WWE Report Reveals Possible Reason For Repeated Talent Cuts

Last night WWE revealed a number of releases regarding the NXT roster, including names like [...]

By Matthew Aguilar

Last night WWE revealed a number of releases regarding the NXT roster, including names like Bronson Reed, Mercedes Martinez, Leon Ruff, and more. This is the latest in a long line of releases over the past year, and many are wondering why this is happening if WWE is doing so well in the revenue and profits department. A new report from Fightful Select offers some possible clarity to the NXT releases and the large amount of WWE releases overall, and no, it's not budget cuts. According to one high-level official in WWE (who spoke under anonymity), the releases are the result of a plan to greatly increase the presence of Performance Centers that never really happened.

The official said that in 2018 the company entered a "talent stashing" mode and many pitches were made regarding collecting talent so that new Performance Centers, which were going to increase worldwide, would be supplemented with native and intentional talent, and some would bounce between the various Centers.

That plan lost steam within a year, and that resulted in talent being "parked" as the focus shifted to NXT's launch on USA Network. Then the pandemic happened shortly after, and any plans still in place for that original concept came to a halt.

Fightful notes the official was extremely frustrated with it but also that they explained the corporate view on things, and the "it's business" mentality is what is being privately conveyed within the company and to Fightful.

The source was also asked who the releases fall on, and they said "Vince McMahon can personally put a stop to any of these", but the calls themselves are a collaborative effort. They also said releases are going to be a regular occurrence moving forward, but they did note that they expect 2021 to be an outlier regarding the frequency of cuts and the level of talent.

They then noted that to their recollection mass releases like these haven't been. areal discussion or concern within WWE for around 4 years, pegging the time frame of 2016 to early 2020.

So, it seems there will continue to be releases, but hopefully, the source's prediction of the frequency going down holds up, because no one wants to see this continued pattern of mass releases putting people out of jobs.

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