As noted, WWE released the following 20 Superstars from WWE NXT and the main roster on Thursday – Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Rick Boogs, Riddick Moss, Emma, Aliyah, “Top Dolla” AJ Francis, Dana Brooke, Mansoor, Mace, Quincy Elliott, Shanky, Bryson Montana, Yulisa Leon, Dabba-Kato, Kevin Ventura-Cortez, Alexis Gray, Daniel McArthur. You can find links to our earlier coverage below.
In an update, PWInsider reports that Ikemen Jiro was released on Thursday. Brooklyn Barlow also announced her departure on Instagram Stories.
Jiro’s last match will air on tonight’s NXT Level Up episode, against Luca Crusifino. The match was taped on September 12. After spending nine years in Japan, Jiro signed with WWE in December 2020 with other WWE Performance Center recruits. He debuted on 205 Live in May 2021, and then made his NXT debut the following month, teaming with August Grey for a loss to The Grizzled Young Veterans on the June 8, 2021 episode. Jiro eventually formed a tag team with Kushida, but mostly worked Level Up and non-televised live events in the last year of his run. His last main NXT TV show match was a loss to Scrypts on the December 27, 2022 episode, which aired two weeks after a TV win over Javier Bernal.
Barlow, a former strongman competitor and bikini fitness competitor, signed with WWE after working the 2021 SummerSlam tryouts. She debuted on the March 11, 2022 NXT Level Up episode with a loss to Ivy Nile. Barlow then took Level Up losses to Fallon Henley, Kiana James, and Thea Hail, before suffering a torn ACL that put her on the shelf for 10 months. Her one main NXT TV match was the Battle Royal on June 6 of this year. Barlow’s last match was a loss to Dani Palmer on the August 18 Level Up episode. Barlow worked 10 matches with WWE and came up short in all of them.
Barlow confirmed her departure on her Instagram Stories.
“As of today I am no longer with NXT. Grateful to have experienced the WWE universe and everything that comes along with it. ‘The two most important days of your life are the day that you are born and the day you find out WHY’ Thank you,” she wrote.
As noted, there was talk on Thursday evening of more NXT/developmental cuts being confirmed soon, with most being talents that never made it to TV. Nick Hausman reported that a total of 18 NXT/developmental talents were let go, but only 10 are on the list as of this writing, and that’s if you include Dana Brooke. The full list of main roster and NXT releases is currently at 22 – Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Rick Boogs, Riddick Moss, Emma, Aliyah, “Top Dolla” AJ Francis, Dana Brooke, Mansoor, Mace, Quincy Elliott, Shanky, Bryson Montana, Yulisa Leon, Dabba-Kato, Kevin Ventura-Cortez, Alexis Gray, Daniel McArthur, Ikemen Jiro, Brooklyn Barlow.
Below are links to our previous reports:
* Two More WWE Releases Revealed from Thursday
* Three More WWE Talents Released, Wrestlers React to Being Let Go Today
* Four More WWE Superstars Released This Evening
* Several More WWE Superstars Released This Evening
* John Cena and Matt Cardona Shout Out Dolph Ziggler For WWE Run, Cardona Comments On WWE Cuts
* Backstage News On This Morning’s WWE Releases, Talent Frustrated, Non-Compete Clauses Confirmed
* Big E and Trinity Comment On Dolph Ziggler Getting Released By WWE
* Elias Breaks Silence On WWE Release: “It’s Been A Blast”
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
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