WWE has announced the end of the wave of cuts in its developmental division

In a move that has become common in recent years, WWE has carried out a wave of layoffs, which this time has exclusively affected its developmental territory, that is, the WWE ID, Evolve, and NXT projects. Some of the released talents confirmed their departure, such as Stevie Turner. Others were leaked by some specialized media.

In total, a dozen talents were informed that their contracts would not be renewed, or were fired, having to comply with a 30-day non-compete clause (as is normal in developmental territory agreements). These departures are part of WWE's ongoing evaluation, as confirmed by the specialized media Fightful.

"We were informed that the layoffs in WWE's developmental area have effectively concluded. Cory Hays had the complete list of those released, which included Wes Lee, BJ Ray, and others. Fightful Select was able to confirm these names. The reason we were given was a natural progression of the talent rotation process in development. In total, there were around a dozen cuts, including contracts not being renewed, talents rejecting offers, layoffs, and similar situations. WWE continues to actively recruit talent," wrote the media outlet.

The complete list of departures includes Stevie Turner, Jamar Hampton, Drako Knox, Zara Zakher, Wes Lee, Lance Anoa'i, Kylie Rae, Zayda Steel, Haze Jameson, Summer Sorrell, Brayden "BJ" Ray, and Jin Tala. Although most of them did not debut in NXT, cases like Turner's or Lee's have surprised fans. In addition to being Ava's right-hand woman in NXT, Stevie also served as an authority figure in WWE Evolve. That is why his absence will bring changes to the brand.

On the other hand, Lee became one of the standout talents of NXT in recent years. The wrestler leaves behind one of the best reigns with the North American Championship and his participation in numerous stories in the developmental brand, becoming one of the audience's favorites. However, his popularity began to decline with his unexpected heel turn. In recent months, he had been associated with Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe to form The High Ryze. However, his television appearances had drastically decreased.