Recently released WWE star Drake Maverick competes live on NXT as he bids for cruiserweight title – The Sun

ENGLISH wrestling star Drake Maverick suffered defeat in his first match since he was released from WWE.

The 37-year-old, real name James Michael Curtin, – was one of a host of superstars Vince McMahon let go as part of his cost-cutting measures amid the coronavirus crisis.

Among the high-profile names to be released included Kurt Angle, Zack Ryder, Rusev, and former tag team champions Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.

But it was six-time WWE 24/7 holder’s imminent departure that particularly struck a chord with fans, after he released an emotional video on social media.

Taking to Twitter under the post ‘My Immediate Thoughts’, the ex-TNA star struggled to hold back tears as he revealed how coronavirus is affecting people’s ability to earn a living.

Despite facing the axe, he revealed he had still been entered into the NXT Cruiserweight title tournament and participated and vowed to “give everything” to emerge triumphant.

However, things did not go to plan last night after he failed to overcome Jack Atlas in his opening match of the competition for the vacant belt.

It was a back and forth contest that ended when Atlas hit a cartwheel DDT from the top rope before securing the pin.

And that left the Birmingham-born star questioning himself again post-match as he held back the tears backstage while saying: “Maybe everybody was right about me.”

Fortunately for him he is still not eliminated from the tournament due to advancement being based on total wins because of the round-robin rules – keeping his hopes of winning the title and keeping his job.

Following news of his release last week, with tears streaming down his face, he told his fans: “So I just got off the phone with WWE Talent Relations’ Mark Carano who has told me that, as of today, I have been released from my WWE contract, due to the current climate of what’s going on in the world.

“I’m like everybody else where I probably didn’t take this as seriously as it is at the beginning, but it’s affecting people’s lives, it’s affecting people’s jobs, it’s affecting the way people make a living.

“I’m very fortunate that WWE is still allowing me to compete in the NXT Interim Cruiserweight Title Tournament, but it’s very likely that those will be the last matches I ever have.

“There’s a lot of people I’m not gonna get the chance to say goodbye to that I really loved, that I really cared about, that make me a better person.

“Again, I’m very fortunate that I still get that. Other people won’t get that. But if these are the last three matches I have, I just want everybody at home to know that you’ll have my all. You’ll have everything.

“It’s not about the title anymore. It’s about my life. It’s about feeding my family, paying my bills.

“So if I don’t make an impression, if I don’t win, that’s it for me. So I just want everybody to know that you’re all gonna get everything I have.”

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