Hit Row Members Discuss Several Plans Changing Before WWE Release
The remainder of Hit Row was released Thursday
Following the release of B-Fab on November 4, Hit Row members Isaiah Scott, Ashante Thee Adonis, and Top Dolla were released from WWE on Thursday, along with five other talents.
Top Dolla and Adonis both appeared on Busted Open to discuss their releases. According to Adonis, Hit Row was booked for Survivor Series and the surrounding events, before being removed from the shows.
Adonis said, "Thursday morning was a little weird because we were booked for SmackDown, Survivor Series and Raw and then we were unbooked. Then they booked us again and then we were unbooked. So I'm like, 'Okay, it's what goes on in WWE. There's a lot of things to figure out.' So I was like, 'Okay, maybe they'll have something for us on Friday or Saturday.'
"I remember I was watching Thursday Night Football, and I missed the call from John Laurinaitis. I called him back and he just told me, 'Hey, budget cuts and stuff like that,' and I was like, 'Okay, thank you.' It just is what it is."
Top Dolla added that Hit Row was also involved in several company projects, indicating that the group's release was likely only recently decided on.
"We just went to HQ and met everybody and talked to everybody. Talked about how we were going to get action figures and be DLC in the video game and all these different things," he said. "Everything just got pulled out underneath of us and to be honest, when we got taken off of this weekend, I knew then that we were about to get released even though I didn't contact anybody or tell anybody because that's the same thing that happened to Briana (B-Fab).
"When Briana got released, we were all booked to do a Black Friday commercial together, which we ended up shooting without her, which obviously they're not going to be able to use this Friday anymore. We were all booked to do the commercial together and then she got unbooked and we didn't understand why. Then found out that she was released, so once we were booked for Friday and weren't booked for Survivor Series and Raw yet, so then they unbooked us Thursday morning for SmackDown but then said we're still needed for Survivor Series and Raw. Then they were like, 'Actually, we don't need you for Survivor Series and Raw, either.' As soon as I saw that I knew what was going to happen."
(Credit to Fightful for transcription)
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.