WWE Stars ‘Heartbroken’ by Releases as 23 Wrestlers Get Cut
WWE has made sweeping roster cuts, releasing 23 wrestlers including Kairi Sane, Aleister Black, The Wyatt Sicks, and many others. The cuts come just days after WrestleMania and hours before SmackDown, affecting rosters across Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.
Among those released are Kairi Sane, all five members of The Wyatt Sicks (Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, Nikki Cross, and Bo Dallas, AKA Uncle Howdy), Aleister Black, his wife Zelina Vega, legendary tag team the Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin), Alba Fyre, Zoey Stark, Apollo Crews, and Santos Escobar.
Zoey Stark had been out of action for months due to injury but was recently cleared to return, according to Fightful. Typically, main roster talent is given a 90-day period under contract, while NXT talent has 30 days. NXT releases include Malik Blade, Andre Chase, Dante Chen, Luca Crusifino, Tyson Dupont, Tyriek Igwe, and Olympian Tayra Mae Steel.
Wyatt Sicks Legacy
The Wyatt Sicks were a group honoring the late Bray Wyatt, who brought his real-life brother Bo Dallas into WWE in 2022 as Uncle Howdy. The faction recently stalled in a months-long rivalry with Solo Sikoa and the MFT group. They collided in a wild Street Fight on April 17 to kick off WrestleMania weekend and participated in fan meet and greets at WWE World.
Alba Fyre had not appeared much lately due to injuries to her allies Piper Niven and Chelsea Green, but she was present at the media junket in Las Vegas, as were Motor City Machine Guns, Zelina Vega, and Aleister Black. Some of the released stars had been rehired or signed within the last 18 months.
Full List of WWE Superstar Releases in April 2026
- Kairi Sane
- Alex Shelley
- Chris Sabin
- Aleister Black
- Zelina Vega
- Nikki Cross
- Uncle Howdy/Bo Dallas
- Erick Rowan
- Joe Gacy
- Dexter Lumis
- Santos Escobar
- Alba Fyre
- Zoey Stark
- Apollo Crews
- Malik Blade
- Dante Chen
- Andre Chase
- Luca Crusifino
- Tyson Dupont
- Tyriek Igwe
- Tayra Mae Steel
Reactions from Released Stars
Alba Fyre, who signed with WWE in January 2019, appeared in good spirits at the media event. On X, she wrote: ‘Kay Lee Ray would batter Alba Fyre. Just saying….’
Nikki Cross posted: ‘Goodbye and Thank you WWE. I’m really excited for whatever my next chapter will hold. Thank you all for the continued love and support. Special thank you to Robbie Brookside and William Regal for helping this dream come true. Thank you to the wrestlers, coaches, producers and all the backstage crew who make all this possible. To the amazing girls in locker room.’
Zelina Vega wrote: ‘My fans mean the absolute world to me. I’ve lost a lot this year and in my life in general… but I gained all of you. Thank you. Your support means more than you’ll ever know.’
Fellow Superstars React
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella responded to Nikki Cross: ‘Heartbroken. Love you so much, Nikki! Going to miss your energy, laugh, and light every time you walked into a room. Can’t wait to watch this next chapter. I know it’s going to be the best one yet!!’
Chelsea Green, who appeared on screen with Alba Fyre, wrote: ‘You guys didn’t get to see how talented KLR is. I know you saw bits & pieces, but trust me, there’s so much more to her. She’s a fearless wrestler… I’m sad to not have her on my side, but this is just the beginning for my girl. Thank you for having my back, Slaygent A. Love you!’
Rhea Ripley described the annual cuts as the ‘worst time of the year’, posting: ‘Today’s been a very sad day… Absolutely gutted for my friends and comrades. Worst time of the year. Go prove them all wrong!’
Analysis: Baffling Decisions
Metro’s WWE expert Alistair McGeorge assesses the cuts: Every year, fans are reeling from WWE’s post-WrestleMania roster cuts, and this is no different. Although some names haven’t been used prominently, it’s never easy to see anyone lose their jobs, and some decisions are truly baffling. Kairi Sane was involved in a major storyline with Asuka and Iyo Sky for months, while Aleister Black returned from AEW a year ago, months after Zelina Vega’s return. The Wyatt Sicks had a prominent spot, and Motor City Machine Guns signed less than 18 months ago to much fanfare. It’s hard to understand some of these decisions.
Thankfully, companies like AEW, TNA Wrestling, New Japan, and the indies provide options for these stars. Megastars like Drew McIntyre and Chelsea Green show this isn’t the end, and a return to WWE is always possible, even if some cuts suggest even that isn’t a certainty anymore.
