WWE Has Lost 17 Talents From The Roster (And Those Might Not Be The Last)

WWE has seen a lot of changes to its roster recently. Over the past three weeks, there have been several surprising departures and releases, and more are expected. So far, 17 performers have left the company, either through releases, contracts not being renewed, or immediate terminations. Santos Escobar was almost among them, but he ultimately decided to stay after WWE offered him a new contract.

Recent cuts have impacted WWE across the board, affecting performers at all stages of their careers. Several well-known names have left, including Karrion Kross and Scarlett, who’ve shared details about their contract talks and reasons for leaving. While Andrade quickly joined AEW, the cuts haven’t only affected main roster stars. Promising talents from programs like WWE ID, Evolve, and NXT – including Wes Lee, Kylie Rae, Zayda Steel, Summer Sorrell, Stevie Turner, Lance Anoa’i, and most recently, Ridge Holland – have also been released.

WWE’s Roster Has Experienced Big Cuts, and Some Are Truly Shocking

Unfortunately, WWE has become known for releasing performers, but this is the first time those cuts have impacted its newer projects, WWE ID and Evolve. We’re also seeing more wrestlers choose to leave when their contracts end, and that was the case with Escobar, whose contract wasn’t renewed.

Zayda Steel is wrestling Indi Hartwell at House of Glory!

— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) October 11, 2025

Several wrestlers on this list didn’t get the opportunity to fully showcase their abilities on the main television shows as expected. Steel, who excelled in Evolve and seemed destined for NXT, immediately wrestled Indi Hartwell after leaving WWE. Lance Anoa’i never even had a chance to debut, and Stevie Turner, despite some appearances in NXT UK, was shifted into a managerial position after recovering from an injury, preventing her from returning to in-ring competition in either NXT or Evolve.

Wes Lee showed a lot of promise when he moved to the main roster, particularly after overcoming the challenges when his tag team partner was let go due to personal issues. He successfully transitioned to a singles competitor, putting on several matches that were considered among the best of the year. However, he recently stopped appearing on television, and now he’s left the company. It’s possible we’ll see him wrestling in TNA soon, as he’s worked there before and has an established presence.

Ridge Holland’s departure is particularly unexpected, especially since he’s currently recovering from an injury he sustained during a recent match as part of the TNA and NXT collaboration. He learned today that WWE won’t be renewing his contract. While WWE is covering his injury rehab, the fact that he’s unable to wrestle for another six months puts him in a difficult situation.

— Luke Menzies (@RidgeWWE) October 13, 2025

I recently learned that WWE won’t be renewing my contract after it expires on November 14th. They will continue to cover my injury rehabilitation, but my guaranteed salary will stop. This is really frustrating because I won’t be able to work for another six months while I recover, and I have a family of five to provide for.

Despite facing a lot of setbacks during my time with WWE, I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunities and experiences I’ve had. The amazing support from a few special people has always kept me motivated. Thank you to them. I’m not sure what the future holds for my wrestling career, but I’ll be focusing on recovery and launching an online coaching business soon, so keep an eye out for updates.

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2025-10-14 07:10

WWE Has Lost 17 Talents From The Roster (And Those Might Not Be The Last)

WWE’s Roster Has Experienced Big Cuts, and Some Are Truly Shocking

Every WWE Star Released in Recent Talent Cuts:

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