Quickly after the announcement that they’d granted a release to both Tye Dillinger and Hideo Itami, WWE announced that another Superstar — TJP, aka TJ Perkins — has been let go. Much like the Itami and Dillinger announcements, WWE.com’s goodbye blurb was to-the-point.
WWE has come to terms on the release of Theodore Perkins (TJP).
Perkins responded to the announcement on social media by thanking WWE.
Thanks for giving me a chance and letting me play for the team I grew up watching 🙏💙❤️💛 https://t.co/r7001mqjx2
— Aswang TJP (@MegaTJP) February 22, 2019
TJP’s most notable accolade during his WWE run was winning the Cruiserweight Classic back in 2016, defeating tournament favorite Kota Ibushi in the semifinals before overcoming Gran Metalik in the finals to become WWE’s first Cruiserweight Champion of the modern era. The success of that tournament led to the creation of 205 Live, where Perkins had been competing since.
Before WWE, Perkins was probably best known for his time spent in the southern California independent scene, as well as a successful run in TNA where he competed as both the Suicide character and the rechristened “Manik.” There he was able to win another tournament — 2013’s TNA X Division Championship Tournament — and held that championship until he was defeated by Chris Sabin in an Ultimate X match at that year’s Bound For Glory event.
If nothing else, he’ll be remembered as the only person in WWE history to dab during a Muta Lock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INM0xF3KjCg
