WWE released another ECW original today with the usual tedious “best in all his future endeavors” blurb: Stevie Richards. Hopefully this was a mutual decision, and not just the WWE kicking another wrestling legend to the curb. Here’s what Stevie Richards’ long time friend Joey Styles had to say on his blog today:

“World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of ECW Superstar Stevie Richards. WWE wishes him the best in all his future endeavors.”

In my seven and a half years with the Original ECW and 2 and a half here at WWE, I have read these announcements at least one hundred times. I think we all become somewhat callous to these announcments because people being fired from their places of employement are common occurances and just an everyday part of doing business.

However, Stevie Richards and I have been friends for over fifteen years and I and followed his painful quest to continue his dream of wrestling for a living through a broken neck and subsequent throat surgeries to repair a severed vocal cord as a result of the initial fusion of the vertebrae in his neck. In fact, earlier this year I interviewed Stevie on television about his painful surgeries and love of wrestling which kept him from retiring despite doctors’ reccomendations.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/superstars/joeystyles/styles/122807mep

http://www.wwe.com/content/media/video/vms/ecw/2008/february1-7/6389974?zone=ecw_joeystyles

As I finish my blog for this week, I know that if ECW Original, Stevie Richards decides his future endeavors will include continuing to wrestle, then it shall be.

Joey Styles

Stevie Richards (real name: Michael Manna) has a number of other gigs, including his prolific blogging and podcasting on the T4 tech blog. As a blogger, he puts me to shame with the number of weekly posts he manages to write, and he’s a stand-up guy who emailed a “thank you” when we linked to T4 a few months ago. We even forgive him for being an Apple fan boy.

Whether Michael Manna decides to shed the Stevie Richards persona to work in other media, or continues his wrestling career with TNA or the indies, his options are far from limited so I’m sure he’ll find success. Good luck, man!