Ex-NXT Star Speaks Out On WWE Pay, Riggs/MMA/WWE

— Former WWE NXT Rookie Jacob Novak had an interview with Hawkeye News about his release and pay from WWE.

He said a hip injury lead to him being cut from the show. He said he didn’t know how long rehab would take, so WWE released him. He is now looking at international wrestling options but is hoping to be re-signed by WWE now that he’s healthy again.

He also talked about the pay structure of FCW, which is “basics and an opportunity.” Novak said: “Wrestlers get paid way less than people think. I started out making only 500 dollars a week for the FCW. It’s just kind of weird to have thousands and thousands of Twitter followers, and to get fan mail daily, yet receive tiny paychecks.”

— During a recent interview, former WWE Tough Enough contestant Jeremiah Riggs felt that he had a target on his back and that wrestlers and non-wrestlers were intimidated by him coming over from MMA. Here is what he had to say…

“I really believe I did more than what was expected. I believe I blew the USA people away. I believe I blew Bill (Demott) away. I believe I blew Stone Cold away. I believe I blew everybody expectations, like this guy is not gonna make it past the week.

I think I did have a bullseye on me right from the gate. A lot of people either liked it or disliked it. I think I overshadowed a lot of people there and it made them discomfortable in their own world… I think the attitude (from) people at FCW was: ‘Oh well, I’m wrestler, you think your coming over into my world?'”

Riggs (7-5) returns to MMA on Friday night at Bellator 61, fighting on the preliminary card against Trey Houston. Riggs is on a five fight win streak, but has not fought since January of 2011.

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