The star of James Ellsworth continues to shine on SmackDown Live with many fans wondering if he is already an official WWE superstar. According to the latest rumors, Ellsworth might have already signed a full-time deal with the WWE since he was part of the recent European tour.
The 31-year-old independent wrestler gained notoriety after appearing on an episode of Monday Night Raw back in July. He got squashed by Braun Strowman but his funny, chinless look appealed to the fans and he instantly became an internet sensation.
Ellsworth returned in September on SmackDown Live wherein he was inserted in the feud between A.J. Styles and Dean Ambrose. He went on to defeat Styles, who is the WWE World Champion, twice and he has been a regular on WWE television.
The Baltimore native was also named official mascot of the Team SmackDown Live for Survivor Series. Additionally, he made the trip to Europe last week as part of the WWE's Live Event tour. Now, many fans are asking if he is already signed to a WWE deal.
According to PWInsider.com (subscription required), Ellsworth is expected to sign a full-time deal with the WWE. The report pointed out that he is the perfect jobber of this generation and he might be getting more airtime heading into the TLC pay-per-view and Royal Rumble.
It is speculated that he could be added to the Cruiserweight Division if Kalisto is victorious against Brian Kendric at Survivor Series. Nevertheless, Ellsworth is here to stay for a long run until the WWE universe gets sick of him or the story becomes stale.
On the other hand, Brian Mazique of Forbes opined that Survivor Series is the right time to end Ellsworth's comedy act. He pointed out that the diminutive wrestler is becoming annoying and he is only hurting the feud between Styles and Ambrose.
"The James Ellsworth character was amusing for a few weeks, but now he's just annoying-at least as the comic relief part of the major storyline on SmackDown Live," Mazique pointed out.
"Ellsworth has remained in the spotlight too long. He has brought comedic elements to an angle that shouldn't be funny, and it's actually hurting the impact of two the brand's biggest stars," he added.
The WWE seems to be high on Ellsworth since he gets great reactions from the fans. His merchandise is also a top seller which makes Vince McMahon very happy. As long as he gets reactions and moves merchandise, he will continue to appear on television.
Check out the video below to see the official announcement of The Chinless One as Team SmackDown's mascot.