WWE has released another batch of its talent, including Hit Row and many stars who were recently moved from the company's developmental promotion to the main roster.
The news of this latest round of releases follows previous cuts made by WWE in early November. Most of the talent released in early November was from the company's developmental program, NXT, making some of the cuts this time around more surprising.
The eight stars that have been released from WWE include Jaxson Ryker, Shane Thomas, Drake Maverick, Tegan Nox, John Morrison, and the three remaining members of Hit Row: Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Ashante "Thee" Adonis, and Top Dolla. Some of these stars have not been seen on WWE programming in a few months, while others appeared just as recently as earlier this week. Hit Row had previously been called up to the main roster during the WWE Draft and have been making television appearances since. As reported by Fightful, budget cuts were cited as the reason for the release of these eight WWE stars. Some have taken to social media to express their gratitude for those that have supported them and look forward to what will come following their 90-day non-compete clause.
This news comes shortly after the cuts the company made in early November, where WWE released a huge chunk of its roster. The previously released talent included Ember Moon, Mia Yim, Franky Monet, Scarlett, Karion Kross, Keith Lee, and Hit Row's B-Fab. Monet, who is married to Morrison, took to Twitter to encourage people to invest in other wrestling promotions that value their employees and fans. Monet wrote, "Stop supporting a company that has ZERO respect for their talent. You love pro wrestling, spend your money on the hundreds of other alternatives. This is wrong. Ethically, as employers they don't care about us. Talent or fans."
Once the non-compete clauses for each star expires, they are free to appear at other wrestling promotions, meaning there is a chance some of these stars will appear on television again very soon. With the continued success of AEW, it is possible that the company will sign some of the released WWE talents. Others may appear on the independent circuit or wrestle for other promotions like New Japan Pro-Wrestling. In the upcoming months, there is plenty of talent whose WWE contracts will be up, leaving them to possibly resign with the company to field other offers.
Among them are Kevin Owens, Kyle O'Reilly, and Johnny Gargano. The continued loss of bright talent both in NXT and on the main roster shows in RAW and SmackDown may impact the power some of these stars have in making a decision regarding their futures. Without a guarantee that they will be free from being released from their contract at any given moment due to budgetary issues, they may not be as likely to resign. Instead, it may lead many to follow Monet's advice and support other companies.
Source: Fightful