WWE caused quite a stir last September when word came out that Vince McMahon was banning wrestlers from making extra money on third party platforms. Among other things, this directly led to the release of Zelina Vega. It also grabbed the attention of labor leaders and politician Andrew Yang.
Xavier Woods is well known for his affinity for streaming and video games. His UpUpDownDown channel on YouTube is ridiculously successful and currently has 2.26 million subscribers. When news of WWE’s third party ban was revealed, he admitted that he had no idea what was going on with the new rule.
It didn’t take long before wrestlers like AJ Styles, Paige, and Mia Yim were forced to shut down their Twitch streams. Other wrestlers were said to be angered by WWE’s pure corporate greed, particularly in this environment where WWE is amassing record profits during a global pandemic.
There has been curiosity among fans about whether or not Woods owns the UpUpDownDown brand. He clarified on Twitter that WWE has always owned it:
For those who have asked - @UpUpDwnDwn is owned by WWE and always has been. Hence why we are allowed to stream on that platform. Unfortunately, at this point in time, we are not allowed to be on twitch but hopefully we are given permission at some point. Hope that clears it up!
— Austin #Creed4G4 - Future King of The Ring (@AustinCreedWins) May 20, 2021
Independent contractor Woods confirmed that WWE still forbids him from being on Twitch right now, but he remains hopeful that WWE will grant him permission at some point in the future.
I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen.