In the zany world of WWE, not every contract renewal is a slam dunk, and Drew Gulak’s tale reads like a soap opera script with a wrestling ring. After some mixed messages—was he released? Was he not?—Triple H, WWE’s own Chief of Keeping It Real, clarified at the WWE Backlash press conference that Gulak’s WWE stint is getting the old “thanks, but no thanks” with no renewal on the horizon.
Why the cold shoulder? Well, buckle up, folks, because it’s juicier than a prime-time drama. According to the wrestling sleuths at Fightful Select, it turns out Gulak’s backstage antics might’ve body-slammed his own career. Despite Ronda Rousey’s sweatpants scandal not being the dealbreaker, Gulak didn’t do himself any favors by how he handled the aftermath, essentially pouring oil on a fire he might have wanted to smother.
But wait, there’s more! Gulak, apparently trying out for the role of the locker room villain, has been throwing his weight around quite literally. Described by some NXT insiders as a “bully,” he’s been targeting the injured like a shark smells blood. One gruesome tale involves Gulak turning a minor finger dislocation into a repeat performance during a match, earning him no fans and likely a few enemies. Another time, our not-so-gentle giant decided to spike an opponent during an NXT taping, which scored him a verbal smackdown from none other than wrestling legend Shawn Michaels. Talk about a bad day at the office!
Gulak’s intimidation tactics didn’t win him any popularity contests either. Allegedly, he was quite the terror, trying to test the mettle of his peers to see who would blink first. The result? A resounding thumbs down from the backstage crowd.
After rejoining the NXT brand and the No Quarter Catch Crew, it seemed like Gulak might have found his footing again. Alas, his wrestling narrative took a final twist as he was dramatically “killed off” by the D’Angelo Family on NXT TV—scripted, of course, but maybe a metaphor for his fizzling WWE career?
So, as the curtain falls on Gulak’s WWE saga, one can’t help but think: in wrestling, as in life, how you play the game might just be as important as your finishing move.