Aleister Black And Every Other Superstar Just Released By WWE

Aleister Black & Zelina Vega WWE SmackDown October 2025

Aleister Black And Every Other Superstar Just Released By WWE

Originally posted on The Sportster | By Josh Coulson | Last updated Apr 25, 2026 5:00 AM ET

You might have forgotten that after WrestleMania, WWE typically goes through its roster, determines who it doesn't need anymore, and then releases them in an attempt to make its bottom line healthier than it already is. There was once a hope that those days were left behind with Vince McMahon, but no, post-WrestleMania releases have continued under TKO as 23 Superstars were wished well in their future endeavors on Friday.

Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, And Kairi Sane

There are some very big names at the top of the list, too. Most notably and shockingly, Aleister Black. Just days after it was reported Triple H had plans to include him in a big WrestleMania angle - until TKO suggested Pat McAfee - Black has now been cut from the roster. Black is followed out the door by his wife, Zelina Vega. Another very surprising departure, although Vega wasn't featured on TV at all during the build to WrestleMania.

Kairi Sane, on the other hand, was. Sane wrestles a lot. Not in throwaway matches either, but in matches building to angles. She competed on Raw less than a week ago and beat Iyo Sky on the red brand the week before that. Possibly the most baffling release of the bunch.

The Wyatt Sicks, Motor City Machine Guns, And More

WWE

Every member of The Wyatt Sicks has also been released, so Nikki Cross, Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, and the group's leader, Bo Dallas/Uncle Howdy. This one's going to hurt for fans of the late, great Bray Wyatt. There was a time not so long ago when WWE seemed like it might successfully emulate the feeling Wyatt gave fans through this group named after him, led by Wyatt's brother, but those plans never hit the heights they potentially could have.

The Motor City Machine Guns being released is also a bit of a head scratcher. Much like Sane, the tag team has been used frequently on TV in recent weeks. They're also regarded as one of the best tag teams on the planet, yet WWE seemingly couldn't find a place for them moving forward. Of everyone on this list of releases, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley are the ones I'm expecting to see show up in AEW the most.

Other big names released on Friday include Zoey Stark who has been recovering from an injury for almost a year, Santos Escobar who was most recently seen in WWE-owned AAA, Apollo Crews who has been struggling to find a place on the roster for a while, and Alba Fyre who I'm gutted for, but glad she had the chance to hang around a little longer after Piper Niven was released. The full list of 23 Superstars released can be found below, which, according to Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp, is believed to be it, for now.