Aleister Black is once again moving on from WWE after a second release from the company. (Credit: Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
A fresh wave of former WWE talent has officially hit the open market.
Per PWInsider, 11 wrestlers released by WWE in April have now seen their 90-day non-compete periods expire, clearing the way for them to negotiate with other wrestling promotions. The group of newly available free agents features several names tied to the Wyatt Six, a highly respected tag team, and multiple standout women’s division performers:
The departures were part of WWE’s latest post-WrestleMania roster cuts in April, a round of “spring cleaning” releases that has become familiar in recent years. The company has often used that period to trim its roster, particularly among midcard and lower-card wrestlers who were not being featured regularly on television.
Some of the former WWE stars have already begun positioning themselves for their next chapters. Zelina Vega, who was released by WWE for a second time and was reportedly informed of the decision by parent company TKO, recently filed to trademark the name “Xelina.” She is widely expected to draw strong interest on the wrestling free-agent market, with Kairi Sane also likely to be among the most in-demand names from this group.
Sane’s exit came while she was involved in a notable storyline with Asuka and Iyo Sky. Although there had been speculation that she might appear at WWE Backlash in May to help bring that angle to a close, that appearance never happened. Now, the acclaimed in-ring performer becomes an intriguing option for promotions such as TNA and AEW, both of which could benefit from adding a wrestler with her international profile and high-level ring skills.
Other stars who figure to be targeted by AEW include the Motor City Machine Guns, one of the greatest tag teams of all-time and a duo that would be an excellent fit in AEW’s tag team division alongside teams like The Young Bucks as well as Christian Cage and Adam Copeland. TNA, where MCMG has their most success, would make sense for the tag team as well, though it remains to be seen how TNA and WWE’s cross-promotion might complicate that.
Most of WWE’s other released stars could have difficulty finding a spot in a major promotion. There are several factors that could inhibit their abilities to find work, including WWE’s current working relationship with TNA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s recent struggles, AEW’s bloated roster and the overall declining state of the independent wrestling scene.
What’s more, accomplished ex-WWE stars The New Day and Sheamus, are among the high-profile stars who will soon also be available on the free agent market. The duo of Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston is perhaps the greatest tag team in WWE history while Sheamus is a former multi-time world champion, which will make that trio highly desirable to AEW, TNA and other major promotions.
Under TKO’s leadership, WWE has shown no qualms about releasing or not re-signing major stars on big deals, even reportedly asking top stars to take significant pay cuts to remain with the company earlier this year. With that being WWE’s new reality, the free agent market figures to become more saturated more often with ex-WWE names. Likewise, TNA, NJPW and AEW all become even more attractive to stars who were let go by WWE.
Even with marketable names and elite in-ring performers like Black now available to sign elsewhere, WWE will continue to move forward with its current roster, which includes a slew of recent NXT call-ups.
