Backstage Update on Reaction to WWE’s Release of Bray Wyatt, Superstars Fearing for Their Jobs

– As noted, the wrestling world was shocked yesterday by the news of WWE releasing former Universal and World Heavyweight champion Bray Wyatt. Fightful Select has an update on the backstage reaction to yesterday’s surprising news.

According to Fightful’s report, wrestlers backstage were told that Wyatt’s release was due to ongoing pandemic-related “budget cuts.” F4WOnline.com’s Dave Meltzer reported that WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis also informed Bray Wyatt that his release was due to budget cuts.

Fightful’s report notes that the news of Wyatt’s release caused a significant deal of frustration on the roster, along with WWE staff and employees alike. 20 people from WWE reportedly reached out to Fightful and said they didn’t believe the “budget cut” reasoning because Wyatt is a known money-maker for the company.

The general consensus was they didn’t believe the budget cut reasoning due to Wyatt’s known popularity and merchandise sales. It was reportedly well known that Wyatt moved a lot of merchandise in WWE while he was an active talent.

Additionally, several long-time stars reportedly told Fightful that with Wyatt’s release, they no longer feel their jobs are safe with WWE any longer despite their positions on the card or prior pushes. Keep in mind that in June, WWE released former Universal champion Braun Strowman, another top Superstar for the company a the time, when just weeks before he had co-headlined WrestleMania Backlash in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship. In light of Bray Wyatt’s release this weekend, those fears wrestlers have for their jobs is understandably valid.