More Backstage Details on Recent WWE Talent Releases, Triple H’s Input

– As previously reported, WWE released 16 wrestlers from their contracts last week, including former Universal Champion Braun Strowman and Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler, Dakota Kai, Katana Chance, and Kayden Carter. Also, former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Shotzi was informed that her contract would not be renewed. This week’s edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter has more details on the roster cuts.

According to Observer, the post-WrestleMania mass releases were expected this year, and many wrestlers, specifically those who weren’t being used regularly, were said to be nervous. While NXT was blindsided in the past by releases without sufficient time to prepare storylines on TV, NXT booked to anticipate the releases, breaking up the Meta-Four on TV ahead of Jakara Jackson and Oro Mensah’s exits.

The Observer also reports that there was a directive to start cutting wrestlers to open up roster space on the main roster to bring up talents from NXT. Meanwhile, NXT wanted to get rid of those WWE felt had little potential for joining the main roster. Multiple WWE sources on the NXT side reportedly informed the Observer that some decisions were made based on the feeling that talents were lazy, had not improved enough, were injury prone, or the idea that they weren’t connecting with the fans.

As previously reported, when Dave Meltzer reported the rumors of talent cuts happening because wrestlers were perceived as “not working hard in training” and “lazy” on Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this week, released wrestlers Gigi Dolin and Elayna Black (formerly Cora Jade) addressed the rumors on social media, denying the idea they were lazy or weren’t working hard. At the time, Dolin stated, “When I wasn’t traveling to work for either of the two companies I was working for, I trained very hard 3-4 days a week, bumping my ass off and doing cardio drills with one of the best/toughest coaches I’ve worked with. And worked out every single day. With live events every other weekend. So yeah, I don’t wanna hear this lol. The way my body feels says otherwise.”

Black, responding to Dolin’s comments, later wrote, “This, plus can’t forget having to go to my own gym outside of work after ‘strength and conditioning’ that wasn’t doing anything for me other than get me body shamed by my bosses, coworkers, and fans, crazy!”

Meltzer noted in his initial report on Observer Radio that he wasn’t given any specific names regarding which talents were being perceived as “lazy” or “not working hard.” This week’s Observer Newsletter doesn’t list any specific names regarding the rumor either.

With regards to Strowman, The Observer Newsletter reports that Strowman’s release was a result of his high salary and his recent injuries, noting he had not been moving as well in the ring after he returned from his hamstring injury. A source from inside WWE reportedly informed the Observer that Strowman was hurt worse than people realized.

Additionally, regarding the other main roster cuts (Dakota Kai, Shayna Baszler, Katana Chance, Kayden Carter), the Observer reports that WWE wanted to bring new people to TV, and those who were let go reached their peaks in terms of how they were being utilized and how far WWE expected them to go. The Observer also notes that the term “dead weight” was used to describe the main roster cuts.

Dakota Kai was reportedly “unanimously praised,” and her cut was said to have been a surprise internally in WWE. However, the report notes that Kai’s age, as she recently turned 37, was part of the release. One person in WWE expected her to join AEW and help out the promotion. The Observer notes that Kai previously had talks with AEW and STARDOM following her first WWE release in April 202. However, after Triple H took power after former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon retired for the first time in July of that year.

Kai was later given a main roster contract offer with WWE. Io Shirai was also given a main roster contract offer when she was planning on leaving for STARDOM, enabling both women to sign with WWE and become a part of Damage CTRL. It’s unknown how AEW might feel about bringing in Kai after she ended up taking a deal with WWE instead of AEW in 2022.

With regards to the NXT list, The Observer Newsletter reports that the NXT wrestlers were perceived as unable to make it on WWE’s main roster. However, the report notes that Riley Osborne was an exception to that because he was highly praised from his few TV matches, and he reportedly received great reviews at the NXT arena shows. Osborne’s release was reportedly the result of “outside the ring drama.”

The report doesn’t specify what drama occurred with Osborne outside the ring, and it’s said to have nothing to do with Osborne asking for time off when his wife, former WWE Superstar Blair Davenport (aka Bea Priestley) was released by WWE earlier this year.

The Observer Newsletter also notes that WWE Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque made the final call on the recent talent cuts. It’s unknown if Triple H was told a number of wrestlers he had to release, a dollar amount he had to cut, or if it was all based on his discretion.