Due to a failing drug test, Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan (aka Cole Karter) was reportedly released from his WWE NXT contract.
As previously stated, Donovan was released on June 11 due to a “policy issue,” but no further specifics were provided. Donovan was told he might be invited back to the company in a year or so, and that this was not a budget or creative decision. On June 13, Donovan confirmed his departure in a statement, saying he will return after this “bump in the road,” and that “mistakes happen and lessons are learned.”
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Donovan was fired due to a failed drug test. There is yet to be any information on what substance he tested positive for.
Donovan and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo worked the June 10 live event in Tampa, but he was let go the next day before the Largo live event after losing to Legado del Fantasma. Donovan was reportedly informed of his departure by WWE Talent Relations president John Laurinaitis, who told him that if everything was in order, he should apply for a job to return in roughly a year.
Donovan had an appearance on this week’s NXT 2.0 show, which was taped before his release, in a segment in which Tony D’Angelo “promoted” him and Stacks from associates to soldiers in The Family, which is ironic. Donovan will also appear on next week’s taped NXT show. He and Stacks were ringside for Roderick Strong and Damon Kemp vs. Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde, and then everyone from The Family and Legado del Fantasma got involved in D’Angelo vs. NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes in the main event.
Donovan, who is dating NXT 2.0 newcomer Thea Hail, was signed in the WWE Performance Center Class in mid-March, which also included Stacks, Roxanne Perez, Sloane Jacobs, and Arianna Grace. On the indies, Donovan was known as Cole Karter, and he made a few appearances for AEW as an enhancement talent.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more.
