Drake Wuertz Had Been Suspended Earlier This Year, Kept Out Of Building (Patreon)

Referee Drake Wuertz has been a lightning rod for controversy among some in wrestling, and Fightful has learned that he had his duties reduced in recent months. Formerly the head referee in NXT, that role now belongs to Darryl Sharma. Wuertz was also considered for the job of timing matches within NXT, but the spot was offered to Scott Armstrong, who had briefly been furloughed from the company. We're told that Road Dogg was instrumental in getting Scott Armstrong back in the fold. Wuertz was also not offered the back-up timing position, which can and has also led to timing matches for 205 Live. Instead, DA Brewer has taken over those duties.

However, it didn't stop there. Fightful was informed that Wuertz was either formally or informally suspended earlier in 2021, and wasn't allowed at the Capitol Wrestling Center for better or for worse for a short period of time. Last year, when an article from David Bixenspan emerged, we're told several higher ups were "horrified" by what they read. This was only compounded by his video from backstage in NXT on Wednesday afternoon, where he zoomed into a County Commissioner's meeting about mask mandates to claim that mandates make child sex trafficking easier. We're told that upon his return to the CWC he appeared to have subdued many mannerisms that got him "substantial heat" with many at the Performance Center.

Many that we've spoken to in NXT are surprised he's still there, and fear that his radical beliefs may have actually helped him from being fired.