WWE News: WWE Has Contacted Both Bobby Roode And Eric Young, When Could They Arrive In WWE?
TNA Wrestling has lost a lot of things over the past few years, from TV contracts to money. However, one thing that is most killer to them has to be the departure of a good chunk of their TNA Originals. AJ Styles, Chris Daniels, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, and Kaz are among the few that have left over the last few years, but now we know two more joined them in 12-year TNA veterans Bobby Roode and Eric Young.
The two finished up their run with TNA at the recent tapings last week, and they are expected to be on TNA programming at least for the next month. However, both are now free agents and can sign where they want. This led many to assume that the two would have an interest in a place like WWE. It was uncertain, however, as both are a bit older, and WWE had been against signing talent older than 30 for a while.
When Triple H took over, that seemed to change up. His focus was on signing the best possible talent available, which included some men and women past the 30 mark. Top names for WWE NXT, such as Finn Balor and Sami Zayn, came in past then, and now WWE has signed others, like Austin Aries and Samoa Joe, past that age. Aries might have been the man that told us Triple H was very focused on creating his own brand with NXT away from WWE even though they are under the same banner.
Aries is near 40 years of age, and he only has a short time left where people could see him work compared to, say, the 28-year-old Apollo Crews. WWE wants to tour with the NXT roster, and having guys who can make money for you is essential. The older talent can do just that, which is why Roode and Young make the most sense. Now we know there is a very good shot both end up in WWE before too long.
According to the Wrestling Observer, WWE contacted both men through an intermediary. This basically means that while WWE did not reach out to them personally, they had someone do it for them. Most likely, someone connected to them. WWE has done this in the past, but usually, it is only for people involved in a contract with another promotion at the time. That makes this interesting. There is no word on who served as the intermediary as of now.
It is said that WWE does have more interest in Eric Young than in Bobby Roode, although they like him too. The reason they like Young more is not only his age — he is about four years younger than Roode — but they also feel he can play characters well. With WWE needing guys to play different roles all the time, Young has shown he can do it all, and that makes him someone of value for creative purposes.
He’s played a hero and a villain. He’s played a cruel, hardcore type, and he’s played a superhero. He’s been beloved, and he’s been hated. He’s even led a faction. He has shown to be good in the ring and on the mic. Really, there is nothing he cannot accomplish. This is one of the many reasons why people feel TNA truly dropped the ball with Young, as he could have been treated far better than he was.
Bobby Roode has the look, though, and he always has. The man is everything WWE looks for and even had a lot of similarities to Triple H himself. His mic work has always been good, and his wrestling matches that. Roode has proven to be a great champion when given gold, and he’s proven to be a draw for TNA on occasion. All of this being said, when should we expect the two to arrive in WWE? If they’re interested and both sides can come to an agreement, they very well could be in WWE before the summer. Most would imagine that they could appear by the next NXT Takeover special. We’ll have to wait and see, but with both being contacted, we can almost guarantee that they’ll be with the company before too long.
[Image via TNA Wrestling]
