Scrapped Plans For ECW Legend On WWE NXT Revealed

WWE

The original plans for an ECW legend on last week’s November 6 edition of WWE NXT have been revealed.

The special ECW themed episode of NXT last Wednesday saw several legends from the extreme promotion appear in a variety of roles.

Bubba Ray Dudley and Nunzio competed inside a WWE ring for the first time in many years, with Rhyno, Rob Van Dam, Tony Mamaluke and D’Von Dudley also appearing in a variety of roles.

Dawn Marie was also directly involved in the action on the show – being assigned the role of special guest referee in the Hardcore match between Jaida Parker and Lola Vice.

While she would be shown in the crowd at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Francine has claimed that she was originally set for the special referee role that eventually went to Dawn Marie.

Speaking on her Eyes Up Here podcast, Francine explained that WWE’s Senior Manager of Talent Relations John Cone contacted her on October 17 in regards to appearing on the show as a special referee for the match between Parker and Vice.

Detailing the conversation between herself and Cone, Francine said:

“‘Hi Francine, this is John Cone from WWE Talent Relations. We crossed paths back in 2006 when I was a referee for the relaunch of ECW. I have something I want to run by you if you have a minute.'”

After Francine asked what the call was in relation to Cone replied:

“‘NXT will be running a show at the ECW Arena. We’d like to know if you would be available to be the special guest referee for one of the matches? It would be with the NXT talent Jaida Parker and Lola Vice.'”

After speaking with Cone Francine explained how she spoke with her husband, who reminded her that she may have difficulty performing in the role due to surgeries in her abdominal area:

“I then talk to my husband and he said, ‘Did you not forget about the five surgeries you’ve had on your abdominal?’ ‘Well, yeah.’ ‘Do you really think you can be quick enough with the way these girls work.’ These girls are good and they can work. ‘Do you think you can get down and get the false finishes and run around?’

“I was like, for me, because my core is so weak, just lifting myself up getting into the ring is slow. I was like, ‘I guess I’m not going to be able to do it.’ I contacted John the next day and I explained what happened to my stomach.”

Francine then revealed that she had pitched an idea of being a guest timekeeper instead:

“I pitched an idea about me being a guest timekeeper. I thought of a spot I could do with one of the guys on the card. He said, ‘Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll send it to creative,'”

“Then I get a text the following Tuesday, this is the night before, I hadn’t heard anything for two weeks and I’m thinking, ‘I’m booked, I think, but I have no idea what I’m doing.'”

Following this, WWE would eventually send Francine a script to take part as a backstage interviewer on the show, however, an appearance at Rhode Island Comic Con would lead to her losing her voice:

“On Tuesday, they send me a script to be a backstage interviewer. I go, ‘Ah, I can’t do this.’ My voice is shot. It was bad. He’s like, ‘Did Johnny Russo get with you about tomorrow?’

“I said, ‘I haven’t heard from him, I wasn’t contacted since last week, I don’t know anything about tomorrow.’ This is at nine the night before, Johnny Russo texts me at 10 with the script for the backstage stuff.

“I type back, ‘Johnny, I’m so embarrassed to say this. I have no voice. I don’t have a voice.’ It just wasn’t going to work. I literally say, ‘If you want to pull me off the show, I totally understand. No heat. This is on me.’ I can’t work the way they want me to, I can’t talk, what am I going to do?

“A couple of the boys were like, ‘You can sit front row. That’s what they do with a lot of the legends.’ I said, ‘Do you still want me to come even though I can’t talk?’ He’s like, ‘We’ll figure something out tomorrow. Let’s see how you are in the morning and go from there.

“We could have you sitting in the crowd or being a timekeeper. We’ll make it work, don’t worry.’ I did offer to stay home, but at that point they put out the opening and they put me in the opening of the show. I guess it was too late to pull me, or they thought I should be there, which I was appreciative of that.”

“Looking back at socials and seeing some of the old school fans mad and saying, ‘They could have done something more with you than just stuck you in the crowd.’

“Yes, they could have, but it was me who couldn’t do it. I just wanted to make that perfectly clear. Would I have liked to have done more?

“Of course. I would have loved to have an entrance and walked to the ring and did something. It just wasn’t in the cards for me. Just being included was enough for me. I didn’t need anything more than that.”

After their move to Wednesday night for last week’s NXT, the show returns to its usual time slot for tonight’s November 12 episode.

For all the latest WWE NXT news follow this link here.

Transcript via Fightful.

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• Francine
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