A possible pattern has been spotted in WWE's staff cuts

Mike Johnson, a journalist from PWInsider, has acknowledged that, although he cannot prove it, there is a belief circulating among several WWE talents that someone within the TKO environment is not a fan of dark or supernatural characters. This theory has been used to explain why names like The Wyatt Sicks, Aleister Black, and Zelina Vega ended up being part of the recent cuts.

Johnson said he doesn't know if there is really a pattern, but he did admit that the story has come up in conversations with several people over the past week. He even pointed out that some believe the fact that The Undertaker appears as The American Badass and not as The Deadman in his appearances is a sign of that mentality.

The idea fits with one of the most talked-about waves of layoffs in recent times, in which talents linked to a darker aesthetic like Bo Dallas, Erick Rowan, Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, Aleister Black, and Zelina Vega were released. This is compounded by the fact that there were also departures in NXT, reinforcing the sense that the reorganization went beyond simple roster adjustments.

I don't know if there's a pattern, but I can tell you that among the wrestlers, the rumor is circulating that someone in the TKO environment doesn't like darker characters, and that's what has been pointed out as the reason for the release of The Wyatts, Aleister Black, Zelina, etc.

Johnson, however, was cautious and made it clear that he cannot verify if that interpretation is correct. Still, the rumor has gained strength because, if WWE decides in the future to once again bet on supernatural characters, that will be the clearest test of whether that alleged internal resistance exists or not.

For now, the only certainty is that the conversation is already established inside and outside the industry. And when an idea starts to repeat itself among talents, media, and fans, it ends up becoming a narrative that WWE will have to confirm or deny with facts.