Main Reasons Why WWE Suddenly Let Go Of Multiple Stars In 2026
So far, WWE has released 30 known superstars from its roster, and the reason behind the mass releases has finally been revealed.
Renowned journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer recently explained that WWE held back on making major roster cuts last year because TKO had recently taken over and wanted to avoid negative perception. The recent wave of releases was described as a “catch-up” from those delayed cuts.
NXT/developmental talents who officials reportedly felt were unlikely to succeed were released to make room for new recruits. As for the main roster cuts, they were made to balance out the roster numbers after the recent NXT call-ups.
WWE Released Superstars With No Creative Direction
Meltzer noted that WWE creative was asked to provide the names of talent they were not planning to use, and stars who did not have any creative direction for the near future were therefore released.
Additionally, more cuts were made on the SmackDown side because the show is moving back to a two-hour format soon. Therefore, with one less hour of weekly television, WWE reportedly felt there would be less need for as many wrestlers on the roster.
“The story on the cuts being so many – there’s a couple of reasons behind it. What happened is essentially, last year, because they had basically just taken over the company and they were trying to be ‘good guys,’ so they didn’t order a lot of cuts last year, they kinda held back. So it’s kinda like a catch-up.
“Developmental, they’re adding new people to developmental, the people who they’d figured aren’t gonna make it, those were the ones cut. The main roster cuts, essentially it was two things. Number one, all the people who were brought up from NXT that got spots, essentially, they wanted to remove a similar amount of people.
“They went to creative. It was creative that made the call as to who. They said ‘Who are you not planning on using? Give us X number of names.’ The number that were brought up, and additional names from SmackDown, the reason being that SmackDown at the end of this month, SmackDown is going to two hours, so therefore there is an hour less time of television, so therefore there is less time to put as many people on, so therefore there would be additional cuts on the SmackDown side.
“So that’s the story behind the number of cuts.”