Report: WWE Release Numerous Main Roster Talent (WWE News)
At least a half-dozen superstars were notified their time with WWE has come to an end.
WWE is on the Road to WrestleMania, but at least a half-dozen main roster talent will not be making the journey.
Fightful Select reports that the company released several superstars on Friday, including the Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar), their manager Paul Ellering, Cedric Alexander, and Blair Davenport. Sonya Deville reportedly was informed that her contract will not be renewed when it expires in the coming weeks, effectively cutting her loose as well.
Alexander confirmed his departure on his X (formerly Twitter) account:
Thank you for the last 8 1/2 years!
Being a professional wrestler has been a dream of mine since I could form memories and I will continue to do so till the good Lord says otherwise. #SeeYouIn90
— PRIME Alexander (@CedricAlexander) February 8, 2025
Cedric came into WWE via the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016. He competed on 205 Live, winning the Cruiserweight Championship, before joining the main roster, where he won the Raw Tag Team Championship with Shelton Benjamin as part of the Hurt Business. He had transitioned to NXT last summer and was competing for the developmental brand before his release Friday.
Fightful indicated that Alexander will be a free agent when his 90-day no-compete clause expires, and AEW sources expect his former teammates in the Hurt Syndicate to push for him to join them.
AOP returned to WWE television in January 2024, though they reportedly had re-signed with the company in 2022. They and manager Paul Ellering teamed with Karrion Kross and Scarlett to form the Final Testament. The trio of wrestlers battled the Pride (Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits) in a losing effort at WrestleMania 40. Their last action on Raw saw the Final Testament and Miz defeat the Wyatt Sicks in December. AOP and Ellering have not been seen with Kross and Scarlett in backstage segments this year, and Fightful reported that there were no creative plans for them following the feud with the Wyatts.
Deville had been with WWE since competing on Tough Enough in 2015. She had a stint as an assistant GM on Raw before returning to active competition. She most recently served as the mouthpiece for the lower-card stable Pure Fusion Collective, which included Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark. Deville competed in the women's Royal Rumble last week but was eliminated after about six minutes.
Davenport has to be the most frustrating, as she was called up to the main roster in the 2024 draft but WWE never had any creative plans for her, per Fightful. That was evidenced by the fact she only had five televised matches since her April 2024 call-up, with her last match coming in a first round triple threat loss in the Women's United States Championship tournament in November.
The releases follow news earlier this week that NXT superstar and former tag champ Duke Hudson also has been released from the company.
We wish the best for all the talent released.