In the recent wave of roster cuts by WWE, developmental wrestler Alexis Gray found herself among those released.
In an interview with WrestlingNewsCo, Gray expressed her initial surprise but also acknowledged a lingering sense of uncertainty. She admitted:
I personally did have that thought in the back of my mind, but because I was so new, I kind of didn’t accept that ‘You know, maybe I was a part of the people that were going to get laid off.’
The suddenness of her release left her baffled, as she believed she was finally finding her place within the company and understanding their expectations.
When I did get the call, it was baffling to me, because when I tell you … I had a plan. I felt like things were finally making sense in the company, I felt like I understood what they were requesting of us. To just be cut off immediately, as I understood it … it was a lot. It was crazy.
Despite the setback, Gray remains determined to pursue her wrestling career. She emphasised her sense of empowerment following her release, stating:
This is a whole new world for me, and I can just start fresh. It felt natural, it felt comfortable, it felt scary. But at the same time, I felt like, ‘Nothing’s telling me to not continue. Nothing’s telling me to not pursue this and see where this can go.’
Gray firmly believes that her talent and unique contributions could have made WWE successful if given the opportunity.
Who Else Did WWE Release In The Recent Roster Cuts?
So far WWE has cut over 20 performers since September 21st. Below is a list of the known Superstars that were cut from the roster:
- Mustafa Ali
- Rick Boogs
- Dolph Ziggler
- Shelton Benjamin
- Riddick Moss
- Emma
- Aliyah
- Elias
- Top Dolla
- Dana Brooke
- Mace
- Mansoor
- Quincy Elliott
- Shanky
- Yuliya Leon
- Dabba Kato
- Bryson Montana
- Kevin Ventura-Cortez
- Daniel McArthur
- Alexis Gray
- Brooklyn Barlow
- Ikeman Jiro
- Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald
- Matt Riddle
- Melanie Brzezinski (Performance Center recruit, did not make in-ring debut)
H/t to WrestlingInc.com