Some within WWE are less than impressed with the latest round of talent cuts.
On September 21st, Mustafa Ali, Aliyah, and Emma all announced they were no longer with WWE. This was followed by reports that Madcap Moss, Top Dolla, Rick Boogs, and Elias have also been released by the company.
The releases have caught many fans by surprise as they came just hours after the company announced a huge new TV deal with the USA Network. As per the agreement, SmackDown will leave FOX, and head back to USA for five years. The deal is said to be worth $1.4 billion.
This in turn comes after WWE announced its merger with UFC which is believed to be worth $21 billion.
This apparent PR nightmare also hasn’t gone unnoticed by those within the company.
According to a report from Fightful Select, “There was some frustration among members of the roster” at the news given the releases were so close to confirmation of the TV deal. One top star said those who’d been released barely stood a chance as they hadn’t been booked.
Several talents thought that the days of mass cuts were in the past, believing contracts would instead be allowed to expire.
The report adds that many within WWE who would be expected to be in the know about the cuts didn’t appear to have knowledge of the releases.
WWE Confirms Australia Return And New TV Deal
WWE began the day by confirming that the company will be returning to Australia in February for Elimination Chamber. This was followed by the news of the new TV deal for SmackDown.
It’s been reported that the SmackDown move could see Monday Night Raw and NXT leave the USA Network with a number of parties interested in securing the programs.