Blue Pants’ Return To WWE NXT Caused By TNA

Following a three month hiatus, Blue Pants made her return to WWE NXT at last week’s tapings at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. The nine-year veteran, who performs under the name Leva Bates on the independent circuit, was squashed by Nia Jax in a match taped for next week’s episode.

It’s more notable that WWE brought her back because they were pretty much done using her after company officials soured on her attitude and an incident over SummerSlam weekend in Brooklyn involving public intoxication.

The following was reported here on Oct. 17:

We recently noted via PWInsider and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Leva “Blue Pants” Bates was likely done with WWE NXT after catching some backstage heat. The reports were that Blue Pants had heat for how over she got herself and for making comments about being more over than other talents. It was also noted that WWE officials kept using her because they knew she would get a big pop at Takeover: Brooklyn as the mystery partner for The Vaudevillains but once Alexa Bliss beat Blue Pants, that was supposed to be the end of her run.

I was told by a very well-placed NXT source today that Blue Pants didn’t get the heat because of how over she was, but because there was a feeling that she did not appreciate the spot she had. She was often seen on her phone at and during NXT TV tapings, apparently not paying attention to what was going on.

There was also an incident during SummerSlam weekend in Brooklyn where Blue Pants became intoxicated in public. Following the SummerSlam pay-per-view, Blue Pants reportedly drank too much at an outing and acted highly inappropriate. There were WWE corporate employees from Stamford at the gathering and her behavior did not go over well. This incident led to her missing the flight back to Florida the next morning with the rest of the crew.

TNA Wrestling, which is looking to acquire talent with name value, is interested in signing Bates to a contract. People close to her say that if she worked for TNA, it would kill any chance of her resurfacing on NXT, so she was hoping the heat would die down. Once WWE found out that TNA was interested in signing her, they called her back to return.

While it’s unlikely she’ll be used often, much less offered a contract, you can expect Blue Pants to pop up on NXT every now and then.