Highlights
- Mustafa Ali's unexpected release from WWE impacted his scheduled match for the North American Championship, where he was originally set to win the title.
- The reaction from NXT officials behind the scenes showed surprise and frustration over Ali's release, forcing them to change their plans.
- Ali's time in WWE has been filled with missed opportunities and setbacks, making his release another unlucky break, but now he has the chance to showcase his talent in another promotion like AEW or Impact Wrestling.
The wrestling world is still dealing with the aftermath of WWE's long list of releases in September that impacted both the main roster and NXT. One of the released wrestlers, Mustafa Ali, was scheduled to face Dominik Mysterio at NXT No Mercy for the North American Championship. A new report from Fightful Select states that Ali was originally planned to win the title before he was unexpectedly released.
Plans Changed With Mustafa Ali's Release
The plans obviously changed with WWE's budget cuts, with Trick Williams replacing Mustafa Ali in the scheduled North American Championship match. Williams would ultimately beat Mysterio for the title. While it was initially reported that Ali wasn't penciled in for a title run, the new report suggests otherwise.
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Further proof that this was likely the case was the reaction behind-the-scenes from NXT officials. Beyond losing a talented wrestler like Ali, the word backstage was that people were upset and caught off guard by his release, forcing them to change plans.
Additional information mentioned that Shawn Michaels and the NXT creative team had Mustafa Ali scheduled for the brand until March 2024, which certainly caused a wrinkle for long-term plans.
Another Unlucky Break For Mustafa Ali
Mustafa Ali's time in WWE was a rollercoaster ride for the talented star. After proving himself as more than a cruiserweight, WWE seemed intent on pushing him. Ali was supposed to have the breakout performance at Elimination Chamber in 2019, but he got injured and Kofi Kingston got the huge rub instead. While it was never stated that he would be the one to challenge then-WWE Champion Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35, he was definitely considered.
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Following some ups and downs that supposedly included a scrapped gimmick change, Ali would end up in NXT, where he would be able to re-invent himself. He was clearly on the right path, until his unfortunate release.
Now a free agent, it's time for Mustafa Ali to spread his wings and join a promotion that will better book the talented wrestler. While AEW is a logical spot, he might thrive in an environment like Impact Wrestling, where he'll immediately be one of the tops stars there. We'll see in 3 months what he has in store for the wrestling world.
