WWE carried out another round of roster cuts Friday, September 4, but this was not a traditional main-roster purge. Instead, the company cut directly through the developmental pipeline it has spent the last several years expanding, with departures touching NXT, WWE EVOLVE, WWE LFG, WWE ID and the Performance Center.
PWInsider first reported Friday afternoon that releases were underway from the NXT side of the company, identifying Jasper Troy — former WWE Speed Champion and winner of the first season of WWE LFG — as the first confirmed name. PWInsider was also told that main-roster cuts were not expected. As the night continued, Sean Ross Sapp and Fightful Select confirmed additional departures before Fightful compiled the full reported list of ten names. (PWInsider)
That list is Wendy Choo, Jasper Troy, Adriana Rizzo, Zena Sterling, PJ Vasa, Anya Rune, Braxton Cole, Gary Wilson, Ellen Akesson and Marcus Brown.
Calling this simply ten wrestlers being released does not quite tell the story. Wilson was a referee. Akesson and Brown were recent Performance Center recruits who had not made official WWE in-ring debuts. At the other end of the spectrum, Wendy had been in the system since 2019, Troy had already challenged for the NXT Championship and won WWE gold, and several of the others were actively appearing on EVOLVE.
That difference is what makes this round of WWE releases more revealing than the number itself.
WWE Releases September 2026: The Complete Rundown
- Wendy Choo — Former WWE EVOLVE Women’s Champion
Wendy is unquestionably the most established television wrestler among Friday’s departures.
She had been signed to WWE since 2019 and survived multiple presentations before Wendy Choo became the character most fans associated with her. Although she never captured an NXT championship, WWE repeatedly trusted her in significant programs and championship matches.
At NXT No Mercy 2024, Wendy challenged Kelani Jordan for the NXT Women’s North American Championship, with Jordan retaining. (Fightful)
Her run also became intertwined with WWE’s expanding relationship with TNA. Wendy challenged Jordynne Grace for the TNA Knockouts World Championship at Victory Road 2024 and later partnered with Rosemary against Spitfire for the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championship at Bound For Glory. Rosemary turned on Wendy following their loss. (Fightful)
One of Wendy’s most distinctive WWE moments came on the October 29, 2024 episode of NXT, when she faced Tatum Paxley in the first women’s Casket Match in WWE history. Paxley won, but the match became memorable enough that the two later got matching coffin tattoos commemorating it. (Fightful)
Wendy eventually found another important role on EVOLVE. She won the vacant EVOLVE Women’s Championship in April 2026 through a gauntlet featuring Laynie Luck, Karmen Petrovic, Kali Armstrong, Tyra Mae Steele, Sloane Jacobs, Nikkita Lyons and PJ Vasa. (Fightful)
Her reign ended when Lyons defeated her at EVOLVE Succession III. Fightful reported that, based on the actual taping dates, Wendy’s championship reign lasted 70 days and included two successful defenses. (Fightful)
Fightful’s release roundup noted that Wendy’s final WWE match was a dark match before the August 25 episode of NXT. (Fightful)
Of everyone gone, Wendy had the deepest body of WWE television work. She was not an untested prospect. WWE had years of evidence on what she could do, multiple character concepts, championship programs, specialty matches and crossover work before deciding that her run had reached its end. - Jasper Troy — WWE LFG Season One Winner and Former WWE Speed Champion
Jasper is arguably the most surprising departure when you compare where WWE positioned him barely more than a year ago with where things stand today.
Troy had originally signed with WWE in 2022 and made his in-ring debut in 2023. His major breakthrough came through WWE LFG.
At the conclusion of LFG’s inaugural season in May 2025, Troy defeated Shiloh Hill in the men’s final while Tyra Mae Steele defeated Zena Sterling in the women’s final. Troy and Steele were awarded NXT television contracts. (Fightful)
WWE did not present Troy like somebody it planned to hide in developmental for another year.
Within weeks, he was programmed against NXT Champion Oba Femi. Their feud included Troy attacking Oba and an angle in which Troy slammed him onto the hood of a car. On June 10, 2025, Oba defended the NXT Championship against Troy on NXT television. (Fightful)
Troy eventually won championship gold as well, defeating El Grande Americano for the WWE Men’s Speed Championship on the November 11, 2025 episode of NXT. (Fightful)
His final WWE match came on the August 27, 2026 episode of Main Event, where he lost to Akira Tozawa. On Friday, Troy posted “30 days” on social media, and PWInsider subsequently confirmed that WWE had released him. (Fightful)
That makes Troy’s departure particularly noteworthy. WWE went from using LFG to publicly identify him as one of its developmental winners, to putting him opposite the NXT Champion almost immediately, to giving him a championship of his own — and then moving on roughly sixteen months after he won LFG.
It is probably the clearest example from this round of how quickly a prospect’s trajectory can change inside WWE. - Adriana Rizzo — The Family Member Whose Comeback Barely Got Started
Adriana Rizzo’s departure has an entirely different story attached to it.
Signed in 2022, Rizzo became best known as the female member of Tony D’Angelo’s Family alongside Tony, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo and later Luca Crusifino.
WWE gave Rizzo an identifiable character and actual television relationships instead of leaving her as a nameless developmental prospect. One of her largest early opportunities came at NXT Vengeance Day 2024, when Rizzo teamed with Tony and Stacks against OTM’s Bronco Nima, Lucien Price and Jaida Parker in a mixed six-person tag match.
Her momentum was then repeatedly interrupted by injuries.
When Rizzo announced that she had finally been medically cleared on June 25, 2026, she detailed the extent of what she had endured: a torn left Achilles, a partial tear of the same leg’s ACL, and then a complete ACL tear in 2025 accompanied by a torn meniscus and MCL sprain. (Fightful)
Fightful reported that she returned to television July 8 as an EVOLVE ringside interviewer before making her in-ring return at an NXT live event on July 24. Her last reported match came at an NXT live event on August 21. (Fightful)
That puts the timing into perspective.
Rizzo announced that she had finally been cleared just over two months before WWE parted ways with her. After years of injuries and rehabilitation, she barely had enough time to begin rebuilding momentum before the run ended.
She leaves without a WWE championship, but with a recognizable NXT character, a premium live event appearance and a comeback story that never really got enough time to reach its next chapter. - Zena Sterling — LFG Finalist Who Was Still in the EVOLVE Title Picture
Zena Sterling was another talent WWE spent significant television time developing through LFG.
Sterling finished runner-up during season one, losing to Tyra Mae Steele in the women’s final. The match was promoted as taking place at Madison Square Garden, and WWE even brought Sterling and Steele onto NXT alongside Bubba Ray Dudley and The Undertaker to promote the LFG finale. (Fightful)
Sterling subsequently continued developing across WWE’s system, including EVOLVE and another season of LFG.
Her release is especially striking because her television storyline had not disappeared.
On the August 26 episode of EVOLVE, Sterling defeated Layla Diggs to qualify for a four-way match determining the next challenger for the EVOLVE Women’s Championship.
Then, on the September 2 episode — only two nights before the releases were reported — WWE aired a new Sterling vignette before Skylar Raye defeated Sterling, Laynie Luck and Wren Sinclair in the No. 1 contender’s four-way. (Fightful)
There is an important distinction there: EVOLVE is taped, so the September 2 air date does not tell us exactly when WWE internally decided to part ways with Sterling.
But from the viewer’s perspective, the turnaround was still jarring. WWE television presented Sterling as an active developmental prospect pursuing a championship opportunity Wednesday night. By Friday night, Fightful reported that she was gone. (Fightful)
Sterling never won WWE gold, but she was hardly invisible. WWE gave her the LFG platform, an LFG final, NXT exposure and a continuing place in EVOLVE before ultimately deciding not to continue her development. - PJ Vasa — Two-Season LFG Prospect and Season Two Finalist
PJ Vasa’s path through WWE shows just how heavily LFG and EVOLVE have become intertwined with the Performance Center evaluation process.
Wrestling under her real name Penina Tuilaepa early in her WWE run, she appeared during the inaugural season of LFG as a member of Booker T’s team. She even wrestled Zena Sterling during the second episode, with Sterling getting the victory. (Fightful)
Vasa returned for the second season and advanced all the way to the women’s final before losing to Dani Sekelsky.
She subsequently became part of EVOLVE under the PJ Vasa name and remained active in the women’s division. She was among the competitors involved in the process that eventually led to Wendy Choo becoming EVOLVE Women’s Champion, and she continued wrestling for the brand into August 2026. (Fightful)
PWInsider confirmed Friday evening that Vasa had been released. Vasa herself publicly thanked WWE and included “#30Days” in her statement, pointing toward her becoming available after the post-release period. (PWInsider)
Vasa leaves without a WWE championship, but WWE had invested two seasons of LFG exposure and recurring EVOLVE television time into her.
Again, this was not somebody the company never evaluated. WWE gave itself multiple platforms on which to do exactly that. - Anya Rune — WWE ID Prospect Gone Only Months After Entering the System
Anya Rune represents the newer end of WWE’s developmental pipeline.
Better known on the independent scene as Airica Demia, she earned a WWE ID contract in March 2026 and began appearing as Anya Rune on EVOLVE in April.
Fightful reported following her departure that Rune wrestled five EVOLVE matches and did not record a victory. Her final EVOLVE match took place August 5, although she continued making independent appearances while connected to WWE through the ID program. (Fightful)
Interestingly, Rune had not vanished from EVOLVE storytelling. On the September 2 broadcast, Gianna Capri and Veronica Haven attacked her in the VIP area. (Fightful)
Two nights later, Sean Ross Sapp reported that Rune was part of the WWE cuts. (Fightful)
Rune never got anywhere near enough time in the system to accumulate championships or major NXT matches. That is precisely what makes her inclusion noteworthy.
WWE ID is supposed to identify talent before they reach the traditional WWE developmental level. Rune’s departure demonstrates that earning that opportunity is still only an opening evaluation, not a guarantee that WWE will continue moving a wrestler upward through EVOLVE and eventually NXT. - Braxton Cole — EVOLVE Championship Challenger and LFG Prospect
Braxton Cole received more substantial developmental opportunities than his name recognition might suggest.
Fightful reported that Cole signed with WWE in 2025, appeared on the second episode of the relaunched EVOLVE and was also part of the third season of WWE LFG. (Fightful)
EVOLVE eventually tested him much higher on the card.
On April 29, Cole challenged Aaron Rourke for the EVOLVE Championship in a three-way match that also included Harlem Lewis. Rourke retained. (Fightful)
Cole’s issues with Harlem continued afterward and eventually led to a No Disqualification Match in July.
His final reported WWE match came at an August 21 NXT live event against Shiloh Hill. Fightful Select confirmed Friday that Cole and WWE had parted ways. (Fightful)
He never became champion and never established himself as a regular NXT television character, but WWE had moved him far enough through the evaluation process to put him in an EVOLVE Championship match, give him a singles feud and place him on LFG.
The company got a real look at him. It ultimately decided not to take the next step. - Gary Wilson — Referee Who Progressed From NXT to SmackDown
Gary Wilson is important to separate from the wrestlers because he was a WWE referee.
Fightful reported that Wilson signed with WWE in 2022, began officiating in NXT and eventually moved to SmackDown. Fightful Select confirmed that he was among Friday’s departures. (Fightful)
Naturally, there are no wrestling championships or signature matches to list as personal accomplishments. His advancement itself was the accomplishment: Wilson worked his way from developmental officiating to one of WWE’s main-roster television brands.
His inclusion also makes this round broader than simply WWE evaluating prospects in the ring. - Ellen Akesson — Swedish Powerlifting Champion Signed in March
Ellen Akesson had barely begun her WWE journey.
WWE announced Akesson as part of a new Performance Center recruiting class on March 11, 2026. Fightful identified her as a national champion in powerlifting. (Fightful)
Fightful later reported that Akesson never made an official in-ring live event or television debut before departing WWE. (Fightful)
That means there are no WWE championships, television feuds or major matches to evaluate.
Her stay amounted to less than six months between WWE publicly announcing her as a Performance Center recruit and Fightful Select reporting her departure.
Akesson is perhaps the clearest reminder in this group that some Performance Center evaluations are happening long before a recruit ever reaches television. - Marcus Brown — May 2026 Performance Center Recruit
Marcus Brown’s WWE tenure was even shorter.
WWE announced Brown as part of its newest Performance Center rookie class on May 20, 2026. Fightful described him as a bodybuilder and fitness influencer with no previous professional wrestling experience. (Fightful)
Fightful Select confirmed Brown as part of Friday’s cuts and reported that, like Akesson, he never made an official in-ring debut at a live event or on television. (Fightful)
Brown therefore leaves without championships, major matches or an established WWE character because his development never reached that point publicly.
He was announced as a WWE recruit in May.
By September, the experiment was over.
Final Thoughts: WWE Has Built a Bigger Developmental Pipeline — and a Much Faster Exit Ramp
The easiest way to misunderstand these WWE releases is to treat all ten departures as identical.
They are not.
Wendy Choo spent nearly seven years inside WWE’s system, survived multiple character changes, challenged for championships in NXT and TNA, participated in the first women’s Casket Match in WWE history and eventually became EVOLVE Women’s Champion.
Jasper Troy won WWE LFG, was immediately positioned against Oba Femi for the NXT Championship and later became WWE Speed Champion.
Adriana Rizzo had an established NXT identity but lost significant time to injuries. Zena Sterling and PJ Vasa received heavy LFG exposure and recurring developmental television time. Braxton Cole challenged for the EVOLVE Championship. Anya Rune was still at the WWE ID-to-EVOLVE stage.
Then there are Ellen Akesson and Marcus Brown, who never officially debuted, and Gary Wilson, whose role was officiating rather than wrestling.
That is not one category of talent being cleared out.
It is WWE trimming multiple levels of the same pipeline at once.
And that is probably the biggest takeaway.
WWE now has more ways than ever to bring people into its system. There is the traditional Performance Center route. There is WWE ID. There is EVOLVE. There is LFG. There are NXT live events and NXT television after that.
But creating more entry points does not create more permanent roster spots at the other end.
If anything, Friday’s cuts show how aggressively WWE can now evaluate people before deciding who continues climbing.
Jasper remains the most fascinating case because WWE publicly presented him as a success story. He won LFG. He received an NXT television contract. He was moved almost immediately into Oba Femi’s orbit. He challenged for the NXT Championship and eventually won the Speed Championship.
That is considerably different from releasing somebody who spent years working untelevised Performance Center matches without ever gaining traction.
Wendy’s release stands out for the opposite reason. WWE already knew exactly what it had in her. She had years of television experience, multiple reinventions and significant matches. There was very little left to evaluate.
Rizzo’s timing is probably the harshest on a human level. She fought back from a brutal combination of injuries, announced that she was cleared in late June and was gone just over two months later.
Zena’s timing is the strangest from the television viewer’s perspective. She was still being presented in an EVOLVE championship-contender story on a program that aired September 2, only for her departure to be reported September 4.
None of that tells us why WWE made each individual decision.
Neither Fightful, Sean Ross Sapp nor PWInsider reported a specific performance, disciplinary or financial reason for every person on this list, so pretending otherwise would be speculation.
What the reporting does establish is that WWE made a broad developmental round of cuts reaching people at radically different stages of the process.
And that may be the most important thing these releases say about modern WWE developmental.
LFG does not guarantee NXT.
WWE ID does not guarantee EVOLVE.
EVOLVE does not guarantee NXT.
NXT does not guarantee Raw or SmackDown.
WWE has built one of the largest talent-development funnels it has ever operated.
Friday night showed just how quickly that funnel can narrow.
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