WWE is reportedly parting ways with several superstars.
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported on Friday that WWE has cut ties with notable wrestlers Braun Strowman, Shayna Baszler, Dakota Kai, Katana Chance, Kayden Carter, Gigi Dolan, Jakara Jackson, Javier Bernal, Oro Mensah, Wolfgang, Mark Coffey and Joe Coffey. Additionally, Cora Jade, Eddy Thorpe and Riley Osborne took to social media to confirm they have also parted ways with the company.
Reports indicate that further WWE releases could be confirmed in the coming days.
Strowman, 41, stands tallest on the list after previously receiving his walking papers from WWE in June 2021. The former WWE Universal Champion returned to the company in September 2022 and has been a fixture on “WWE SmackDown,” feuding with the new United States Champion Jacob Fatu in recent weeks. Just two weeks ago, Strowman and LA Knight took on Fatu and Solo Sikoa in a tag-team match.
Kai and Dolan have also made relatively recent appearances on WWE programming. Kai was a part of the first Women’s Intercontinental title match opposite the now-champion, Lyra Valkyria. For Dolan, her last match came alongside Tatum Paxley when they lost a Women’s Tag Team Championship match against the champions, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez.
Regarding the tag team division, Chance and Carter were a well-established duo, who competed in the recent gauntlet match before WrestleMania 41 to set up Morgan and Rodriguez’s eventual clash against Valkyria and Becky Lynch.
“WWE SmackDown” will air Friday, hours after news of these releases came to light.
WWE SmackDown results, highlights (May 2): Jacob Fatu’s first title defense set for Backlash
“WWE SmackDown” in Des Moines, Iowa, was all about rounding out the rest of WWE Backlash in St. Louis, Missouri, which goes down next weekend.
The United States and WWE Women’s Championships occupied the spotlight as Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena got a night off on his farewell tour. That meant finding out who Jacob Fatu and Tiffany Stratton’s opponents would be — or at least getting a better idea. It was a long, long night, folks.
👑 Uncrowned Gem of the Night 👑
Let’s start immediately with the goods. Scratch that: The greats. Randy Orton is the best promo in WWE right now.
Orton was solo for his mic time on this “WWE SmackDown,” and it didn’t matter. He speaks, you listen. The legendary 14-time world champion forces engagement with how believable every word he says is. Whether it’s promising to punt John Cena’s Lego-shaped head at WWE Backlash, or somehow backhandedly burying WWE’s own lofty merch prices — the crowd loves him, and everyone should at this point. There’s no sugarcoating with Orton, and while I’m happy we’re getting a Cena revisit, I wish we had more regular weekly interactions between the two old rivals and build for this great role reversal. Here’s to hoping their match is just a 25-minute callback marathon to all their past matches.