Paul Ellering Hints He Wanted to Stay With Authors of Pain on WWE’s Main Roster

Former NXT Tag Team Champions the Authors of Pain made their WWE main roster debut on Monday, making quick work of Heath Slater and Rhyno on Monday Night Raw.

As the two left the ring, Akam and Razar mentioned for their manager Paul Ellering to stay behind, indicating that they didn’t want him around anymore. They later explained thing sin a backstage interview, saying Ellering’s “chapter” with the team ended in NXT.

Ellering made his name in the WWE back in the late 90s as a manager for the Legion of Doom (aka the Road Warriors). But at 64 years old, it was widely believed that he didn’t want to stay with AOP given the rigorous traveling schedule demanded by all talent on the main roster.

But on Saturday Ellering indicated that might not be the case.

“For the record…I love traveling,” Ellering wrote. “I have seen this road before. My ♞ Algorithm for greatness stands the test of time.”

Given WWE‘s aversion to using managers in recent years (outside of Paul Heyman speaking for Brock Lesnar), it’s possible the creative team wanted the Authors of Pain to speak for themselves as a duo.

With Ellering at his side, the two won the NXT tag titles, won the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Tournament and participated in WWE’s first WarGames match in their two-year tenure with the developmental territory.

Akam and Razar were just tow of the many Superstars to make their debut/return to the main roster in days just after WrestleMania 34. Former NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon debuted as Nia Jax’s tag team partner against Alexa Bliss and Mickie James, No Way Jose won his debut match against a local jobber after leading a conga line down to the ring, The Iconics attacked Charlotte Flair and helped Carmella cash in her Money in the Bank contract to become SmackDown Women’s Champion, Bobby Lashley returned to the company for the first time in a decade and Samoa Joe and Jeff Hardy both returned from injuries.

WWE’s next event, the Greatest Royal Rumble, featured a stacked card including a Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns rematch, a 50-man Royal Rumble match, a four-way ladder match for Seth Rollins’ Intercontinental Championship and a casket match between The Undertaker and a returning Chris Jericho.