New Details Emerge on WWE's Unexpected Decision to Release Top Superstars

More details have emerged behind WWE's surprise decision to release the Wyatt Sicks, Aleister Black and Zelina Vega.

After WrestleMania 42 weekend, WWE released w3 superstars in an unexpected wave of budget cuts. Aside from Black, Vega and the entire Wyatt Sicks faction, this included Kairi Sane, Apollo Crews, the Motor City Machine Guns and Joe Gacy.

WWE periodically undergoes massive budget cuts, but many fans were caught off guard by the timing. With WrestleMania in the rear-view mirror, it's a pivotal time for WWE to build toward its next few premium live events.



According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE's decision to release Black, Vega and the Wyatt Sicks came down to the company feeling like they had exhausted all angles with these superstars.

Meltzer wrote that WWE had limited options with the Wyatt Sicks, since they were a tribute stable to the late Bray Wyatt, who died of a heart attack three years ago at age 36:

"It was just felt that the group had run its course. Even at first there were those who saw it as a short-term idea. It was basically a tribute to Bray Wyatt and was over big at first but it was limiting how they could be used with that gimmick over the long haul.

The feeling was they got all out of the Wyatts they were going to get and Black and Vega was just a decision made on who they weren't going to do anything more with. The reality is that even though they recruited Black hard to get out of AEW, once he returned, they really didn't have much in the way of ideas for him."

Black was released by WWE in 2021 before joining the rival AEW promotion. He spent four years there before returning to WWE last year.

AEW Could Move Quickly to Sign Released WWE Talents

Since launching in 2019, AEW has stacked up on signing former WWE superstars. Early on, they recruited the likes of Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose in WWE) and Cody Rhodes. The latter, of course, returned to WWE four years ago.

Nobody should be surprised if AEW moves quickly to sign a plethora of the released WWE superstars. Aleister Black was a fan favorite there before, and Tony Khan could be extra motivated to give him a big push.

AEW has a long way to go in catching WWE. But as we saw with WCW in the '90s, the gap can close quickly if they bring in former WWE talent and maximize their skill sets and popularity.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 10:55 PM.