Refuting Sources Clash Over Whether WWE Tag Team Star Has Backstage Heat Or Not

Pro wrestling fans have grown to have a certain feel for how the people behind the curtain view a performer based on how they are being booked on live television, and one of Hit Row's members does not appear to be favored backstage.

On the Friday, June 16 episode of SmackDown, a No. 1 contender's gauntlet match was implemented to reveal who Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will defend their unified tag team titles against on a future pay-per-view.

That gauntlet match featured Hit Row's Ashante Adonis and Top Dolla, the Street Profits, Sheamus and Ridge Holland of the Brawling Brutes, The O.C.'s Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, the reformed Latino World Order (LWO) and Pretty Deadly–composed of Kit Wilson and Elton Prince.

When it was Hit Row's turn to join the action, Dolla received a Brogue Kick from Sheamus that eliminated their group from the competition as they only lasted barely a handful of seconds inside the ring.

Dolla being the one to take the pin was not new in recent weeks as it had been happening for quite some time already, which led to speculation that Dolla was not as liked by WWE's higher-ups.

According to the most recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, renowned pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer pointed out that Dolla supposedly has backstage heat.

"The whole thing is, like he is not very popular with some people. And when I watched the way they did that finish, it's like, man, whatever you've said, man, you got some enemies on the creative team because this was, this was like the burial of all burials," Meltzer stated.

However, Steve Carrier of Ringside News reported otherwise.

"There is an idea out there that Hit Row has heat with WWE creative. We have heard back from our own sources and have been able to confirm that there is no heat with Top Dolla, or any other Hit Row member," he wrote.

"There simply isn't anything for them to do at this time."

Hit Row was one of the shocking names that were released from WWE in late 2021 as the company was looking to cut their costs of running the weekly shows but made their unannounced return on the August 12, 2022 episode of SmackDown.

While there was hope that the group would recapture the magic that made them such a star attraction during their days in NXT from late 2020 to early 2021, the absence of Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, who is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), was bigger than initially expected.

Carrier's statement about the faction not having anything left to do for now is certainly true as they have been thrust into many different segments over the past few months, eliciting little to no reactions.

As for Meltzer's claim, there may be truth in it also as Dolla has been the one to take the blame for the losses–a sign that there may be frustrations brewing against him behind the scenes.