Former WWE / TNA Wrestler Brian Kendrick Talks Wrestlers’ Union and Leaving TNA Due to Creative’s Deaf Ears to His Ideas

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Former WWE / TNA Wrestler Brian Kendrick talked about parting ways with TNA, saying he kept pitching ideas that were ignored. One idea was to bring in Paul London so they could reform their very successful tag team from WWE, and another concept Kendrick had was to bring in
Shelley Martinez to do a Kurt Cobain/Courtney Love-like duo.

When these ideas fell on deaf ears, Kendrick said he initiated asking to be released but noted it seemed they were happy to release him since they weren’t using him anyway. He blames himself for signing a per-appearance contract that made him more expendable in creative meetings since he didn’t get paid if he wasn’t used.

On the topic of a pro wrestler’s union, Kendrick also said that he and former TNA Creative executive Vince Russo talked about how wrestlers really should unionize. The way he explained it was Russo had a meeting with talent a long time ago and noted that there are people who have contracts (probably the per-appearance type) that he couldn’t believe they would sign, saying they must love wrestling to prostitute themselves out like that.

When Kendrick pressed Russo on this, Russo said he’s going to get in hot water, but yes, the wrestlers need a union and everyone knows it. Of course, the problem is to make it work the top guys would have to be involved, which is basically the reality why it’s been decades (1986 to be exact) since the last time there was anything resembling a major movement to unionize wrestling in the United States.

CB is an Editor for Pulse Wrestling and an original member of the Inside Pulse writing team covering the spectrum of pop culture including pro wrestling, sports, movies, music, radio and television.