Carlito made his WWE comeback in 2023 but has recently announced his departure as WWE decided not to renew his contract, despite featuring him regularly. Following this news, WWE Creative has faced criticism for Carlito’s underwhelming run.
On the Stevie Richards show, Richards discussed Carlito’s exit, arguing that WWE failed to utilize him properly. He remarked that WWE brought Carlito back but didn’t allow him to reach the exciting heights he once had. Richards questioned why WWE never revived the charismatic, fun version of Carlito from his debut when he notably beat John Cena for the US title and won tag team gold with Chris Masters. Although Carlito had proven his talent, WWE didn’t give him the chance to recapture his unique fan-favorite persona, even removing key character traits like spitting apples.
Richards said, “They didn’t capitalize on Carlito’s potential. Why bring him back only to sideline him from the start? He was once ‘Carrito Caribbean Cool,’ but they reduced him to a character that no longer reflected who he was. They didn’t even let him spit apples anymore.”
He criticized WWE for effectively neutering Carlito’s character, turning him into someone who mostly took losses and bumps. Richards suggested it would have made sense if WWE planned to keep him in such a role, but choosing not to renew his contract despite making these creative errors was unfair. According to Richards, WWE often says there’s “nothing creative” for certain wrestlers, but in reality, it’s the creative team that fails to see their value and gives them no opportunity. Carlito’s lack of chances wasn’t due to any fault of his own.
Richards added, “You castrate the character, turning him into basically just someone who takes losses for others, and then you don’t renew his contract? That’s their fault, not his. Claims about ‘creative having nothing’ are just excuses and gaslighting.”
He also shared how Carlito was scarcely featured on TV, rarely spoke, and only wrestled occasionally—all decisions made by WWE, not the wrestler. Richards condemned WWE Creative for letting Carlito down and highlighted how the company’s explanations for releases often sound like they are treating wrestling as a real sport, implying wrestlers didn’t try hard enough.
Richards concluded by criticizing WWE’s contradictory stance on its talent, saying, “They say ‘We’re family’ when you ask for more money or want to stay, but when they release someone, it’s ‘just business.’ Carlito never got a fair shot—it’s WWE’s failure, not his.”
It’s worth noting Carlito broke WWE protocol by announcing his exit during an ongoing storyline. Many fans likely resonate with Richards’ points since Carlito wasn’t given a proper platform to showcase his skills or character fully. Now, all eyes are on what’s next for the Caribbean star.
Fan Take: This news highlights the ongoing struggles of talented wrestlers like Carlito who aren’t fully utilized by WWE’s creative team, frustrating fans who want to see their favorites shine. For the sport, it raises important questions about talent management and whether WWE can better nurture and showcase diverse characters moving forward.
