A new report from Fightful and Bodyslam.net’s Cory Hayes has confirmed a significant round of releases from WWE, with several NXT talents reportedly departing the company. The most prominent name on the list is former NXT North American Champion Wes Lee, whose release is a surprising development given his past success and popularity in the brand. The releases signal a potential shift in the NXT roster and provide an update on the status of several wrestlers who had been featured on NXT programming and live events. The news is a stark reminder of the often-unpredictable nature of contracts and career paths in professional wrestling.
The full list of talent reportedly released from WWE on Friday, October 10, is below:
- Wes Lee
- Stevie Turner
- Lance Anoa’i
- Jin Tala
- Drako Knox
- Haze Jameson
- Summer Sorrell
- BJ Ray
- Jamar Hampton
Wes Lee is the most well-known of the released talents. He is a former NXT Tag Team Champion and held the NXT North American Championship for an impressive 269 days. He was last seen on NXT television in July and had been part of the High Ryze faction. BJ Ray and Jin Tala were both featured in the first season of the “WWE LFG” reality series, with Tala also competing on WWE Evolve. Summer Sorrell and Haze Jameson were part of the second season of “WWE LFG” and also competed on WWE Evolve. Many of these talents had been seen in recent dark matches and house shows, and their releases come as a surprise to many fans.