WWE released at least 18 talents on April 24, 2026, in a sweeping post-WrestleMania roster purge. The cuts span the main roster, NXT, and WWE developmental, with Fightful Select and PWInsider both reporting that more departures could still surface in the coming days. Additional names, including Santos Escobar and Tamyra Mensah-Stock, have since been confirmed.
Some exits may be contract expirations rather than outright releases, and WWE has not issued an official statement.
The Wyatt Sicks Are Gone
All five members of the Wyatt Sicks have been confirmed as departing WWE. Bo Dallas formed the faction in June 2024 after returning as Uncle Howdy to honor his late brother Bray Wyatt. Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy held the WWE Tag Team Championship together during the group’s run. Erick Rowan’s release was confirmed by PWInsider. Lumis’ departure is his second exit from WWE, having previously been released in April 2022 before returning later that year.
Nikki Cross, who portrayed Abby the Witch in the stable, was among the first to confirm her exit publicly on X.
Cross had been with the company for 10 years, joining NXT in 2016 as part of SAnitY. She is a former Raw Women’s Champion and three-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. Cross has since posted a longer tribute to the Wyatt Sicks, Bray Wyatt, and Brodie Lee, and former tag partner Alexa Bliss shared an emotional message of her own.
Joe Gacy, who played Huskus the Pig Boy in the faction, also broke his silence on Instagram, thanking Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and his Wyatt Sicks teammates.
Kairi Sane
Kairi Sane is among the departures. Sane returned to WWE at Crown Jewel 2023 after a stint in STARDOM and NJPW, where she won the inaugural IWGP Women’s Championship. Back in WWE, she reunited with Asuka as the Kabuki Warriors and won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship for a third time. The duo lost the titles to Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY on the January 5, 2026 episode of Raw.
Sane has since posted her first public message since the release, hinting at her next chapter with a sailing metaphor. IYO SKY followed with a heartfelt tribute to her best friend, and WWE broadcaster Jackie Redmond briefly joined the #WeWantKairi movement before deleting her post.
Motor City Machine Guns
Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin are also among the departures. The Motor City Machine Guns signed with WWE in September 2024, debuted on SmackDown on October 18, and won the WWE Tag Team Championship in just their second week, upsetting The Bloodline. They lost the titles to #DIY in December 2024. Their departure ends a run that many considered long overdue, as Shelley and Sabin spent two decades winning championships in TNA, ROH, and NJPW before finally arriving in WWE.
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega have both departed WWE. Black, also known as Tommy End, had multiple WWE runs and is a former NXT Champion. Vega spent years on the main roster as a manager and in-ring competitor, winning the Queen’s Crown tournament in 2021. She has since posted an emotional open letter on Instagram reflecting on her journey.
Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews is also believed to be among the departures. Crews had a lengthy WWE run that included a United States Championship reign and a memorable Nigerian Drum Fight against Big E at WrestleMania 37.
Santos Escobar
Santos Escobar has been released while reportedly dealing with an injury, as covered in our separate report on his exit. The former Legado del Fantasma leader briefly departed WWE in 2025 before returning to the roster, and now exits for a second time.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Olympic gold medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock has also been released after three years. As we reported separately, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion signed with WWE in 2023 and competed as Tayra Mae Steel.
Zoey Stark and Alba Fyre
Zoey Stark’s departure comes despite reports that she had recently been cleared to return following a serious knee injury suffered in May 2025. She came up through NXT as tag team champion alongside IYO SKY. Stark has since publicly thanked WWE in a statement.
Alba Fyre, also known as Kay Lee Ray, reigned as NXT UK Women’s Champion for 649 days and won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with Isla Dawn. She had most recently been aligned with Chelsea Green on SmackDown before Piper Niven’s injury left her without a direction on television.
Andre Chase and Dante Chen
Andre Chase confirmed his release in an emotional social media video, crediting fan support for turning him into an on-screen star after initially being told he would never appear on television. He won the NXT Tag Team Championship twice and had just revived Chase U on the April 22 episode of NXT. He is available for bookings starting in June.
Dante Chen, the first Singaporean-born WWE Superstar, confirmed his exit after five years and 147 matches. He signed in September 2021 and worked primarily in NXT, NXT LVL Up, and WWE EVOLVE.
Developmental Departures
Three developmental talents have also been confirmed as departing, per Bodyslam+: Sirena Linton, Trill London, and Tyriek Igwe.
Locker Room Reactions and Behind the Scenes
Active WWE talent reacted publicly within hours of the news. Rhea Ripley, Chelsea Green, and others shared emotional messages, with the Women’s Champion calling it a sad day for the locker room.
Reports have also surfaced about Triple H’s role in the decision-making process behind the cuts.
Reporting on the broader release list was sourced from Fightful Select and PWInsider, with Bodyslam+ confirming the developmental departures.