WWE’s post-WrestleMania roster reset hit hard Friday, with a wave of releases that cut across the main roster, NXT and one of the company’s most unusual creative projects. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp was first out with the broader release wave, with PWInsider and BodySlam adding key names as the story developed. As of now, the reported list includes Bo Dallas/Uncle Howdy, Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Zoey Stark, Alba Fyre and Andre Chase.
The biggest story is the apparent end of The Wyatt Sicks. The group had emotional weight, a hot debut and direct ties to Bray Wyatt’s legacy, but WWE never fully solved what it was supposed to be week to week. Instead of being a long-term supernatural centerpiece, the faction now looks like one of the biggest creative resets coming out of WrestleMania season.
Here is the quick rundown of the released talent:
- Bo Dallas / Uncle Howdy
- Originally signed with WWE developmental in 2008.
- Former NXT Champion.
- Released by WWE in 2021 before later returning as Uncle Howdy.
- Biggest storyline: carrying the Bray Wyatt legacy into the Uncle Howdy/Wyatt Sicks presentation.
- His release is the clearest sign that WWE is moving on from the entire concept.
- Nikki Cross
- Signed with WWE in 2016.
- Broke through in NXT as part of SAnitY.
- Later became Nikki A.S.H. on the main roster.
- Won Money in the Bank in 2021 and cashed in to become Raw Women’s Champion.
- Also held the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship multiple times.
- Her Wyatt Sicks role had atmosphere, but WWE never gave it the depth her résumé deserved.
- Joe Gacy
- Signed with WWE in 2020.
- Became one of NXT’s more experimental character acts through The Schism.
- Later folded into The Wyatt Sicks.
- Biggest WWE highlight: winning the WWE Tag Team Championship with Dexter Lumis as part of the faction.
- His release adds to the feeling that WWE wiped out the entire Wyatt Sicks direction at once.
- Dexter Lumis
- Originally signed with WWE in 2019.
- Released in 2022 before being brought back later that year.
- Had a memorable NXT run through The Way and the Indi Hartwell storyline.
- Later became a key piece of The Wyatt Sicks.
- Biggest WWE highlight: winning the WWE Tag Team Championship with Joe Gacy.
- Another name that shows this was not just trimming, but a full creative shutdown.
- Erick Rowan
- First signed with WWE in 2011.
- Best known as a core member of The Wyatt Family.
- Released before and later re-signed.
- Former tag team champion, including his run with Luke Harper as The Bludgeon Brothers.
- His return carried real emotional weight because of his history with Bray Wyatt.
- His release makes the Wyatt Sicks wipeout feel complete.
- Zoey Stark
- Signed with WWE in 2021.
- Quickly stood out in NXT as one of the brand’s strongest in-ring prospects.
- Former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion with Io Shirai.
- Main roster spotlight included her alliance with Trish Stratus.
- Had been out after a serious knee injury, with reports noting she had recently been cleared.
- Her release is one of the more surprising cuts because she still felt like someone WWE could have rebuilt.
- Alba Fyre
- Signed with WWE in 2019 after competing as Kay Lee Ray.
- Former NXT UK Women’s Champion with a historic 649-day reign.
- Former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion with Isla Dawn.
- Also held the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship on the main roster.
- Her release is another example of WWE cutting someone with a strong résumé but inconsistent creative direction.
- Andre Chase
- Signed with WWE in 2021.
- Turned Chase U into one of NXT’s most reliable character acts.
- Helped elevate names like Thea Hail and Duke Hudson.
- Never needed to be a world-title act to matter because the gimmick worked.
- His exit removes one of NXT’s most consistent character anchors.
Update: More WWE Departures Added To The List
Since the original release wave, the list has continued to grow, with several main roster names, NXT talent and developmental prospects now added to WWE’s latest round of departures. The biggest additions are Kairi Sane, Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Santos Escobar, Apollo Crews and the Motor City Machine Guns, while the NXT side of the cuts includes Dante Chen, Malik Blade, Luca Crusifino, Sirena Linton, Trill London, Tyriek Igwe, Chris Island and Tyra Mae Steele.
Here is the quick rundown of the latest released talent:
- Zelina Vega
- Returned to WWE in 2021 after a previous release in 2020.
- Former Queen’s Crown tournament winner.
- Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion with Carmella.
- Became one of WWE’s strongest character workers and managers, especially through Legado del Fantasma and the LWO.
- Her release is one of the more surprising main roster cuts because she still brought value as both a wrestler and talker.
- Malik Blade
- Signed with WWE in 2021.
- Became a regular name in NXT’s tag division.
- Best known for his team with Edris Enofé.
- Never got a major title run, but consistently filled an important developmental TV role.
- His release cuts another familiar name from NXT’s undercard.
- Luca Crusifino
- Signed with WWE in 2022.
- Became part of The D’Angelo Family in NXT.
- His biggest storyline was his role as the group’s “legal counsel.”
- Helped add character depth to Tony D’Angelo’s faction.
- His exit removes another piece from one of NXT’s more defined acts.
- Sirena Linton
- Developmental prospect in WWE/NXT.
- Still early in her WWE run.
- Had limited national TV exposure.
- Her release shows this wave also reached into the developmental system, not just established TV names.
- Trill London
- Developmental prospect in WWE/NXT.
- Still in the early stages of his WWE career.
- Had limited television time.
- His release is part of the deeper Performance Center cuts.
- Tyriek Igwe
- Signed with WWE in 2021.
- Worked NXT and Level Up.
- Best known for teaming with Tyson Dupont.
- Had begun building a presence as part of NXT’s newer tag team crop.
- His release continues the hit to NXT’s developmental depth.
- Chris Island
- Developmental prospect in WWE/NXT.
- Had limited TV exposure.
- Still early in his WWE run.
- His release fits the developmental side of the cuts.
- Tyra Mae Steele
- Signed with WWE after a decorated amateur wrestling background.
- Olympic-level athlete and one of the more notable Performance Center prospects.
- Still developing as a pro wrestler.
- Her release stands out because WWE usually values high-level athletic recruits, especially with NIL-style signings.
- Santos Escobar
- Signed with WWE in 2019.
- Former NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
- Leader of Legado del Fantasma.
- Later became a major part of the LWO story on the main roster.
- His biggest WWE storyline was the split from Rey Mysterio and the attempt to rebuild Legado around himself.
- His release is a major cut because he had already proven he could carry character work, faction drama and strong in-ring matches.
- Motor City Machine Guns — Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin
- Signed with WWE in 2024 after years as one of the most respected tag teams outside the company.
- Former TNA World Tag Team Champions and one of the defining teams of modern TNA/Impact wrestling.
- Their WWE run was short, but their signing was treated as a major tag team pickup.
- Shelley and Sabin brought credibility, experience and real tag team chemistry.
- Their departure is one of the biggest surprises because WWE barely scratched the surface with them.
- Apollo Crews
- Signed with WWE in 2014.
- Former United States Champion.
- Former Intercontinental Champion.
- Had his biggest main roster run during the Nigerian royalty character and his feud with Big E.
- Also had a strong NXT return run where he was allowed to show more personality.
- His release ends a long WWE run for someone who always had the athletic tools but was never consistently pushed.
- Kairi Sane
- Originally signed with WWE in 2017.
- Won the Mae Young Classic.
- Former NXT Women’s Champion.
- Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion as part of The Kabuki Warriors.
- Left WWE before returning in 2023.
- Her release is one of the biggest shocks of the wave because she still had star value, international credibility and a strong connection with fans.
- Aleister Black
- Originally signed with WWE in 2016.
- Former NXT Champion.
- Released in 2021 before returning to WWE.
- One of the strongest character presentations NXT ever produced.
- His biggest WWE highlight remains his NXT title run and aura-driven rise before the main roster stop-start booking slowed him down.
- His release is another case of WWE moving on from someone with a clear identity and unfinished creative potential.
- Dante Chen
- Signed with WWE in 2021.
- Made history as WWE’s first Singaporean wrestler.
- Became a steady developmental name across NXT and Level Up.
- Never got a major championship run, but was a consistent presence in the system.
- His release adds to the NXT side of a much wider roster reset.
The overall takeaway is simple: WWE did not just trim names. It erased a faction, cut multiple former champions, moved on from injured or underused talent, and reset pieces of both SmackDown and NXT in one shot. The Wyatt Sicks will be remembered as a strong idea with emotional weight, but one WWE never fully solved after the debut. Stark and Fyre feel like missed opportunities. Chase feels like a classic NXT act that got over on commitment and creativity. This release wave was not the biggest in WWE history, but it was one of the more creatively telling ones.
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