WWE has released nine wrestlers from their contracts, the company announced Thursday.
Samoa Joe, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Mickie James, Chelsea Green, Tucker, Kalisto, Bo Dallas and Wesley Blake were all let go.
WWE head of talent relations, Joe Laurainitis, told those who were late that the budget cut was responsible for their release Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported. The move comes one year after the day after WWE released more than 20 wrestlers, citing financial hardship due to the pandemic.
Joe, a former NXT champion, is the biggest name on this year’s list. He has not wrestled since suffering a concussion during the filming of an advertisement in February 2020. He was a member of the Raw broadcast team until this week, when WWE brought in former ESPN anchor Adnan Virk to replace player Tom Phillips and move Corey Graves into an analyst role alongside Byron Saxton. Joe told Justin Barrasso, SI.com, last month that he was hopeful he could return to the ring soon.
Kay and Royce previously worked together as The IIconics, and struggled to find success after the team was set out in October’s WWE draft. Kay was part of the ten-day Tag Team Turmoil contest on the first night with her partner Carmella WrestleMania last weekend.
James, a six-time champion, returned to the ring last summer after missing 14 months with a torn ACL but wrestling only six matches, most recently at the Royal Rumble in January.
Green only wrestled a single game as part of the WWE roster. After a call from NXT, she broke her wrist in her debut match on Consider on 11 November. She is engaged to co-wrestler Matthew Cardona (known in WWE as Zack Ryder), who was part of a large group of artists released by WWE in April last week.
Tucker (formerly Tucker Knight) was part of the Heavy Machinery tag team with Otis. WWE split the duo in building Otis’ Money in the Bank. He has wrestled just one game since November: as part of 22-man Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal last week Consider.
Kalisto, a masked luchador, was part of the trio known as Lucha House Party, which was broken up during the October draft.
Dallas is the younger brother of Bray Wyatt. He has not wrestled a match since November 2019.
Blake was with Steve Cutler and Jaxson Ryker part of the tag team called The Forgotten Sons. Cutler was released in February, reportedly after he and his girlfriend, current Impact and former WWE wrestler Deonna Purrazzo, tested positive for COVID-19 after a New Year’s Eve party. Richer works closely with Elias. Blake has not wrestled since May.
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