FINAL EDIT FOR NOW: May not be here during the NXT announcements, if anyone else wants to continue onward feel free, I'll update when I get the chance to later.
Direct link to the Fightful Select thread should anyone else wish to follow along separately - https://www.patreon.com/posts/89620353. I'll paste the details and update it also periodically:
WWE Releases Thread
Note: Due to the nature of this post, it will be made free and public.
Mustafa Ali, Emma and Aaliyah all announced their releases. Fightful has confirmed Riddick Moss, Rick Boogs, Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin and Elias were all also released.
As of 11:30 AM, Fightful heard there were still calls going on informing of releases. Many in the company who would usually know didn't appear to know who all would be subject to the releases. In the past year or so, WWE has not publicly announced releases themselves, and in many cases never actually confirmed them.
We're told some cuts were expected at the WWE PC as well.
There was some frustration among members of the roster we spoke to that WWE announced a $1.4B Smackdown deal and then cut talent. One top star said that most of the list barely had a chance considering they weren't booked, and called it a circle that couldn't be escaped.
Another brought up that the company released Emma just after the WWE Elimination Chamber show announcement in her home country.
The line of thinking from many on the roster is that WWE aligned these cuts with the announcement of Elimination Chamber and Smackdown rights fee deal in order to minimize the negative impact on the company. TKO's stock dropped from $96.23 to $88.95 by 10:10 ET after the Smackdown announcement. The stock now sits at $86.94 as of 12:20 ET as news of releases have filtered in.
WWE sources we spoke with said that mass cuts were not discussed under Triple H, and this is in direct correlation to the merger.
Several talent that we spoke to had even thought the days of mass cuts were behind them, and deals would simply be allowed to expire. That had appeared to be the method of late.
Hey guys, I might need a little help with our discussion threads over the next few days. I'm getting my appendix removed and I could be in hospital for 2-5 days. Depends on if it's perforated or not (spoiler: its not looking good).
Sorry for derailing the thread. Just wanted to get the word out before people wonder why those threads are missing.
Also just want to check to make sure you've got people to help you out while you're recovering! If not I don't know if I'm in range to help but holler if you need help and who knows!
Dolph leaving WWE and Punk leaving AEW (Yes I still held out that tiny fraction of hope that AJ Lee could have come back because of Punk in AEW ;__;) means we'll never get a Zigglee reunion. SIIIIGH
AJ Lee appeared on the latest season of Heels (Punk was character in the show too) so she possibly has caught the wrestling bug again... never say never.
I'm not shocked, Endeavor doesn't seem to care for the Saudi's as they cut ties, including a 400 million dollar investment, with them after the journalist was murdered.
I am saddened though because MMM was hilarious and they made a good team.
I'm just hoping that Tony doesn't start salivating and start picking out the released wrestlers like new toys.
I wouldn't mind seeing some of these pass through AEW/ROH, but I don't wanna see TK just panic 'buy' people because they get released and just have more people to not get ring time.
Moxley will (hopefully) be on concussion precautions for at least a little while, and I haven't seen any updates on Adam Cole. So, it might be a good time to pick up 1 or 2.
Quick edit: I forgot, Jade Cargill is likely leaving AEW to go to WWE, so that opens a spot in the women's division, too.
I don't see a lot of the guys released so far going to AEW. Ali, definitely. Rick Boogs, maybe. The rest have never really stood out to the point that I could see them making a play.
I would add Ziggler as a maybe. His brother is already there and he is a decent enough mid carder for having fun matches on TV.
On the other hand, the AEW is still bloated enough, that even with Dynamite, Rampage and Collision (and RoH) not every employed wrestler can be featured
I just really hope they all are able to land on their feet. What worries me is this might be a scumbag tactic: hit all these wrestlers with releases, then bring them back for less money once their non-competes end (assuming they don't choose to go elsewhere, of course).
I remember the first time the world got to experience Eric Bugenhagen. I haven't watched WWE in a long time, did Rick Boogs ever get to do anything that recaptured that magic? I don't care where he goes next, but that charisma needs to be on TV somewhere.
Can't help but feel sorry for Tegan / Nixon. She's had such a bad run of luck these last few years. Can't wait to see what see does though, she was great in WCPW.
According to a previous SEC filing from April, WWE brass had multi-million dollar bonuses after the merger officially closed.
WWE CEO Nick Khan had a bonus of $15,000,000, while Chief Content Officer “Triple H” Paul Levesque had $5,000,000, with both amounts payable in full as soon as the merger closed.
CFO Frank A. Riddick III, who is no longer with the company, was listed to have a $5,000,000 bonus, with 60% being paid after the deal closed, and 40% in the six months after.
According to cagematch, he returned in January and has had 16 matches this year, but we're talking 1 match a month, 5 at the highest in April. Just enough to be there but not really noticed.