John Laurinaitis informed Bill Moody (Paul Bearer) yesterday that he would be getting released from the 3 year contract he secretly signed in October 2003. The contract says that he may be terminated for any reason with 90 days notice.
Somehow he managed to avoid the massive November 2004 layoffs, but what with Wrestlemania now over and two employees released on Friday (the other being Rhyno), it looks like WWE is doing some spring cleaning.
The Paul Bearer character is supposedly buried or dead and it wouldn’t have made much sense to keep him on payroll if he couldn’t even make WWE public appearances at the very least if he’s supposedly buried in a block cement.
It should be noted that WWE paid for the two surgeries that got him to lose at least 200 pounds and thus possibly save his life as he’s literally half the man that he once was. Without WWE’s financial support, he says he wouldn’t have been able to afford the surgeries himself. Bearer himself admitted that he was was on the “northern side of 400” when people would ask him about how much he weighs.
He had one surgery around Thanksgiving 2003 which explains as to why he didn’t look as gargantuan at Wrestlemania 20 as he did in his TNA appearances in late 2002/early 2003 and then he had another surgery in May 2004 which was the real reason behind the kidnapping angle and thus subsquently killing off his character.
Here is what Paul Bearer himself had to say in his own personal blog at his official website, percypringle.com. He was the one who broke the story about him getting released from WWE.
“Saturday, April 09, 2005
Back To Business…
With great respect and consideration to all of my friends and supporters through the years, I sincerely feel that you should hear the following announcement directly from me. At times information can get misconstrued on the wrestling Internet. I want to ensure that before the anticipated communication leaks occur, that you get the complete truth that you so rightfully deserve.
During a telephone conversation yesterday with John Laurinaitis, from World Wrestling Entertainment Talent Relations, I was informed that the company decided to terminate my booking contract dated October 3, 2003. The contract specifies that the agreement may be terminated for any reason whatsoever by providing me with ninety (90) days advance written notice. My 90-day written notice will be issued by WWE Legal Department on Monday, April 11th.
I would like to say that our conversation was a courtesy, very cordial, and definitely not unexpected. The WWE creative department has not been able to come up with a viable storyline for the Paul Bearer character since he was “buried” in cement at THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH on June 27, 2004.
The last two years have indeed been a blessing, as the company made a major life saving surgery possible for me. I will always treasure the many friendships and memories of my almost 14-year association with The McMahon Family. I will never shut the door on a future relationship with WWE, as you well know anything can happen.
The next 90-days will be very important for me, as I must make some serious career decisions. Once again, I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. For some odd reason I feel like it’s somebody’s birthday around here tomorrow. I know it can’t be mine! Then again, it very well could be. Hehee…
Take care, my friends.
~Percy “
And lastly, it’s Percy’s birthday on Sunday as he’ll be turning 51 years old.