Eddy Thorpe parted ways with WWE back in May and now he has revealed why he asked for his WWE release in the first place.
While speaking to Wrasslerap, Eddy Thorpe was asked why he requested his WWE release. Thorpe explained that everything started to fall apart for him mentally around WrestleMania 41 weekend.
A week or two before the event, he already had a feeling things werent going to go his way. Even ten, he went to speak with Shawn Michaels face-to-face, only to find out he had nothing lined up; no meet and greets, no matches, nothing at all.
Thorpe shared how WWE had a habit of giving wrestlers momentum only to pull them off TV for a few weeks, which killed any hype they built. Though he didnt agree with the approach, he accepted it as part of the business.
Eddy Thorpe then asked if he could DJ small afterparties during WrestleMania weekend, thinking it wouldnt be a big deal, especially since he planned to do it for free under a different name. He even mentioned that promotions like GCW and West Coast Pro had afterparties he was invited to be part of.
Thorpe noted how WWE hosts afterparties all the time, so he figured it wouldnt be an issue. At first, Shawn Michaels told him he didnt mind but would ask management. A week later, Eddy received a message that WWE wasnt okay with it, which really upset him, especially because of how he was treated when he DJed on TV. He described that experience as one of the worst and most uncalled-for things hed ever gone through.
Thorpe also pointed out that other wrestlers were doing side projects, getting paid, and keeping the money, and he had no issue with that. But watching WrestleMania and seeing YouTubers in big matches against stars like AJ Styles while NXT talent like himself was overlooked was hard to take. Even wrestlers from other companies were messaging people in NXT, admitting how tough it must be to watch from the sidelines.
Thorpe thought about the last character he played in WWE. His final TV appearance was with Lexis King, whom he called a greedy white man. Meanwhile, Eddy had to take on the role of a medicine man, a Crazy Horse-type, an educator, basically carrying the entire weight of Native identity.
And while real injustices were happening to his people, he was being asked to play a watered-down, performance-friendly version of his culture that was more about making others comfortable than telling the truth.
Thorpe felt like his culture was being turned into a gimmick. He was told to smudge on camera and do a sweat lodge as part of a wrestling storyline. He questioned how any of that actually made sense. There was only one other Native wrestler on the roster with him, and that person was about to get released. Their big cultural moment ended up being some vague video footage of shadows and smoke in the NXT parking lot, filmed by people who didnt understand what any of it meant.
Eddy Thorpe felt like he was being asked to cheapen something sacred for the sake of entertainment. He recalled being told, Shawn thinks its really cool, and how empty that felt. He wanted to ask how Michaels would feel if his own religion was treated the same way.
Thorpe compared it to Shawns grand WrestleMania entrance where he descended in white, looking like a god, something the audience accepted as powerful and meaningful. But when it came to Native culture, the treatment felt hollow, like a sideshow.
At that point, the former WWE star felt the weight of it all. Young fans looked up to him, but he no longer believed in the system he was part of. He said he spoke to someone on staff and told them honestly; he could feel it coming, and he didnt think he could stay in WWE anymore.
Right now, Eddy Thorpe is working on building a life that fits what he believes in and loves doing and so well have to see whats next in store for him in the business.
What are your thoughts on Eddy Thorpes experience in WWE? Sound off in the comments.
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