Booker said. "The one thing with Nia was that instead of being a monster, she still wanted to be a diva. I think Awesome Kong, there's no frills there, I'm coming to lay waste and leave havoc in the middle of this ring. That's something I never really got from Nia Jax and that's something that I so wanted from beauty and the beast. That's what the title for me, for Nia Jax would've been, 'Beauty and the Beast.' She would've been beastly when she was in that ring taking care of business."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit The Hall of Fame Podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.