
No matter how many times it happens, WWE releasing its Superstars en masse after WrestleMania always takes fans by surprise. Usually because the group typically includes wrestlers you really didn't expect to be let go. That applies to the latest group more than ever, as the likes of Aleister Black, Kairi Sane, and Zelina Vega were among the 23 Superstars released by WWE at the end of last week.
Some of those Superstars have already spoken for the first time since being released. Vega's reaction was incredibly quick, as she streamed live shortly after the news broke. Vega admitted that her and Black's releases came as a shock to her, and that had WWE let her continue to work on what she had planned, fans "would've f**king loved it".
Sane went to Twitter instead of Twitch to share her feelings after being let go by WWE. "I’m truly grateful to have people like you by my side. Thank you for always being with me," Sane tweeted. Her tag team partner, Asuka, who was not a part of last week's releases, replied, "No matter what, I’ll always be in your corner."
No matter what, I’ll always be in your corner, Kairi. I’ll never leave you feeling alone. 🤡— The legendary Empress ASUKA / ä¼èª¬ã®ASUKAçš‡åŽ (@WWEAsuka) April 25, 2026
Outside of those big three names, the biggest blow to the WWE roster via the latest batch of releases was the five Superstars who make up The Wyatt Sicks. The entire faction was shown the door in one fell swoop, and to add insult to injury, WWE reportedly forgot to remove a promo package hyping the group that was shown to the in-house crowd on SmackDown, just hours after they were released.
After thanking WWE and those who helped her while she was there, Cross shared a lengthy post detailing how much it meant to her to be a part of the Wyatt group before she was released. "Wyatts. Abby. It was the honour of a lifetime. Forever I will hold onto you," Cross tweeted, thanking the fans and also members of Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper's families for allowing her and the rest of the group to continue the legacy they created.
Wyatts. Abby. It was the honour of a lifetime. Forever I will hold onto you. Our raggedy torn dirty white bloodstained dress and the cracked mask that showed off the scars but never broken.Fireflies. I love you beyond measure. Thank you for lighting the way ✨ Being with you… pic.twitter.com/7Fo5BXSFoU— Nicola Glencross (@WWENikkiCross) April 26, 2026
It's unclear why the names above and some of the others released last week were chosen by WWE. Tyra May Steele, the winner of WWE LFG season one, was also among the releases, reportedly prompting some to question what the point of the show is if the winners are just going to be released.
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