Backstage Update On Multiple Reasons For Recent Mass WWE Releases

More details are continuing to emerge regarding WWE’s latest round of roster cuts.

During a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio at F4WOnline.com, Dave Meltzer discussed why WWE and TKO moved forward with such a large number of releases this year, noting that the company intentionally avoided major cuts in 2025 because TKO was still settling into its role as WWE’s new ownership group.

“Last year, because they had basically just taken over the company and they were trying to be good guys and all that, they didn’t order a lot of cuts last year. They kind of held back. So it’s kind of like a catch-up,” Meltzer said.

According to Meltzer, TKO later approached WWE creative with instructions tied directly to roster balance, specifically relating to NXT call-ups and the reduction of SmackDown programming hours.

Interesting timing all around.

Meltzer explained that WWE creative was asked to identify talent they were not planning to regularly use moving forward.

“The main roster cuts, essentially, it was two things. Number one, all the people who were brought up from NXT that got spots, essentially, they wanted to remove a similar amount of people. They went to creative. It was creative that made the call as to who. They said, ‘Who on the roster are you not planning on using? Give us X number of names,’ which would be that number, the number that were brought up, and additional names from SmackDown.”

He added that SmackDown’s move back to a two-hour format also played a major role in the decision-making process, as the company now has less weekly television time available for talent.

“SmackDown is going to two hours. So therefore, there is an hour less time of television. So therefore, there is less time to put as many people on. So therefore, there would be additional cuts on the SmackDown side.”

Meltzer also noted that everyone scheduled to be released during this latest round of cuts has already been informed internally, although not every released talent has publicly surfaced yet.