Umaga Released for Drug Test Violations

http://www.wwe.com/inside/industrynews/10492878

The WWE released Umaga after his second wellness policy violation. I find it interested that no WWE performer has ever gotten to three failures. I wonder if there is a loophole that if someone like Chris Master (who had two failures before his release) gets a clean slate when he resigns with the company.

Umaga's failure also shows a fundamental problem with the WWE claiming that they want a clean enviornment. Bruce Mitchell of Pwtorch.com summed it up quite well with his Mitchell Short column (http://www.pwtorch.com/members/artman/publish/Mitchell_s_Take_41/article_34037.shtml). In this article he says, "Umaga gets injured months ago and spends several months rehabilitating. He returns on a Smackdown before Wrestlemania, his shoulders noticeably thinner and his gut, conversely, noticably larger.

Umaga disappears again.

Umaga returns after Wrestlemania, looking much more like the Samoan Monster fans and management have come to expect. He's put into a program with top-of-the-mid-carder C.M. Punk. His character is even expanded in a new way."

The scenario could play out like this: Umaga gets off steroids, works a Smackdown taping, and without even being told, knows something is up because he isn't booked on the shows for 2 weeks straight. He shows up at the building for Smackdown, and just sits there the whole show. Eventually, he figures out what's up. He's probably paranoid about his look if he's gotten off performance enhancing drugs. He decides he needs to bulk up. He comes to Smackdown one day and management notices that his body has improved, and he get put right back on television.

Like I said, the WWE can send that message without even saying a word. It's a shame, but like Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer says, the only way you can convince guys to get off steroids is if they get punished creatively for being a user.