Peyton Royce and Billie Kay were the IIconics and did a great job on WWE NXT before Vince McMahon came into the scene
Vince McMahon was responsible for turning The IIconics into a comedy act as Peyton Royce and Billie Kay spoke to Renee Paquette.
Royce (AKA Cassie Lee) and Kay (AKA Jessica McKay) were great on NXT but they only won gold on the main brands after being moved up.
However, as is the case with most acts moving up from NXT, The IIconics had to deal with creative changes.
While the pair didn’t win any titles on NXT, they were threats and dominated the show. Moving to Raw or SmackDown saw them turn into some comedic act and Lee confirmed that this was all down to Vince McMahon.
The CEO of WWE has a history of making such changes and this was another example (h/t Rajah):
“So, in NXT, we were kind of like, bit–es, I guess. We were stronger. We looked more like threats.
“Then, we transitioned to the main roster, and Vince [McMahon] thought we were so funny on the microphone that it became more about if we were funny than if we were threats.”
Lee added that she needed time to get used to this change, but missed being the dominant team:
“For me, I needed time to understand and just know that we’re not threats anymore. We were these fun, over-the-top personalities, which I loved. But I missed being perceived as someone who could win a match or win the championships or something like that.”
The IIconics struggling to get work after WWE release
Lee and McKay are Australians and also added how difficult it has been getting a green card. They confirmed that their podcast was a way to stay relevant and they weren’t making any money from it.
The pair are unable to work until they get their green cards, but confirmed they have some greats ideas bubbling away.
Lee and McKay were extremely fun to watch and it was another weird decision to split them. Royce (Lee) then teamed up with Lacey Evans before the former marine took time off after confirming she was pregnant.
McKay became a completely comedic act, but even that was not enough to save her from the cut.
More WWE news
- (Photos) Drew McIntyre shows off brutal injury marks after loss at Hell in a Cell
- Eva Marie makes big claims over WWE female salaries after RAW
- Mercedes Martinez taken to hospital after possible concussion on NXT
Follow our dedicated WWE page for instant WWE news and updates
