Backstage News On Impact Wrestling Being Upset With Former Star Signing With WWE
As noted, former Impact Wrestling X Division Champion & British Boot Camp winner Rockstar Spud (James Michael Curtin) is scheduled to debut with WWE at next week's RAW in Providence, RI and 205 Live in Newark, NJ. In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed that officials at Impact weren't happy with Spud's signing.
Spud is expected to immediately start in WWE's cruiserweight division. After he signed a contract with the WWE in October, the company was waiting on his working visa to come through so he can get started. Meltzer wrote that some people at Impact were upset because they had spent a significant amount of money to assist Spud with getting his visa taken care of before he quit to accept the WWE offer.
Spud had previously worked for Impact since 2012, when he beat Marty Scurll to win the British Boot Camp reality show to earn a contract. Impact spent nearly $20,000 in legal fees straighten out any issues with the immigration offices in the U.K. so Spud can return to the U.S. Two weeks after he returned to the country, he asked for his release from Impact and was granted it in September.
Spud is expected to be getting a prominent spot on 205 Live alongside the imminently debuting Hideo Itami and current cruiserweight champion Enzo Amore. With the impending non-televised live events for the cruiserweights, Spud will be a welcome addition to division.
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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