Released/ Signed

RebelRockChick

Dan Rodman released

Written: August 22, 2007
WWE has come to terms on the release of developmental talent Dan Rodman. We wish Dan all the best in his future endeavors.

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Some other notes about his release from:

-- Apparently, it looks like it was Daniel "Dan Rodman" Rodimer's decision to leave WWE because it was a mutual decision between the two parties to part ways. His wrestling career appears to be through because he is going to go back in the real estate business. After Tough Enough 4 concluded, WWE offered Rodimer a developmental contract, but he rejected it because his real estate job paid more. Come 2006, he didn't want to be left wondering as to what could have been had he entered WWE, so he contacted management asking if the deal was still on the table. He signed the contract and started his wrestling training shortly thereafter.

-- It was reported earlier today that indy wrestler Matt Sydal had signed a developmental deal with WWE. That is actually incorrect as he hasn't signed a contract yet. He's currently on tour in Japan. According to several sources, WWE has sent Sydal a developmental contract and he just has to sign it to be on board with WWE.

Sydal is 24 years old and has been wrestling since 2000. He's billed as being 5-9, but he's actually about 5-6 or 5-7 legit and in the neighborhood of 175 pounds. A few months ago, before the Benoit/Steroids/Congress stuff hit, a memo was sent out to Johnny Ace to only sign people who were at least 6-0 and 240-250 pounds, so this likely acquisition drastically goes against what WWE is typically looking for in a wrestler because they hardly ever sign anybody under 6 feet tall, let alone someone who is 5-7. Back in May, WWE sent some scouts and set up a booth at a fitness expo in Las Vegas in hopes of signing some bodybuilders who didn't even need to have any wrestling experience to land a contract. What with the apparent signing of Sydal, and the possible returns of former WWE stars D-Lo Brown and Rosey -- who aren't bodybuilder types obviously -- it looks like WWE is finally changing their tune on the size requirements of the wrestlers they sign. In other words, they're not just looking at muscle-bound types anymore and are giving less-sculpted wrestlers at least an opportunity.

Fozzy

I was going to post a thread about Matt Sydal, he's great. He used to be a bit of a bland face, but he's shown he can be more charismatic recently as a heel. If they ever decide to push the cruisers a bit then he'd be well able to have great matches with the guys there, otherwise I can't see him getting much further than the level of a Shannon Moore

Daniel Rodman/Rodimer isn't that much of a loss. I saw him on Heat a while back and he was awful. Big! But awful

RebelRockChick

Fozzy wrote:

I was going to post a thread about Matt Sydal, he's great. He used to be a bit of a bland face, but he's shown he can be more charismatic recently as a heel. If they ever decide to push the cruisers a bit then he'd be well able to have great matches with the guys there, otherwise I can't see him getting much further than the level of a Shannon Moore

Daniel Rodman/Rodimer isn't that much of a loss. I saw him on Heat a while back and he was awful. Big! But awful

Actually meant to post the bit about Sydal in another thread

As for Rodman, never remeber seeing him wrestling but if he is as awful as you say, maybe he is better off sticking to his day job!

rossie1977

saw a few rodman matches, very limited and green but a big big guy, must be 6'6 or 6'7, kinda had the look of Mark Jindrak or someone like that.

Not surprised Vince let him go though, Steph wanted to give him a major push on Raw a while back along with that big 6'6 Russian guy; Vince shot those plans down and offloaded both to Ohio

Double C

I'm kida surprised about Rodimer leaving because Stephanie was mad to push him, as Rossie mentioned. I thought what Stephanie wants, Stephanie gets

I don't see Sydal getting too far in WWE. I like the guy and all but in all honesty, unless WWE start signing more small guys, he'll be back in ROH in a year or two.

ShawnRaven

I can live with em bringing back D'Lo, he's a pretty decent mid-carder. But Rosey? Just cos they can repackage Jamal and get him over doesn't mean they can do it with every fat Samoan that comes through the curtain. In fact, they already tried with Rosey, and he still sucked.

VR!

Fozzy

But he's lost weight and could pull off a face version of Simon Dean's character perfectly now

ShawnRaven

Fozzy wrote:

But he's lost weight and could pull off a face version of Simon Dean's character perfectly now

Oh christ, a Samoan fitness guru? Thats like a bad cross between the Wu Tang Clan and Richard f'n Simmons by the sounds of things!!

(and yes, i know the WTC ain't Samoan!)
VR!

Brow

I'm a fan of Sydal's. I hope he doesnt get lost if they put him on Smackdown what with Hornswaggle/Noble occupying the cruisers division focus at the minute. I'd like to see him on ECW, maybe build him up as a face as ECW needs another face.

MikeHoncho

I hope they bring Dlo back in properly. Debut him like the old days by having him interfere in a mid card match or something like Raven or Rhinos debuts back in the day. Why not have him cost Matt Hardy the US title and align him with MVP. Maybe they could bring back the nation with MVP, Dlo and Elijah Burke.

Bubs101

A new nation wouldn't be the same without the old D-X. And if there was a new nation Henry would get another big push. Do hope he gets a big push though. Used to be a big fan

MikeHoncho

Never thought of that. Thats a very good reason not to bring back the nation. Get Mark Henry off my TV now.

ShawnRaven

MikeHoncho wrote:

Never thought of that. Thats a very good reason not to bring back the nation. Get Mark Henry off my TV now.

Heres what i don't get, they say Get Mizark off the TV yet they can tolerate the possible return of Rosey or Viscera repackaged for the 50millionth time.

Mizark, while not being that great isn't exactly the worst either. He can be a good monster heel when needs to be, and last year was proof.

VR!

Fozzy

I really like Mark Henry these days actually. I don't think I really got his character before, but now I think I do. I'd complain because he was just being so slow, but it's because he knows he can kick your ass and he knows he can take his time doing it

Sydal will be in developmental for a long time before he makes it to tv (if he ever does). WWE have to make sure that he forgets all his big moves!

Bubs101

Henry may be improving but when he was in The Nation he was the worst. Also, he'd probably be the leader

ShawnRaven

Bubs101 wrote:

Henry may be improving but when he was in The Nation he was the worst. Also, he'd probably be the leader

He wouldn't be any worse than when Ron Simmons was, for all intents and purposes, he was as bland as hell in that role. Then they have MVP be the next Rock and snag the role from under him?

VR!

Bubs101

MVP won't be the next rock. I'd say if there were a new Nation, Elijah Burke or Cor Von would come of pretty well

ShawnRaven

Bubs101 wrote:

MVP won't be the next rock. I'd say if there were a new Nation, Elijah Burke or Cor Von would come of pretty well

Hah, you honestly think CorVon or Burke can cut a better promo than MVP at the minute? Horses for courses and all that but i can't see how personally.

VR!

Fozzy

Burke maybe. I haven't seen him cut a promo in ages though. I don't think Cor Von is ever going to improve

ShawnRaven

Fozzy wrote:

Burke maybe. I haven't seen him cut a promo in ages though. I don't think Cor Von is ever going to improve

Burke has shown a huge improvement over the past year, but MVP is improving in leaps and bounds. It will take a big setback for Burke to outdo MVP. Like an injury or something.

VR!

ec18

no one's really goin to be the next rock....sine now everything they say is scripted

ShawnRaven

ec18 wrote:

no one's really goin to be the next rock....sine now everything they say is scripted

Never say never, Rock as good as he is on the mic, is not the be all and end all of promo cutters. Especially in an industry thats constantly under change

VR!

HBK

validreasoning! wrote:

Never say never, Rock as good as he is on the mic, is not the be all and end all of promo cutters. Especially in an industry thats constantly under change

VR!

I wish it would change soon....but .......who is the be all n end all of promo cutters?...enlighten us..

ShawnRaven

HBK wrote:

I wish it would change soon....but .......who is the be all n end all of promo cutters?...enlighten us..

That would be Ric Flair or Dusty Rhodes, find their stuff from the mid 80s before they became WWEified and you'll see what I mean.

VR!

ec18

validreasoning! wrote:

That would be Ric Flair or Dusty Rhodes, find their stuff from the mid 80s before they became WWEified and you'll see what I mean.

VR!

Personal opinion......I wasn't around in the mid 80's to see them....and i grew up watching the Rock so for me he is the be alland end all of promo cutters.....With the bad ass undertaker at no.2

ShawnRaven

ec18 wrote:

Personal opinion......I wasn't around in the mid 80's to see them....and i grew up watching the Rock so for me he is the be alland end all of promo cutters.....With the bad ass undertaker at no.2

I didn't see it either at the time they aired. But a lot has to be given into consideration. I caught them when i started collecting, and that was only about 3-4 years ago. So not being around doesn't really cut it as a reason.

1) Flair and Dusty didn't have gimmicks, they weren't "deadmen", and Dusty was a legitimate "peoples champ" and not a self proclaimed one.

2) Neither WWE or NWA/WCW were kings of polished programming back then

3) The average wrestling audience was very different to the attitude era audience, making the likes of Flairs and Dustys promos a lot more revolutionary than the likes of Rock and Undertaker, they took a fairly bland audience and made them believers, whereas Rock and Undertaker would have already have that part of the work done for them.

Still think it's personal opinion?
VR!

Vince135792003

I don't think there is a best ever on the mic. If you like Dusty, Flair or Rock, they're all fine choices.

Its a bit like saying whose the best GAA player of all time. If your from a certain era, many people will say Christy Ring, if your a kid of the '90s you'll say DJ Carey and maybe today its Henry Shefflan. Nobodies wrong.

ShawnRaven

Vince is on the ball here. It's all about the generation. They're all equally fine promo cutters. All my point was for wrestling, the likes of Flair and Dusty had a lot more work to do to win over the crowd in terms of getting the crowd to adjust their way of thinking to theirs, while Rock, Undertaker and Austin didn't have to do that as such because the business had changed.

Thats not to say that they couldn't, Austin already had done that in the early 90s with Pillman (and as a result got held back because of it). Undertaker didn't even need a promo to get over with the crowd, check out his debut in 1990 at Survivor Series, his entrance did it alone. You'll see shots of people in the front row with their jaws dropping. Legit "Holy ****, WHAT is this guy" reaction.

I defend the likes of Flair and Dusty's work because a lot of people haven't seen a lot of their promos and as a result, they don't get a fair hearing.

VR!

estebancambias

''Its a bit like saying whose the best GAA player of all time. If your from a certain era, many people will say Christy Ring, if your a kid of the '90s you'll say DJ Carey and maybe today its Henry Shefflan. Nobodies wrong.''

I'm sure a football hypathetical story would have been better.
Like people from England(britain) will say George Best was the greatest, but they probably never watched one game outside of England.

Monty Brown is amazing on the mic, he's underated, just like Big Paul was.

Vince135792003

estebancambias wrote:

''Its a bit like saying whose the best GAA player of all time. If your from a certain era, many people will say Christy Ring, if your a kid of the '90s you'll say DJ Carey and maybe today its Henry Shefflan. Nobodies wrong.''

I'm sure a football hypathetical story would have been better.

No GAA works too. At least I thought it did!

I see your point in that people say a certain guy is best on the mic because of what they have and have not been exposed too but that also ties into my point about era's too.

Obviously the people that have been exposed to Christy Ring in that period are far more likely to say he's the best hurler of all time than people who have never seen him play. We're pretty much saying the same thing I think.

estebancambias

Yeah man, only joking, a poor joke grant it, but a joke none the less. I got what you were saying completely.

Fozzy

estebancambias wrote:

Monty Brown is amazing on the mic, he's underated

I hope that was a joke too!