Teddy Long says backstage politics could be the reason behind 33-year-old star's sudden WWE exit (Exclusive)

Teddy Long believes that backstage politics could be the potential reason behind the sudden and somewhat stunning exit of a certain 33-year-old superstar.

On the latest episode of The Wrestling Time Machine, WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long and veteran journalist Bill Apter were asked about Lacey Evans' WWE exit. Evans will be out of wrestling for the foreseeable future - opening up a cafe that will offer free coffee and doughnuts to the Alcoholics Anonymous and the like.

WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long told Apter and host Mac Davis that he believes that Lacey Evans is an outstanding worker. Although he doesn't know her, Long speculated that she could have been tired of the backstage politics of wrestling - referencing the creative wall she had to face:

"That's the name of the game - a lot of money. I don't really know her [Lacey Evans] that well, but I've seen her and [I think] she's an outstanding worker, man. She looks great and I think she's in a position where she doesn't have to take stuff from anybody. So I believe, and like I said, I don't know her, [but] I think she's pretty much fed up with all the politics in this business and she knows she doesn't really have to take that and she can go on and be successful at something else. And that's how I think she made her decision to just leave and go on and do her own thing and she's probably made the right decision. I don't know but God bless her and I hope whatever happens for her is all for the best". (From 04:26 to 05:10)

You can watch the full video below:

Teddy Long gave his take on the potential main event of Payback 2023

On another recent episode of The Wrestling Time Machine, host Mac Davis asked the former SmackDown General Manager about his prediction for the main event of Payback 2023 between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura.

Teddy Long said he doesn't believe that WWE will put the World Heavyweight Championship on Shinsuke Nakamura:

"You don't build careers with the World titles. I mean, Nakamura - great athlete, a great wrestler. The only way I see him winning is if there's a tour coming up in Japan. That's the only way I see that. It doesn't work like that. You can't put a World title on someone to build their career. Their career has to be built. Because you are now the guy who has to sell tickets. I look at it that way." (From 02:25 to 02:57)

Do you agree with this take? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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