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Another April and another release spree in WWE. Last year's clearout in WWE saw several hundred employees lose their jobs or get furloughed.
It was unfortunate, but a lot of them seemed to bounce back. It may not be as hard for the superstars who get released this year as they may find employment faster than those who were let go last year.
There are a few bizarre things about the latest WWE release spree and in this article, we will be discussing them.
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#5 WWE making "budget cut" firings despite being healthy financially?
According to Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful, Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis has been making calls to the talent stating "Budget cuts" as the reason for their release.
It was the same excuse last year, but there seems to be a split in opinion as to whether it was worse to release talent in 2020 or 2021.
While ticket sales have naturally been a hit on WWE's revenue, there are multiple other sources of income for the company. Not only are they in the midst of their big-money FOX-SmackDown deal, but they have various streams of broadcasting revenue.
The lack of Saudi Arabia shows may have been a hit to revenue as well, but the new Peacock deal (from NBC Universal) is estimated to be worth $1 billion - and it's only for exclusive Streaming rights in the United States of America. WWE's financial report from 2020-2021 read (via Business Wire):
"Operating income was $208.6 million, an increase of 79% or $92.1 million, driven by the substantial rise in content rights fees, which have a high incremental margin."
This is a huge indicator that WWE is making more money now than ever - even with the lack of live gate revenue. It seems bizarre to use budget cuts as an excuse to release talent.
#4 Jaxson Ryker is the only Forgotten Sons member left in WWE despite causing the trouble
The Forgotten Sons made their WWE main roster debut post-WrestleMania 36 in 2020, and they were set to feud with The New Day. This is considered to be a great start for any tag team.
However, it all came to a screeching halt in June after the tragic passing of George Floyd. While that should ideally have nothing to do with WWE, Jaxson Ryker put out an ill-timed tweet praising then-US President Donald Trump.
He put out a follow-up tweet in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, but it was too little too late. He got a lot of heat publicly, and former WWE superstars as well as current ones have hit back at him.
This caused WWE to take all three men away from TV for months. The Forgotten Sons quietly disbanded, and Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake, who were mere victims of what happened, paid the price.
Despite a brief alliance with King Corbin, Cutler was released soon after, and Wesley Blake is the latest name to be shown the exit.
It's ironic and bizarre that after all of this, Jaxson Ryker is the only one still employed by WWE. It's understandable as to why it leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many fans.
#3 Releasing two women in their WWE prime
In the age of make-shift WWE Tag Teams, The IIconics felt like a true unit. It was a shame that their run together ended abruptly with a stipulation match on RAW and no storyline whatsoever.
The entire handling of Peyton Royce and Billie Kay was never great, but it took a more bizarre turn on April 15th, 2021, when both the women were released by WWE.
Peyton Royce is only 28, and Billie Kay is 31 - which is still young in WWE years. While women were unfortunately given less TV time, they still had a few prime years left. Especially Royce.
She seemed set for a big run after her incredible match against Asuka on RAW, while Billie Kay proved to be the most consistently entertaining comedic character that WWE has had since R-Truth.
Letting two top women go in their prime seems to be an all-around bizarre decision.
#2 Releasing Samoa Joe despite his importance to WWE
While Samoa Joe proved useful in WWE as a performing talent alone, he served as a lot more. Since suffering a concussion in early 2020, he shifted from being an in-ring performer to WWE RAW commentator.
He spent the entirety of the pandemic era behind the commentator's desk. When he was suddenly removed from the team post-WrestleMania, it seemed to be a guarantee that he was set to make his in-ring return.
Latest reports suggested that Samoa Joe had a dispute with WWE, wanting to return to the ring. However, due to concussion protocols, the company seemingly refused to clear him, leading to his release.
If that is the case, the decision is less bizarre. But to have a superstar like Samoa Joe on the roster and underutilize him the way they did seems to be a crime in the eyes of fans.
Perhaps the biggest shocker about Samoa Joe's WWE run is the fact that in six years, he only had one WrestleMania appearance - and even that lasted for one minute.
#1 The fact that WWE did the same thing exactly a year later
The term "Black Wednesday" is a familiar one for WWE fans. It was perhaps one of the most unfortunate days in the company's history in the last few decades. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, WWE only took a month to begin a mass release of talent, backstage employees, as well as people working in the offices.
WWE reportedly saved $32 million from the cost-cutting measure in 2020, but it was deemed a horrible move and fans lashed out at the company and their decision to fire employees right at the start of a pandemic.
It's believed that despite the cost-cutting measures, WWE could have retained every employee while still pocketing a big (but reduced) profit.
The fact that the new set of releases happened on the same day is scary, and it seemingly sets a scary precedent for any employee working in WWE - whether it's on camera, backstage, or in the corporate headquarters.
Will April 15th continue to be a dark day in WWE annually?
