WWE Announces Release Of Several Notable Superstars

WWE announced the release of several notable superstars on Thursday (April 15.)

The company issued the following statement on its official website Thursday afternoon:

"WWE has come to terms on the release of Samoa Joe, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Mickie James, Chelsea Green, Tucker, Kalisto, Bo Dallas and Wesley Blake as of today April 15, 2021.

"We wish them the best in all of their future endeavors."

Fightful.com's Sean Ross Sapp reports John Laurinaitis, WWE's head of talent relations, "has been making the calls to talent and citing budget cuts as the reason for the WWE releases," according to sources.

Additionally, Sapp pointed out that the releases come exactly one year after numerous other superstars were released by the company, which WWE cited, at the time, as budget cuts in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Matt Cardona, who performed under the ring name "Zack Ryder" before being among more than a dozen wrestlers released last April, also acknowledged the two mass releases taking place on the same day, while also crediting Green, his fianceé, as "a f****** star" amid news of her release.

The news comes days after Samoa Joe was inexplicably taken off the RAW broadcast team, having contributed as a color commentator since 2019 while recovering from an in-ring injury.

WWE has not released additional details regarding the releases on Thursday at this time.

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