Booker T Thinks Former WWE Star Spent Too Long In NXT

Booker T has a theory about Duke Hudson’s WWE departure.

On February 4, it was reported that WWE released Duke Hudson in January, although no reason was given for the release. The 35-year-old Australian was last in action back in November 2024 at an NXT live event where he defeated Anthony Luke.

Hudson signed with WWE in 2019 and had a very short spell on Raw a year later before returning to NXT. His run with the company will be best remembered for his time heading up Chase U on the third brand.

Booker T Shares Thoughts On Duke Hudson Departure

Speaking on the latest episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker suggested Hudson had spent too long in the NXT system. He added that talents, especially in NXT, always needed to evolve and reinvent themselves.

“Duke Hudson started with me at Reality Of Wrestling. I got a chance to see him make his rise and then make his journey to WWE, to NXT, and the thing is that Duke Hudson’s been in that system now for six years.

The thing is, six years in the NXT system, that’s going to be way too long for anyone. I say it all the time, if you don’t change with the times, the times will pass you by. If you don’t know how to actually reinvent yourself and do something and make them look at you differently than they’ve looked at you before, that’s not going to be on them, that’s going to be on you.

It could be the smallest little things as perhaps getting your hair cut a certain way, it could be something as big as getting in the gym and really putting in a whole lot of time. I’m talking about when everyone’s sleeping, you’re working. Then, when you show up and you just take your shirt off, all of the sudden, somebody’s eyebrow goes up just a little bit.

If you ain’t preparing, you are preparing to fail and that’s the bottom line to that.”

Following Hudson’s exit, it was reported that Giovanni Vinci, Blair Davenport, Cedric Alexander, Authors of Pain, Paul Ellering, Isla Dawn, and the Good Brothers had also been released. In addition, Sonya Deville has also been informed that her contract won’t be renewed.

Just as the dust had settled on the shock releases, it was confirmed that Elektra Lopez had also been let go.

H/t to Fightful