WWE fans got surprise news on Friday as the company made unexpected talent cuts from their roster. The news reportedly broke as the February 7th edition of SmackDown went off the air and the reaction backstage was understandably surprised.
Over the years, WWE has seen an influx of multiple talented athletes. While some rise to the occasion and become top attractions, others do not experience the same success. This often leads to their heartbreaking release from the company.
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At various points in a year, WWE releases multiple talents from its roster. The last round came in December 2024. Following this week’s Smackdown it was reported that Sonya Deville, AOP, Paul Ellering, Cedric Alexander, and Blair Davenport were sent their walking papers by the company.
The releases allegedly caught many backstage at WWE’s latest televised event “off guard.”
How did the WWE locker room react to the recent round of releases?
According to Chris Featherstone of Sportskeeda, many WWE superstars were “caught off guard” by the recent talent releases. The reason for the reaction was that talents like Sonya Deville and AOP were regular fixtures on WWE television programming or were set to get more TV time.
Other reports stated that following the end of The Final Testament’s feud with Wyatt Sicks, there were no creative plans for AOP and Ellering. Cedric Alexander was not utilized on WWE TV much, while Blair Davenport got only a few matches to show her worth upon her main roster call-up. In the case of Sonya Deville, WWE told her that they would not be renewing her contract.
Most of them are likely to have a good deal of interest from various companies around the pro wrestling industry.
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