WWE says goodbye to another Superstar. After just one year with the company, James Ellsworth has been granted his release. While Ellsworth may not have been viewed as a big star, he did make an impact during his one-year tenure with WWE.
WWE career
Before being signed to WWE, Ellsworth worked on the independent scene. For fourteen years, he worked for promotions such as Combat Zone Wrestling, First State Championship Wrestling, and Power Pro Wrestling. During his time wrestling on the indie circuit, he won various tag team and cruiserweight championships.
But it wasn’t until the summer of 2016 when he would gain the attention of wrestling fans. On an appearance during Monday Night RAW, Ellsworth was put in a match against Braun Strowman. Although it was a squash match and Ellsworth was considered a jobber, his appearance left a good impression on WWE fans.
A couple of months later, he would make his debut on Smackdown, where he was quickly thrown into the Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles feud. Ambrose took Ellsworth under his wing and became a huge advocate for the wrestler. Thanks to his partnership with Ambrose, Ellsworth was able to score a WWE contract during a ladder match with AJ Styles.
But Ambrose and Ellsworth’s partnership would soon end during the TLC PPV.
During the main event WWE championship match, James appeared in the ring and pushed Dean off the ladder, costing The Lunatic Fringe his shot at the title. A few weeks later, a heel James Ellsworth would have a chance at the WWE championship in a match against AJ Styles. Despite his confidence going into the match, Ellsworth ended up losing.
Following the end of AJ Styles feud, James would be paired with female star Carmella. The onscreen relationship between the two became one of the popular stories on Smackdown. The crowd couldn’t get enough of their comedic actions as Carmella acted like the dominant one in their relationship.
Ellsworth quickly adjusted to his role as a valet by accompanying The Staten Island Princess to the ring.
He proved to be a big asset to Carmella by helping her to cheat in her matches. He also played a big role in the Smackdown women’s Money in the Bank match when he climbed the ladder to grab the briefcase.
Ellsworth's future
Within the last week, Ellsoworth’s storyline with Carmella came to an end when she joined forces with the rest of the Smackdown women to beat him up. After the split with Carmella, speculation surfaced that the star’s time with the company was coming to an end. Earlier today, the rumors were confirmed when WWE announced the wrestler had been released.
Although his release comes as no surprise, it was still a shock to fans who’ve come to love the young wrestler. His underdog stature and comedic chops were a hit with the Smackdown viewers. Even though his time with WWE was short-lived, he left a huge impression with fans. His popularity from WWE will no doubt carry on throughout the rest of his career.