WWE roster may undergo an overhaul following merger;  'Major cuts' reportedly expected

WWE recently merged with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings, and fans are waiting to see whether the merger will bring something new and different for them. However, initial steps being taken by the company don’t seem to be too positive as “major cuts” are expected to be made, if reports are to be believed.

This week’s Raw marked the final episode of the show under the McMahon family reign. The new merger called TKO will now jointly head the operations of both the companies.

Recently, fans were made aware that the company plans to remove some of its staff in the upcoming weeks. Workers were asked to work remotely by Nick Khan as the company worked on laying off some of the employees.

This made many fans believe that the company could also lay off some superstars to cut its costs. While there is no confirmation whether the company will toy with its roster, a recent report hints at main roster and NXT talent getting released in the coming days.

Haus of Wrestling reported that an inquiry into whether there would be any talent releases in the coming days led to an affirmative response from a WWE source. Here is what was reported:

"While inquiring about whether there would also be talent releases as well, a WWE source says that “major cuts” are expected to the WWE main roster & NXT brand. Whilst not explicitly told it’d be tomorrow, they have been planned for some time.” Haus of Wrestling

Fans and talent can hope that the report turns out to be untrue. Many wrestlers have already been released in the past few years, and the result has never been too positive for the wrestling industry.

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WWE is also looking to release some other employees of the company

The WWE-UFC merger was completed on September 12, 2023, to form TKO Group Holdings. The merger led to the formation of one of the largest combat sports and entertainment groups in the world.

According to a recent report, Nick Khan has emailed and informed all the employees that layoffs will commence on September 15.

"As part of WWE’s transition into the newly formed TKO Group Holdings, we are evaluating our existing operations and systems to identify potential synergies across the business. This effort includes workforce reductions, which will take place tomorrow."

Employees were also told to work remotely, allowing the company to work on the layoff process privately.

"Those who’s [sic] roles have been impacted will be notified by our Human Resources Team, who will share the details of their severance package. We are asking that everyone work remotely, Friday September 15th, so we can insure all conversations are handled privately and respectfully."

It will be interesting to see whether the company retains most of its staff or makes some big cuts. Hopefully, not too many employees will face the layoff as a result of the merger.

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Are you excited for the future of combat sports following the TKO merger? Sound off in the comments section below.