Ex-WWE Star Claims Vince McMahon Took Him Off WWE SmackDown Shows

WWE fans were disappointed by a previous slew of talent releases, especially as it included stars like Cameron Grimes. With that said, it appears he claimed that Vince McMahon took him off WWE SmackDown shows.

Cameron Grimes gained a loyal fan following in NXT with his energetic personality and standout feud with LA Knight. However, after moving to the main roster, he struggled to find the same success and focus and it ultimately led to his release. Earlier this year, Grimes announced that he became a free agent and has been thriving in numerous indie promotions since then.

In 2023, Cameron Grimes joined WWE’s SmackDown with a promising start, securing a quick victory over Baron Corbin. However, his momentum faded as the year went on, with his appearances becoming less frequent and often resulting in quick losses. This period coincided with Vince McMahon’s return to WWE to assist with the company’s sale to Endeavor, which Grimes feels was more than just a coincidence.

While speaking to Denise Salcedo, Cameron Grimes shared his experience on SmackDown, explaining how McMahon often changed scripts, which led to his appearances being cut. Lee felt that McMahon’s decisions seemed to work against NXT talent, which may have limited his time on screen.

Once McMahon stepped back, Triple H took charge again. However, by then, SmackDown was focused on major events like WrestleMania 39 and key storylines, especially the popular Bloodline angle. With a crowded show, bringing Lee back in became difficult, making his future with WWE unclear.

“At the very beginning when I got drafted there, there was still kind of a power struggle happening. Vince was gone, but he wasn’t gone. Hunter was in charge, but he wasn’t fully in charge. So, what I would know is that I’d be on the script and then it would go to Vince and he would change the script. I don’t think he really liked NXT guys. The changes that would always happen would be me being taken off the show.

That happened for a couple months until finally Vince was completely gone and now Hunter was in charge. Then it became, well how do we reintroduce this guy who hasn’t been on TV for a few months and hasn’t really done much. How do we reintroduce him back into a show that is so hot at the moment.

If you look at that time period, we were building to WrestleMania [39]. We’re building to all of this huge stuff, we’re getting into the massive Bloodline angle and we’re on a two hour show. When there’s an hour promo promoting the hottest angle in the company, you know what I mean? Then you got to get the females on the show, you got to get the other stars on the show. It’s hard to get that spot when you’re trying to figure out like, well, what do we do?”

Cameron Grimes even made it clear he is open to returning to WWE somewhere down the line, no matter what it takes. Nevertheless, Vince McMahon clearly had something against NXT stars so Cameron Grimes’ situation at the time isn’t really a big surprise.

Do you believe Cameron Grimes deserved better in WWE? Let us know in the comments section below!