Tough Enough Contestant Gabi Responds To Claim That WWE Won't Sign Her Due To 'Troubling' Past
WWE announced Wednesday that Tough Enough competitors Mada Abdelhamid, Daria Berenato, Patrick Clark, Zamariah "ZZ" Loupe and Amanda Saccomanno have been signed to developmental contracts and are part of a new class of 19 recruits that have begun training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Perhaps the most notable name not on that list is Giorgia "GiGi" Piscina, who finished in sixth place. Tanner Saraceno, who was the last contestant to be eliminated before the finale, revealed in September that he plans to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.
In August, Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com claimed on Wrestling Observer Live that WWE planned to offer multiple Tough Enough competitors deals, with the definite exception of one individual. Without mentioning a name, he said one of the female contestants was "red flagged" from receiving a contract offer. On Wednesday, Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer accidentally said it was Piscina.
"Gigi would have been signed but something very troubling about her past came up," he wrote on the F4WOnline.com message board in a thread about WWE's new recruits. "It was really big but I don't know what it was. But it was like hands off pretend she was never here."
Piscina quickly denied the allegations on Twitter, stating, "I can assure u there is nothing "BIG" in my past that would have caused #WWE not 2 sign me. Unless being a quiet straight A student is "big."
I can assure u there is nothing "BIG" in my past that would have caused #WWE not 2 sign me. Unless being a quiet straight A student is "big"
? Giorgia Piscina (@GiorgiaPiscina) October 28, 2015
A short while later, Meltzer corrected his initial statement by saying it was actually Gabi (Castrovinci). He remarked, "Gabi, not Gigi, sorry."
It would appear that Meltzer got them confused since like Piscina, Castrovinci has a background in fitness modeling. The Brazilian-born brunette finished in tenth place on Tough Enough. Since being eliminated, she has been pursuing a career in professional wrestling. She is currently training at WWE Hall of Famer Afa's wrestling school in Minneola, Florida.
Castrovinci addressed Meltzer's allegations in a statement posted on Twitter on Thursday.
"Dave Meltzer has been causing defamation of character & discrimination toward me. All I can say is that the reason WWE hasn't hired me yet isn't because of my "past life," she states. "The WWE will fairly decide who to give a contract. But if you want to continue to defame or tear me down... I am sad for you..."
Read this bozo @davemeltzerWON pic.twitter.com/M008UhCUu5
? Gabi Castrovinci (@ImTheRealGabi) October 29, 2015