With Dijak now gone from World Wrestling Entertainment as of today, he’s speaking out on his time in WWE and the situations that led to his release. While it seemed like his career was on the up-swing after being traded to Monday Night RAW in the 2024 WWE Draft, it turns out he knew the writing was on the wall and that it wasn’t actually a blessing, but a death knell for his time in the company.
In an interview with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, Dijak spoke about how he knew he was “screwed” during the draft. He said,
“I’m sitting there during the draft. The draft is a shoot. Nobody knows what’s happening. I’m watching the names. There is an angel and demon on my shoulder. Part of me is sitting there grumpy because I thought it would be funny and I’m in character. Why would I stand an applaud? Internally, I’m thinking, ‘You’ve been told there are plans for you to be in the main event picture for the NXT Championship. Also, your contract is up in a month or so.’ There is an argument in my head, ‘Do you want to stay in NXT with Trick and have this cool feud. Will they renew you in NXT? That will be weird and an awkward conversation. You’re on a main roster contract still.’ It’s a weird middle ground.
“I watch the names get listed off. As they keep going, I’m like, ‘Uh oh.’ I’m thinking, the further this goes, the more likely I am to be in the supplemental draft. If I’m in the supplemental draft, I’m f**ked. It just means ‘we don’t care.’ I’m watching the names. They get to the last name, ‘Maybe if it’s on TV, it’s salvaged.’ I think the last name is Blair Davenport. Everyone is clapping. ‘Please still be in NXT.’ Whoever was doing the announcing, they were like, ‘We have one more announcement.’
“The second I heard those words, everything clicked together, ‘I’m so screwed.’ I texted my wife or friends or all of them, ‘I think I’m completely screwed.’ I’m connecting the dots. My contract ends in one month, they’re going to call me up in the supplemental draft, that means they don’t have anything for me, that means I’m going to come down to the wire, that means they’re going to bend me over the barrel or fire me.’ I’m connecting all these dots. Meanwhile, there are cameras on me, and I have play pretend that I’m happy. In a sense, I am because they’re cheering for me and supporting me. I’m like, ‘None of these people know what I know.’ Maybe they did, but certainly not the talent.
“I didn’t just go to NXT. I went back to the Performance Center. I live in New Hampshire. I’m flying down to the PC weeks at a time to train with people, do classes with the younger kids and give back. I’m all in on this Performance Center lifestyle. They’re all shoot happy for me. In my head, I’m like, ‘I’m f**ked.’ I try to stay positive. ‘You’re on Raw. Maybe there is a plan.’ I go to the first Raw. There is nothing on the sheet. You start playing the WWE game. ‘Maybe it’s this.’ The more you try to justify it, the more you go deeper in your brain. ‘Yup, you’re f**ked.’”
Remember to answer the EWN Question of the Day and tell us where you’d like to see Dijak go next, and tell us your thoughts on his trade to Raw and how this all worked out by leaving a comment below!
