3 Reasons why WWE released several stars recently - Braun Strowman, Shayna Baszler, and more

Braun Strowman and Shayna Baszler were among the list of superstars released by WWE [Image Credits: WWE.com]
Braun Strowman (left) and Shayna Baszler (right) [Image credits: wwe.com]

WWE has been making headlines with its compelling storylines and successful premium live events that have cemented its position as the largest sports entertainment brand in the world. The company has some of the biggest stars in the industry on its roster, and most of them have been quite impressive whenever they have been allowed to show their talent on TV.

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Several prominent stars were released by WWE this week. Reports from Fightful Select revealed the names that were let go by the organization, and some of the releases came as a shock to fans.

Recently, reports of people behind the scenes, including a tenured name in the creative team, being laid off by the company surfaced on the internet. This was followed by a string of superstar releases.

Braun Strowman, Dakota Kai, Shayna Baszler, Cora Jade, and many more departed the promotion. Let’s check out three possible reasons why the company released superstars this week.

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#3. Cut down the roster

While the WWE roster has some of the biggest names in the entire industry, the TV time available every week is limited. Numerous superstars are left out of RAW, SmackDown, or NXT, which causes frustration.

While SmackDown is currently a three-hour show, rumors of the blue brand switching back to its two-hour format have surfaced on the internet. This means that there would be much less TV time every week. Having a huge roster when the total TV time in the week is decreasing wouldn’t be a wise financial decision.

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Lack of TV time might have been one of the reasons WWE made the major move of releasing some big names.

#2. WWE releases talents every year

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WWE releasing some major names has almost become a yearly practice. Since the beginning of the pandemic, several stars have been let go by the company, and the biggest reason has seemingly been cost-cutting. WrestleMania is undoubtedly the biggest show that the company presents every year, and the RAW after WrestleMania always feels like the beginning of a new wrestling calendar.

The company releasing talents or not renewing the contracts of certain performers following The Show of Shows might be part of its annual plans for the entire year. The stars who have been let go might not have found a great spot in WWE’s plans for the future. This could be the reason they were released by the company.

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#1. No creative direction for them

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While the WWE creative team has been doing a fantastic job with storylines and matches, it is impossible to keep every single superstar on the roster in consideration. While some stars get incredible storylines, some are left with angles that don’t get a lot of attention.

The lack of creative plans could have been a major reason why numerous superstars were released by the company. Many of them had not been on TV for quite some time. Though creative plans could have been pitched for them in the future, keeping them under a contract without giving them TV time wouldn’t have made much sense.

Only time will tell if any of these superstars get the opportunity to return to the company in the future.

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Edited by Pratik Singh
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