It looks like veteran talent Tyson Kidd (TJ Wilson) is back to work in his role as a WWE Producer.
We noted back in early February how Kidd had taken some time off. He usually works with the WWE women’s division, but Fit Finlay, who has been working behind-the-scenes in WWE NXT for the past year, was brought to the 2022 Royal Rumble event to produce the Women’s Rumble as Kidd hadn’t produced any matches in the weeks leading up to The Rumble. The report on Kidd from February noted that the reason for Kidd’s absence was actually tied to the Royal Rumble, but he was still employed by WWE as a producer, and no other details were provided. Another report noted that there had been rumblings within WWE that said Kidd was quitting the company, but that was chalked up to miscommunication. There was also talk of Kidd being frustrated with the company and unhappy with how things were going, but WWE sources quickly dismissed those rumors.
The last word in February was that Kidd would be back to work, and that he was on good terms with the company. It was also reported that he was taking time off to help heal his neck. While Kidd is able to function well, that doesn’t change the fact that his neck is in terrible shape and at times he has flare-ups.
In an update, Fightful Select reports that Kidd is listed as a producer/agent on the internal run-sheet for tonight’s RAW. He hasn’t been listed for any RAW or SmackDown matches and segments since the January 10 RAW and the January 14 SmackDown.
Kidd being back to work is a win for the women’s division as he receives universal acclaim from WWE sources that have worked with him. It was reported after the Royal Rumble how Kidd’s absence was felt by the wrestlers who competed in the 30-Woman Rumble Match as the bout was said to be a “mess” and full of “chaos” while morale was low. It was also reported that at least one women’s wrestler passed on participating in The Rumble because they learned Kidd was not the producer.
While Kidd has been away, other producers like Shawn Daivari, Pat Buck and WWE Hall of Famer Molly Holly have shouldered a lot of the production work for the women’s division. It was previously reported in early February that there had been a lot of burnout among the WWE producers in the first month of the year or so, and that many of the producers were over-worked and exhausted, but still weren’t complaining about the workload.
Kidd suffered a career-ending injury while taking a Muscle Buster from Samoa Joe during a RAW dark match on June 1, 2015. It’s been said that he is lucky to be alive and that it’s a miracle he’s not confined to a wheelchair as he had an injury similar to what the late Christopher Reeve suffered. While Kidd has made significant progress over the years and there’s been hints at a potential comeback some day, he has also stated that he’s at peace with never wrestling again.
Stay tuned for more on Kidd.
Follow Marc on Twitter at @this_is_marc. Send any news, tips or corrections to us by clicking here.
