The Wyatt Sicks are set to make appearances for the first time after departing WWE.
The Wyatt Sicks members were among the several names released following WrestleMania 42. It has been announced that they will reunite at WrestleCon during WWE SummerSlam weekend in Minneapolis. The three-day convention runs from July 31 through August 2.
WrestleCon announced on Twitter that the entire Wyatt Sicks lineup will be available for fan interactions during the convention. The appearance will feature Bo Dallas under the name Taylor Rotunda, Nikki Cross using the name Nikki Storm, Dexter Lumis returning to Samuel Shaw, Erick Rowan once again using Erick Redbeard, and Joe Gacy now going by Joseph Sawyer.
Let them in! This group may be headed in different directions, but we have assembled them once again for the entire 3 day weekend. Group pro photos will be available each day. pic.twitter.com/KZhgpwPvV1
The announcement marks a notable convention booking for the faction. WrestleCon typically runs alongside major WWE events and draws fans from around the world for meet-and-greets, autograph signings, and panel discussions.
The timing coincides with WWE SummerSlam weekend, one of the biggest events on the wrestling calendar. Minneapolis will host the Premium Live Event, with WrestleCon serving as a hub for independent wrestling talent and WWE performers making convention appearances.
A backstage rumor making the rounds among WWE talents points to a power player within TKO Group Holdings as the driving force behind the post-WrestleMania 42 releases of several dark-character acts, according to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson.
“I don’t know if there’s a pattern but I can tell you there’s been a story bouncing around among talents that someone in the TKO realm isn’t a fan of the darker characters and that’s been the blame placed on why The Wyatts, Aleister Black, Zelina, etc. were all cut,” Johnson said on the latest PWInsider Q&A. “One person even suggested to me that Undertaker being The American Badass and not The Deadman in appearances is proof of that outlook.”
Johnson stressed that PWInsider could not independently verify the claim, but noted the account had been relayed to him multiple times over the past week.
WWE released more than 20 talents on April 24 in a sweeping post-WrestleMania 42 roster reduction. The departures included every member of the Wyatt Sicks: Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy), Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, and Nikki Cross. Aleister Black and his wife Zelina Vega were also among those let go.
Each of those acts shared a common thread: horror-inflected, darker character work. The Wyatt Sicks were built around the creative legacy of the late Bray Wyatt, with Bo Dallas leading the group as Uncle Howdy following his brother’s passing in August 2023. Black and Vega had aligned as a villainous couple with overt dark-arts presentation on SmackDown.
Zelina Vega noted during a Twitch livestream that her release call came directly from TKO, not WWE’s internal talent relations team, a distinction she highlighted publicly.
The Undertaker Detail
The most provocative element of Johnson’s report involves The Undertaker. Per the sources relaying the rumor, TKO’s apparent resistance to supernatural characters is evidenced by the Hall of Famer’s recent appearances in his biker “American Badass” persona rather than the iconic Deadman character he retired in 2020.
The Deadman gimmick is among the most decorated in WWE history, winning the Wrestling Observer’s Best Gimmick award five consecutive times. The American Badass version, which Undertaker originally adopted in 2000, strips away the supernatural elements in favor of a more grounded, human presentation.
Context and Caveats
It is worth noting that a separate report indicated TKO did not mandate the April 24 cuts, with Triple H and Nick Khan identified as the primary decision-makers. Per that account, the reductions were driven by budget considerations rather than a directive from TKO’s ownership level.
Those two reports are not necessarily contradictory. A preference expressed at the TKO level could influence creative direction without constituting a formal mandate for specific releases. Johnson himself did not name the individual within TKO said to hold the anti-dark-character view.
Nikki Cross has broken her silence on her WWE release, sharing an emotional tribute to the Wyatt Sicks and honoring the memories of Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee.
Wyatts. Abby. It was the honour of a lifetime. Forever I will hold onto you. Our raggedy torn dirty white bloodstained dress and the cracked mask that showed off the scars but never broken.
Fireflies. I love you beyond measure. Thank you for lighting the way ? Being with you… pic.twitter.com/7Fo5BXSFoU
“Wyatts. Abby. It was the honour of a lifetime. Forever I will hold onto you,” Cross wrote. “Our raggedy torn dirty white bloodstained dress and the cracked mask that showed off the scars but never broken.”
Cross gave particular attention to the late Wyatt and Brodie Lee, writing that their presence was felt every night the group performed.
“Every night we performed for you all, it felt like Bray and Brodie were there, their hands on our shoulders,” she said.
Cross addressed the Fireflies, the fan base that supported the group, and closed with a promise to share more when she finds the right words.
“I’m struggling to find the right words to talk about our journey. In time I will, so please allow me to share photos which capture the words I don’t have currently. Please know that I love you all,” she wrote.
A Decade With WWE
Cross joined WWE’s NXT brand in 2016 and spent a decade with the company. She held the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship three times and won the Money in the Bank contract in 2021, cashing it in the following day to capture the Raw Women’s Championship. She joined the Wyatt Sicks in June 2024.
Per Fightful Select and PWInsider, the releases were part of a broader post-WrestleMania roster reduction. Joe Gacy also posted an emotional farewell, paying tribute to each member of the faction individually. Cross had not competed in a match since a holiday tour in December 2024.
Joe Gacy has issued a statement following his WWE release on Friday. The Wyatt Sicks member posted an emotional message on Instagram thanking the company and his faction teammates.
Gacy was among all Wyatt Sicks members released in WWE’s latest round of departures announced Friday. The group’s entire roster was cut from the company.
In his Instagram post, Gacy reflected on achieving his childhood dream of working for WWE. He recalled watching Monday Night Raw with his brother and fighting on their beds as kids.
“To @shawnmichaels, thank you for giving me my early opportunity in @wwenxt and allowing me to try something new and become a star,” Gacy wrote. He also thanked Triple H “for putting me in a position with the Wyatt Sicks to achieve a dream and see parts of the world I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.”
Emotional Tributes to Wyatt Sicks Teammates
Gacy dedicated individual messages to each Wyatt Sicks member. He thanked Bo Dallas for “trusting me and accepting me to be a part of this legacy” and called it a true honor.
To Erick Rowan, Gacy wrote about enjoying their travel conversations and hearing stories about the early years with Windham Rotunda. He praised Nikki Cross as “my older little sister” for showing him the ropes as a fresh call-up.
Gacy called Dexter Lumis “my partner, my brother” and thanked him for being reliable both in and out of the ring. He described Lumis as an inspiration professionally and personally.
Tribute to Windham Rotunda’s Legacy
Gacy closed with a tribute to the late Windham Rotunda, the creative force behind the Wyatt Family legacy. “I just want to thank you for letting me in,” Gacy wrote. “Allowing me to be a part of all of this has been a true honor. I really can’t even believe I got to do this and be a part even a little in keeping your legacy alive.”
Gacy ended his statement with “See you in 90,” referencing WWE’s standard 90-day non-compete clause for released talent.
