Tyler Rust to be managed by Malcolm Bivens on NXT?
New WWE NXT Superstar Tyler Rust appeared during tonight’s NXT episode on the USA Network for the second week in a row.
Tonight’s show saw Tommaso Ciampa defeat Cameron Grimes in a singles match. Timothy Thatcher, who lost to Ciampa at “Takeover: WarGames 2020” this past Sunday, watched the match from ringside. Towards the end of the match, Rust hit the ring to attack Ciampa but didn’t make it past the apron as Ciampa fought him off. Ciampa went on to pin Grimes after hitting Willow’s Bell. After the bout, Ciampa confronted Thatcher at ringside and Thatcher insisted he had nothing to do with the interference by Rust, who was identified by the announcers.
Rust was later interviewed backstage by McKenzie Mitchell, but manager Malcolm Bivens quickly interrupted. Bivens recalled how he gave Rust one of his business cards backstage last week, and said they have some things to discuss now. Rust left with Bivens and it looks like this could be a new partnership on the brand. Bivens has not been seen since he brought Indus Sher to TV earlier this year for a brief run.
Rust made his first NXT TV appearance as a member of the roster last week during the “Thatch-as-Thatch-Can” in-ring segment where he and Thatcher brawled with Ciampa as the go-home build for the Takeover match. He later received the business card from Bivens.
WWE announced that Rust signed with the company back on December 2, last Wednesday, in the same WWE Performance Center Class as Deveon Aiken (Dezmond Xavier) and Zachary Green (Zachary Wentz) of The Rascalz. His real name is Russ Taylor, and he’s previously used the “Rust Taylor” name on the indies. At the time of his signing, WWE touted how Rust has competed for wXw in Germany, as well as promotions in Japan and across the United States.
WWE filed to trademark the “Tyler Rust” name on December 2, the same day his signing was announced. The following use description was filed with the USPTO (United States Patent & Trademark Office):
“IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment”
There’s no word yet on what WWE has planned for Rust and Bivens, but stay tuned as we will keep you updated. Below is a photo from the segment with Rust and Bivens, plus a clip from the Grimes vs. Ciampa match where Thatcher and Rust appeared:
"Let's talk business." 👀 #WWENXT @Malcolmvelli @TylerRust_WWE @mckenzienmitch pic.twitter.com/MnYZHgpUgW
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 10, 2020
Don't tug on @ShaneHelmsCom's cape and DON'T get involved in @NXTCiampa's match! @TylerRust_WWE learned one of those the hard way on #WWENXT… 😬😬😬 pic.twitter.com/d3dyZ0OxfD
— WWE (@WWE) December 10, 2020