The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake, Steve Cutler, and Jaxson Ryker) had just debuted on WWE television and seemed in line for a big push as they feuded with New Day, but things came to a crashing halt when Ryker sent controversial tweets supporting Donald Trump amid racial tensions in America.
Many in WWE publicly responded to Ryker and the Forgotten Sons were taken off television and split up as a result.
Speaking on the Two Man Power Trip, Blake gave his reaction to learning of Ryker's tweets.
"When that tweet happened, I got messages from a couple of the boys and they let me know. Steve texted me as well and we both messaged Ryker and were like, 'Hey, we're getting some flack here from the boys, maybe take the tweet down.' Ryker is his own man and he didn't take the tweet down. He thought he was doing something right. I told Ryker, 'You didn't tweet that thinking you were going to get in trouble or get us in trouble?' He's apologized to me several times and never meant to hurt our careers. He was just showing his support for something he believed in. That was that. Steve and I, once the tweet came out, we went the next day to the Performance Center and offered our apologies to everyone and the locker room to mend fences. We were told that this wouldn't affect us. We were told 'time heals all wounds' and we were going to lay low for a couple of weeks and we were going to kick back in working with New Day. After a couple of weeks, that faded, and next thing you know we're sitting at home all summer. We got a call in September, all three of us, saying they were going to bring us back as the Forgotten Sons, but they were going to change our look. They had an idea to bring all of us back together. Then, a month goes by, two months go by, we don't hear anything and we find out in December that Ryker goes to Raw and we go to SmackDown and we're with Corbin," he said. "When we went into the locker room, there was no heat on Steve and myself. We talked to everyone and made apologies on our behalf. There was no heat on our side from the boys standpoint, I don't know from the office. When we talked to someone from the office, it sounded like there wasn't heat there from creative because it sounded like they were going to keep going with us."
Ryker was moved to Raw and paired with Elias while Blake and Cutler were eventually paired with King Corbin.
When asked about Ryker's being moved, Blake commented, "Ryker let us know. We kept in touch through the whole thing. Once Steve and I realized they weren't bringing us back like they said they were after two weeks or so, that's when Steve and I pitched ideas. We pitched kicking Ryker out of the Forgotten Sons, injury angles, gimmick changes, working with Corbin. We did all sorts of pitches to best our situation and it never happened. He messaged us and was like, 'Are ya'll gonna be at Raw? I think I'm going to Raw for something.' He went for a couple of weeks and they didn't use him right away. From what he told me, he wasn't given any creative direction once he was there."
Cutler, now performing as Steve Maclin in IMPACT Wrestling, and Blake were eventually released by WWE. Ryker remains part of WWE Raw.
You can find Cutler's comments on Ryker's tweet by clicking here.
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