Tag: Tye Dillinger

Ex-WWE Star Tye Dillinger Aka Shawn Spears Officially Signs With AEW

Shawn Spears aka Tye Dillinger is now an official member of the AEW roster, and the former WWE star was featured in a new hype video on the Road to Fyter Fest.

The latest episode of the web series includes a vignette for Spears which begins with the wrestler saying he asks himself if he made the right choice, in reference to requesting his WWE release.

“I control my life, so now is the time to push forward,” he adds before breaking free from chains. “Fear’s greatest habit is paralyzing potential, so I say to hell with fear.”

Spears’ ends the video answering his initial question: “Did I make the right call? Ya damn right I did.”

As you’ll recall, Shawn was a participant in the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing.

AEW tweeted the announcement:

https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1138861285460725760

Watch the Road to Fyter Fest video that includes the announcement of his signing below.

Spears continues to take indie bookings via SpearsBookings@gmail.com. He will face Impact Wrestling star Moose on Friday, June 14 for the Atomic Revolutionary Wrestling promotion in Cocoa, Florida. He’s also booked to face Markus Burke in Toronto on Saturday, July 6 for the Smash Wrestling promotion. Smash has Spears booked the next night in London, Ontario, in a tag team match with Cody Deaner against Tyson Dux and Derek Wylde. You can keep up with Spears’ other indie bookings via his Twitter, @Perfec10n.

As we’ve noted, Spears and WWE Superstar Tyler Breeze are opening a new wrestling school together in Apopka, Florida next month. Flatbacks Training is now accepting applications at flatbacktraining@gmail.com, and their first eight-week training class will begin on Monday, July 1.

Sources: Pro Wrestling Sheet and Wrestling Inc.

Former WWE Star Tye Dillinger Announced For AEW Casino Battle Royale

AEW announced Shawn Spears, formerly known as WWE’s Tye Dillinger, will be involved in the Casino Battle Royale on Double or Nothing’s The Buy In pre-show.

Back in February, Spears was released from WWE after he asked for his release from the company, despite being offered a substantial raise. Spears was on his second run with the company where he spent 2013-2017 in NXT, followed up by a lackluster main roster run on SmackDown.

In the video below, Spears was dealt his card (a ten) for the upcoming match and responded, “When the odds are stacked, always bet on you.”

Double or Nothing will air on B/R Live and traditional PPV for $49.99 at 8 pm ET this Saturday. The Buy In pre-show will stream for free on All Elite Wrestling’s YouTube channel.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage News On What Led To Recent Releases In WWE

As reported earlier this week, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson, former WWE Cruiserweight Champion TJP, Tye Dillinger, and Hideo Itami were all released from WWE.

On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer went into detail about what has transpired backstage over the past couple of weeks as these releases have been taking place.

In the case of Anderson, he was reportedly fired from the company after continued conflicts with Vince McMahon. Details are scarce but something transpired at a WWE house show that evidently wasn’t handled to Vince’s liking. Anderson took full blame for the incident and was ultimately terminated from his role as a backstage producer.

Arn and Vince were said to not be on the best of terms prior to Anderson’s release. There were numerous situations over recent years where the two apparently weren’t seeing eye to eye on the different happenings within the company. Nevertheless, Arn is liked by key individuals backstage, including Triple H and John Cena. Some believe had Cena been around in a more prominent WWE role like before, perhaps it wouldn’t have escalated to the point where Anderson was released. Cena’s fondness for Anderson is shared with many other superstars that have competed in WWE over the years.

Meltzer added that he sometimes caught wind of performers speaking out about what they believed was a poorly made creative decision, and Anderson would actually support the talent’s objection, possibly causing conflict.

He also mentioned that some people feel like Anderson may flourish as a producer over in AEW. From the side of AEW, there have only been positive things said about Anderson’s work, and Arn is reportedly not too broken up about being let go from WWE.

Overall, WWE is making it a point not to fire anyone, so it apparently surprised a lot of people backstage when Anderson and TJP were let go from the company. TJP’s release in particular is said to be for disciplinary reasons, and WWE felt like parting ways with TJP is something that was needed to be done. A lack of creative ideas for TJP wasn’t a deciding factor in his departure because even the WWE superstars that haven’t been given much creative material as of late are being held to their contractual obligations.

The obvious exceptions come in the form of Tye Dillinger and Hideo Itami, who were also confirmed as being released from WWE earlier this week. We noted back in late January that Itami had asked for his release from WWE as a result of his frustration with how he was being used in the company.

Along with the releases, Bruce Prichard, Steve Corino, “Hurricane” Shane Helms, Sonjay Dutt, Shawn Daivari, Impact Wrestling Hall of Famer “Abyss” Chris Parks and WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett have all started as backstage producers for the company.

Source: Wrestling Inc

WWE Announces Release Of Tye Dillinger

Image result for WWE Announces Release Of Tye Dillinger

WWE has announced that Tye Dillinger is no longer with the company.

Below is the full announcement issued this afternoon:

Tye Dillinger releasedWWE has come to terms on the release of Ron Arneill (Tye Dillinger).

As we noted on Tuesday, Dillinger took to Twitter after the SmackDown tapings in New Orleans and revealed that he had requested his release from the company. You can see his statement to fans from Tuesday below:

“Before rumors begin to spread, let me set things straight ahead of time: This evening, I requested my release from WWE. In the past 5 and a half years with them, I have seen and done some wonderful things. Things that I am very proud of and will never forget. I have met and worked with unquestionably, some of the greatest talent on this earth and the pleasure has been all mine. I feel at this time this decision, as extremely difficult as it was, is what is best for myself and WWE. I wish to continue to grow as a performer and offer those paying hard earned money to watch a show I’m performing on, a little more of myself. To the male and female locker rooms, coaches and producers, to the production/ring crew, all the way up to the very top of WWE and most of all the fans…I wish you all the very best and thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything.”

Source: Wrestling Inc

Tye Dillinger Requests Release From WWE

Image result for tye dillinger

Tye Dillinger has requested his release from WWE. Dillinger revealed on Twitter and Instagram that he asked for his release.

Dillinger wrote:

Before rumors begin to spread, let me set things straight ahead of time:

This evening, I requested my release from WWE. In the past 5 and a half years with them, I have seen and done some wonderful things. Things that I am very proud of and will never forget. I have met and have worked with unquestionably, some of the greatest talent on this earth and the pleasure has been all mine.

I feel at this time this decision, as extremely difficult as it was, is what is best for myself and WWE. I wish to continue to grow as a performer and offer those paying hard earned money to watch a show I’m performing on, a little more of myself. To the male and female locker rooms, coaches and producers, to the production/ring crew, all the way up to the very top of WWE and most of all the fans…l wish you all the very best and thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything.

https://twitter.com/perfec10n/status/1098084854992957440

Dillinger did not specify if his release was granted, although it would appear to be the case with his post.

Dillinger had originally signed with WWE in 2006 and was trained at Ohio Valley Wrestling. He was released from his contract in January 2009. He re-signed with the company in 2013 and worked in NXT through 2017, before moving to the main roster on the SmackDown brand in April of that year. During that time, he was never really featured.

Dillinger was last seen on television in a match with then-United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura on an episode of SmackDown Live last September. He suffered a hand injury that required surgery the following month at a WWE live event in Macon, Georgia. He returned to action at live events earlier this month, however had not been used on television.

Tye Dillinger Injured

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Tye Dillinger vs. WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura was nixed from last night’s SmackDown Live.

Mike Rome announced that Dillinger suffered a hand injury at Monday’s live event in Macon, Georgia, and will need to undergo surgery. Tye lost to Shelton Benjamin at the show in Macon.

Last night’s  SmackDown featured Nakamura vs. R-Truth in a non-title match.

Tye Dillinger Debuts On Smackdown Live (Video)

Image result for Tye Dillinger Debuts On Smackdown Live

“The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger made his surprise debut on the Post-WrestleMania33 SmackDown Live, getting a huge pop from the crowd.

Dillinger answered an open challenge from Curt Hawkins and got the victory.

Tye Dillinger Injured At NXT Event

Source: WrestlingINC

Tye Dillinger suffered a knee injury at Saturday’s WWE NXT live event in Detroit after countering a suplex from Sami Zayn. F4Wonline.com reports that Dillinger will be evaluated by WWE doctors on Monday, so there should be a better idea of his status then. As of this writing, Dillinger has not tweeted about the injury.

Dillinger went down after countering a move from Zayn and the referee stopped the match. The dreaded “X” symbol was thrown up and help came from the back. Dillinger was then helped out of the ring and to the back.

Update:

Word going around is that Dillinger is suffering from a badly strained knee, according to PWInsider. There’s no word yet on how long he will be out of action.