Posted in: AEW, Sports, TV | Tagged: Wrestlemania, wrestling

WWE Releases Nikki Cross, Alba Fyre, More in Post-Mania Purge

WWE has commenced its annual post-WrestleMania talent purge, releasing Nikki Cross, Alba Fyre, Zoey Stark, Andre Chase, and half of the Wyatt Sicks faction.

In what has become as predictable a tradition as the showcase of the immortals itself, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has commenced its annual post-WrestleMania ritual of bidding farewell to a swath of contracted talent. Perhaps the record profits from incredibly expensive ticket prices and Saudi Arabian blood money are running tight this year, or maybe WWE just needs the money to employ more important WWE Superstars like Jelly Roll and Lil Yachty, but whatever the case, a new round of talent departures swept the company Friday, leaving a number of beloved performers searching for their next professional chapter.

The releases were first reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, who began documenting the cuts on his social media throughout the day Friday. As is customary, the news arrived with little ceremony and considerable heartbreak for those affected, many of whom took to social media to address their fans, colleagues, and the company that had employed them.

Among the most notable names departing the company is Nikki Cross, the Scottish-born performer who had been a fixture of WWE programming across NXT, Raw, and SmackDown for years. Cross had most recently been aligned with the Wyatt Sicks faction, a grouping built around the lore of the late Bray Wyatt. In a heartfelt statement posted to her Twitter account, Cross expressed gratitude rather than bitterness regarding her departure.

"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," Cross wrote. The performer extended specific thanks to Robbie Brookside and William Regal, the latter of whom played an instrumental role in WWE's now-defunct black-and-gold era of NXT, for helping bring her wrestling dreams to fruition. Cross also acknowledged her fellow wrestlers, coaches, producers, backstage crew, and the women of the locker room.

Also among the released talent is Alba Fyre, who had most recently been competing as part of a tag team with Chelsea Green. Fyre, known on the independent circuit as Kay Lee Ray, took to Twitter with a characteristically cheeky response to her release, writing, "Kay Lee Ray would batter Alba Fyre. Just saying…." The statement suggests the veteran performer, a former NXT UK Women's Champion with a sterling reputation on the independent scene, is prepared to resume her former identity and competitive trajectory outside the WWE system. Zoey Stark, a former NXT Women's Championship contender who had spent considerable time on the main roster, has likewise been let go.

Andre Chase, the charismatic leader of Chase University in NXT, struck an optimistic tone in his farewell message. "One last TEACHABLE MOMENT," Chase wrote, before promptly announcing his availability for bookings, signings, and seminars beginning in June. The professor-gimmicked performer, whose academic-themed faction became a fan favorite during his NXT tenure, appears ready to take his act to the independent circuit.

In a particularly notable development, the release of Cross marks the third member of the Wyatt Sicks faction to be let go in this round of cuts. Uncle Howdy, the masked figure connected to Bray Wyatt's lore and the de facto leader of the Wyatt Sicks, has also been released. Howdy took to Twitter with a cryptic and haunting message that seemed to channel the theatrical sensibility of the character: "It's not enough, it's not enough. It's not enough for you to save me now. Cause where was your hand when I was always screaming out?"

Joe Gacy, another Wyatt Sicks member and former NXT mainstay known for his unconventional character work, addressed his departure with characteristic brevity, posting simply "✌🏻lol" to his Twitter account. The dismantling of the Wyatt Sicks faction in a single afternoon raises significant questions about WWE's long-term creative plans for the group, which had been positioned as a meaningful piece of programming honoring the legacy of the late Bray Wyatt.

The timing of these releases is particularly inauspicious given the lukewarm-at-best reception to this year's WrestleMania. The annual flagship event drew significant criticism from longtime fans and industry observers alike, with complaints centering on a litany of issues that have plagued the company's creative direction. Ticket prices reached unprecedented heights, pricing out a considerable portion of the traditional wrestling audience, while the heavy involvement of celebrity figures such as Pat McAfee, Jelly Roll, and Lil Yachty in WrestleMania storylines drew the ire of fans who would prefer to see the company's contracted wrestlers receive such prominent placement.

Compounding these grievances is what many perceive as stagnant booking, an over-reliance on aging main event stars and nostalgia acts at the expense of building new talent, and the company's increasingly visible MAGA political associations under the ownership umbrella of TKO Group Holdings (TKO). For a fanbase already expressing disgust at WWE's blatant prioritization of profit over product quality, the release of working-class performers while celebrity guests collect substantial paydays will likely add fuel to an already considerable fire of discontent.

The released talent will presumably be subject to standard non-compete clauses before being free to sign elsewhere. All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and various international promotions will undoubtedly be monitoring the situation closely, as several of the released performers possess considerable experience and established fanbases.

This report will be updated as additional names are revealed. Bleeding Cool extends its best wishes to all the talent affected by Friday's cuts.

UPDATE: Dexter Lumis, who posted a photo of himself to Twitter in response, and Erick Rowan, who did not, have both also been released by WWE, ending the Wyatt Sicks faction completely. In addition

UPDATE x2: Dante Chen has been release, posting to Twitter, "Goodbye and thank you, WWE. 5 years, 147 matches. The list of names of people I want to thank is endless. I am proud to be the first Singaporean-born WWE Superstar, and I hope that inspires everyone that anything can be achieved. Stay tuned. Chen. Now. Forever. Together."

UPDATE x3: Kairi Sane, Apollo Crews, Aleister Black, and Zelina Vega, both Motor City Machine Guns, and Santos Escobar have all been reportedly released as well.

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