Highlights

  • WWE made cuts to both behind-the-scenes employees and on-air talent, including notable wrestlers like Mustafa Ali and Dana Brooke.
  • The releases were a cost-cutting measure, as many of these wrestlers were not being used or had no future plans with the company.
  • WWE's priority is running a profitable business, so if employees are not being utilized, cost-cutting measures will be implemented. Wrestlers may find new opportunities with other promotions in the future.

After officially merging with UFC as part of TKO Holdings last week, WWE let go of dozens of employees that worked behind-the-scenes. The cuts would not end there, as over 20 WWE wrestlers, including Mustafa Ali, Dana Brooke and Dolph Ziggler, were released from their contract on September 21st.

Classic Case Of Budget Cuts

Budget cuts were always expected following Endeavor's acquisition of WWE. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter offered a few additional details on WWE's mindset regarding these releases. While initial reports stated that on-air talent wouldn't be part of any such cuts, that proved to be false following the recent releases.

WWE's September 2023 Releases: What Should They Do Next? Featured Image

Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer noted that it was done as a cost-cutting measure, with some of these wrestlers earning main roster money, but not being used on Raw or SmackDown (and in some cases, not being used at all). Additionally, many of the released talent were not part of any future plans that the company might have had, ultimately becoming disposable.

RELATED: 6 2023 WWE Releases The Company Will Regret

Wrestlers like Mustafa Ali and Dana Brooke were signed to main roster contracts while performing for NXT, so they were easy cuts in terms of saving a few dollars. Other notable names like Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Rick Boogs, Emma, and the Maximum Male Models (Mace & Mansoor) just weren't being used at all, with no creative plans in place. Lesser known wrestlers from NXT and developmental like Quincy Elliott & Bryson Montana also weren't part of any future plans.

Montez Ford and Bianca Belair with TKO Group Officials

In response to the releases, one WWE official had this to say, summarizing the whole situation perfectly: "It’s time in vs. how much money you are paid vs. return on investment."

WWE Is A Business First And Foremost

While it's easy to criticize WWE for leaving so many people without a job, especially after signing a $1.4 billion deal for SmackDown on the USA Network, at the end of the day, they're still trying to run a business. If an employee just isn't being used, and there are no plans for them to be used, cost-cutting measures will always take precedent for a company that's looking to make a profit.

RELATED: 6 2023 WWE Releases We Saw Coming (& 3 That Were Shocking)

There's no doubt that many of these wrestlers will bounce back and sign with another promotion, but for now, it's an unfortunate situation. Wrestlers with main roster contracts have 90-day non-compete clauses, while performers signed to NXT and developmental have a 30-day non-compete window.