Backstage Reason Behind 2026 WWE Wrestlers Releases Revealed
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and WWE President Nick Khan were the masterminds behind the latest roster cuts following WrestleMania 42, as per Fightful.
It has been reported that TKO was not the driving force behind the releases. The outlet noted that Sources within WWE confirmed the cuts were handled internally by the promotion's leadership team.
Fightful reported that most of the releases were due to clearing the way for new talent. The possibility of SmackDown returning to two hours in the near future was also noted as another reason.
Bodyslam has reported that SmackDown will switch back to two hours within the next few weeks.
The April 25 cuts saw a handful of wrestlers let go, including The Wyatt Sicks, Aleister Black, Kairi Sane, and Zelina Vega. The report clarifies that TKO, WWE's parent company, did not mandate the roster reductions.
Triple H and Khan worked with talent relations to determine which performers would be released following the company's biggest event of the year.
