On April 24th, the WWE and TKO made some housecleaning cuts, some surprising, and released about a dozen wrestlers with a 90-day non-compete clause attached to them. On May 2nd they released several others, including a prominent tag team who infamously refused a pay cut and mutually left.
As of today, July 23rd, the non-compete clauses of all the wrestlers that were released on April 24th have run out and are now officially free agents. Those dozen wrestlers are:
- Aleister Black
- Alex Shelley (of The Motor City Machine Guns)
- Chris Sabin (of The Motor City Machine Guns)
- Dexter Lumis (Samuel Shaw)
- Erick Rowan
- Joe Gacy (Joseph Sawyer)
- Kairi Sane
- Nikki Cross (Nikki Storm)
- Santos Escobar (Hijo del Fantasma)
- Uncle Howdy (Bo Dallas)
- Zelina (Xelina)
- Zoey Stark (Zoey Serrano)
These talents are now on the free agency market and are able to join whatever organization or promotion they choose.
Far as the wrestlers that were released on May 2nd, they were:
- JC Mateo (Jeffrey Cobb)
- Kofi Kingston of The New Day (Kofi)
- Tonga Loa
- Xavier Woods of The New Day (Austin Creed)
It is believed their 90-day non-compete clauses will end in late July-early August, then they will become free agents.
Here is some of the current information we know for a few of the talent that have just become free agents:
Nikki Storm (Nikki Cross) and her husband Damian Mackle (Big Damo) officially purchased “PROGRESS Wrestling” back in late May from its previous owners who established it in 2011. Now that her non-compete clause has run out, she is scheduled to make her official in-ring debut for her own company on July 26th at “PROGRESS Chapter 196: Scorchio” against Session Moth Martina.
Hijo del Fantasma (Santos Escobar) has reverted back to his famous masked luchador persona and is preparing independent bookings alongside heavily rumored dates for AAA in Mexico. To explain further: Even though WWE had cut him from their American roster and has acquired a 51% majority stake in the Mexican-based promotion, AAA operates as a distinct subsidiary corporate entity rather than a direct branch of WWE. This generates a loophole as AAA is run as an independent entity in partnership with the Mexican holding company “Fillip”, so he is legally free to negotiate separate, independent performance dates directly with AAA management while in Mexico.
Zoey Serrano (Zoey Stark) has already accepted independent bookings and is currently slated for appearances for MLW and ROH.
As for the talent released on May 2nd, here is what we know about their status:
As reported earlier, the members of the former New Day, Kofi and Austin Creed, have already been doing signings and appearances. Since leaving WWE they have been heavily pushed to officially sign for AEW as soon as they become free agents. This could happen right away during an episode of Dynamite or for their upcoming big PPV “All-In”. As the WWE owns the rights to the tag team name “The New Day” as well as a majority of their intellectual property during their tenure, they will have to come up with something new and fresh once they do.
We will provide further information about each talent as it becomes available, including if they sign with other major promotions.
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