UFCcoverage reports WWE made many roster cuts in recent weeks. New information says SmackDown’s schedule change and NXT call-ups helped decide who was released.
Why SmackDown lost more stars
Reporter Dave Meltzer said WWE creative was asked to hand in names to be cut. The company told creative how many people to remove. Meltzer added that TKO bosses did not personally choose the names, and the list came from creative staff, according to UFCcoverage.
SmackDown is set to go back to a two-hour format at the end of the month. That change means there will be one less hour of TV to fill each week. Because of that, the blue brand saw more main roster releases than Raw. With less TV time, WWE needed fewer wrestlers on SmackDown.
NXT call-ups forced roster moves
The other big reason for the cuts was making room for new talent from NXT. Several wrestlers have moved up to the main roster recently. Oba Femi, Ricky Saints, and Sol Ruca were called up. Blake Monroe is also expected to join them. That creates pressure on roster space.
WWE leaders decided some main-roster stars who were not used often would be let go so the younger wrestlers could get spots. At the same time, NXT also saw young talent released. The company reportedly cut some NXT wrestlers it did not see as having a strong future in WWE.
Examples and what it means
Fans have noticed several well-known names were released in the last rounds. Reports named wrestlers such as Aleister Black and Zelina Vega among those cut. UFCcoverage says these cuts came during the post-WrestleMania period when WWE commonly trims its roster, but the schedule change and NXT promotions made this round heavier for SmackDown.
The move to two hours may be temporary. Sources say SmackDown could alternate between two and three hours over the year, with three hours for half the year and two hours for the other half. If that happens, SmackDown’s smaller roster might be stretched thin when the show expands again.
Looking ahead
WWE will likely use the smaller SmackDown roster while promoting new talent from NXT. Fans may see more changes as the company balances TV time and new faces. If SmackDown returns to three hours regularly, WWE could face pressure to bring in more talent or regret some of the recent cuts.
The full list of released and promoted wrestlers continues to evolve. UFCcoverage will follow updates and report any new moves or changes to the SmackDown lineup.
