Latimer was signed to WWE developmental in January 2010 and had been placed in the Ascension over the summer of 2011. The team was one of the top acts for developmental and had held the FCW Tag Team belts. Since developmental was re-branded as NXT, the team had been regularly featured on TV, including a program against the Usos.
Latimer had previously been arrested in January 2011 for a DUI charge.