Real Reason Behind WWE’s Talents Release

On Thursday morning, a wave of WWE superstars were dismissed from the company after being acquired by Endeavor.

This string of surprise releases raised questions as it was initially assumed that WWE/NXT talent would not be affected by the merger.

According to a report from The Wrestling Observe Newsletter, the decision to make these cuts was motivated by a desire to significantly reduce costs, with a target reduction of between $50 million and $100 million following the merger with UFC.

Dave Meltzer explained the decision, stating, “It’s time in vs. how much money you are paid vs. return on investment.”

In other words, WWE assessed whether the talent’s contributions and future prospects justified their main roster salaries.

“The key to the releases were talent making main roster money but not being used on the main roster and with the idea that they were not going to be used in the future.

‘It’s time in vs. how much money you are paid vs. return on investment,’ said one WWE official regarding the talent cuts.”

While WWE initially intended not to release talent, the criteria for these cuts revolved around a balance between the talent’s earnings, their use on the main roster, and their potential future roles in WWE.

All released superstars, who are still under main contracts, have a 90-day non-compete clause.

This means they will be free to work for other wrestling promotions starting December 20, 2023, after their non-compete period ends.