The WWE has made roster cuts following a new television rights announcement after a major merger. Among the superstars released are Matt Riddle, Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, and Mustafa Ali, according to multiple reports.
Matt Riddle, a former UFC fighter who achieved success in WWE, announced his release on Friday. He expressed gratitude to the fans and mentioned his future plans.
Riddle began his journey with WWE in NXT and quickly rose to popularity. He later joined the main roster and formed a successful tag team with Randy Orton. However, Riddle’s behavioral issues, including a recent incident at an airport, led to his release.
Dolph Ziggler, a former world heavyweight champion and Money in the Bank winner with almost 20 years in the company, was also released. Shelton Benjamin, a multi-time titleholder, confirmed his own release. Elias shared a tweet reflecting on his time in WWE.
Other superstars, including Mustafa Ali, Emma, Madcap Moss, and Aliyah, confirmed their releases on social media. Ali’s release was particularly surprising considering he was scheduled to compete for the NXT North American Championship. Additional cuts are expected.
WWE Superstars Released This Week
- Matt Riddle
- Dolph Ziggler
- Shelton Benjamin
- Elias
- Mustafa Ali
- Emma
- Riddick Moss
- Aliyah
- Top Dolla
- Rick Boogs
- Mace
- Mansoor
- Dana Brooke
- Dabba Kato
- Shanky
- Ikemen Jiro
- Yulisa Leon
- Quincy Elliott
- Bryson Montana
- Kevin Ventura-Cortez
- Daniel McArthur
- Alexis Gray
- Brooklyn Barlow
- Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald
WWE recently announced that SmackDown will move from Fox to USA Network in October 2024 as part of a new five-year deal with NBCUniversal. The agreement also includes four primetime network specials. According to The Hollywood Reporter, both Monday Night Raw and NXT will reportedly move from USA Network.
The releases follow the launch of TKO, a media conglomerate created by Endeavor that merged WWE and UFC parent company Zuffa. Although WWE and UFC remain separate entities, they now operate under the banner of TKO. The new company officially launched on September 12 with a valuation of $21.4 billion.
Earlier this month, over 100 off-camera WWE staff members were laid off as part of budget cuts.
