Beth Phoenix To Depart NXT Commentary Team

Beth Phoenix has announced via her social media that she is leaving the commentary table at NXT. She will don the headset for this weekend's special event, War Games, in her final appearance. She cited family reasons for her departure, and clarified that she is not leaving WWE completely, just the announce position. She thanked a number of people for her time in NXT, including her broadcast partners Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett, as well as Triple H & Shawn Michaels, who have prominent roles behind the scenes in operating the NXT brand.

Thoughts: Shame, I thought Beth really came into her own as a commentator after being almost Renee Young-bad in the early going. She found a confidence and a comfort level as time went on, and especially had good chemistry and banter with Joseph & Barrett.

I do find it interesting that Beth is another prominent name lately to leave NXT of their own accord. One of the top coaches in NXT, Scotty 2 Hotty, also decided to leave the other week. In Scotty's message, he specifically references loving "the black and gold brand". There's been some discontent among fans over the NXT 2.0 re-branding, I wonder if some of that has carried over to the workers as well?

Also, following the events of Monday Night Raw, speculation is rife that Beth Phoenix is returning to the ring, teaming with her husband Edge to take on Miz & Maryse, which would make sense after The It Couple returned to TV opposite Beth's baby daddy. Phoenix also went out of her way to state she wasn't leaving WWE entirely, so this is well within the realms of possibility.