As informed before on eWn, WWE made the decision to release several NXT talents from their lineup, notable among whom were Drew Gulak, and the Olympic gold medalist, Gable Steveson.
Gulak, despite being at the center of this news, remains contractually tied to WWE. However, it appears the organization has declined to extend his contract.
This strategic move by WWE comes after accusations against Gulak by former WWE Superstar, Ronda Rousey. Rousey implicated Gulak in an instance of tampering with her attire backstage.
And even though the investigation that ensued was inconclusive, Gulak’s public defense didn’t seem to sway in his favor. Moreover, various reports brought to light instances of Gulak allegedly engaging in backstage bullying. This behavior had reportedly drawn the attention and admonishment from the likes of Shawn Michaels and several NXT coaches.
Contrary to earlier reports, the incident involving Rousey wasn’t the primary motivation behind Gulak’s departure from WWE.
However, as per information sourced from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the Rousey incident, while not the standalone issue, was linked to the sequence of events. The inconclusive outcome of the investigation into the incident opened the floodgates to other reports about Gulak. As a consequence, WWE chose not to renew his contract.
In summary, the decision to let Gulak’s contract lapse was not entirely grounded in the Rousey incident but rather manifested as a result of various other problems that surfaced over time. WWE subsequently saw Gulak as dispensable and chose to let his contract naturally wind down.