The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is disputing the popular theory that WWE’s post-WrestleMania 42 releases were driven by someone in TKO leadership disliking darker, supernatural characters.
“Regarding the story that the Wyatts and Black were released because TKO didn’t like dark characters, we were told that was ‘bullshit’ and that these were not decisions that even reached that level. The feeling was they got all out of the Wyatts they were going to get and Black and Vega was just a decision made on who they weren’t going to do anything more with. The reality is that even though they recruited Black hard to get out of AEW, once he returned, they really didn’t have much in the way of ideas for him.”
The pushback follows a widely circulated report from PWInsider’s Mike Johnson, who noted the theory had been making the rounds among WWE talent. A fan asked Johnson during his daily Q&A about a possible pattern among the spooky and darker-leaning characters being cut.
“I don’t know if there’s a pattern, but I can tell you there’s been a story bouncing around among talents that someone in the TKO realm isn’t a fan of the darker characters, and that’s been the blame placed on why The Wyatts, Aleister Black, Zelina, etc. were all cut.”
Johnson stressed he could not verify the claim, but said he heard it from multiple sources.
“One person even suggested to me that Undertaker being The American Badass and not The Deadman in appearances is proof of that outlook. I have no way to prove that is correct, but the story has made the rounds this past week among numerous people we’ve spoken with. Whether there is something to it, or just assumptions, I can’t verify at this juncture. I guess we will see if and when WWE leans back into supernatural and dark characters again.”
The talent referenced in the theory included the entire Wyatt Sicks faction — Bo Dallas as Uncle Howdy, Joe Gacy as Mercy the Buzzard, Dexter Lumis as Huskus the Pigboy, Erick Rowan as Ramblin’ Rabbit, and Nikki Cross as Abby the Witch — along with Aleister Black and his wife Zelina Vega. Around 25 talents were released in the April 24 post-WrestleMania 42 roster reset.
