Following cuts after WrestleMania 42, WWE has expanded its developmental roster changes in Orlando, Florida. Multiple talents confirmed their departures from NXT and developmental brands in September 2026, facing thirty-day non-compete clauses while developmental cuts continue across the Performance Center.
Expectations of a settled developmental roster following spring departures proved short-lived as WWE initiated another round of cuts at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. While the company issued no official statement regarding the personnel shifts, multiple wrestlers confirmed their departures on social media, aligning with reports from industry outlets tracking the changes. Fightful Select has confirmed a list of names who have been released, but WWE has not issued an official statement.
Talent Confirmations and the 30-Day Clause Reality
Unlike main roster releases, which carry ninety-day non-compete clauses, developmental talents face a 30-day, rather than 90-day, clause until they are able to work elsewhere. Competitors affected by the latest round quickly utilized digital platforms to signal their transitions into free agency. Former WWE Speed Champion Jasper Troy posted 30 Days alongside a black heart emoji on X (formerly Twitter), signaling the standard developmental timeframe before his next career move. PWInsider reported on Friday that former WWE Speed Champion Jasper Troy was among those released, something Troy seemed to confirm on X.
“God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good! Fa’afetai I le atua Thank you @WWE for opening the door for me into pro wrestling… what a journey! Looking forward to more motion, more blessings, more life 🙏🏽 #30Days”
Troy signed with WWE in August 2022 and built momentum by winning the first season of WWE LFG as a mentee of WWE Hall of Famer Booker T last year. He originally debuted on WWE NXT Level Up in May 2024, but returned to NXT following his LFG victory to attack Oba Femi the following May. Troy won the WWE Speed Championship with a victory over El Grande Americano (Ludwig Kaiser) in November 2025, and later dropped the title to Elio LeFleur in a triple threat match involving Eli Knight on the February 24 episode of NXT. PJ Vasa, who competed on season three WWE LFG as a mentee of WWE Hall of Famer Michelle McCool, also confirmed a thirty-day window before her free agency begins.
Extended Roster Adjustments Across NXT Brands
The current departures touch multiple corners of the company’s developmental ecosystem, echoing earlier cuts that swept through the main roster and WWE NXT releases after WWE WrestleMania 42 in April. Those previous cuts claimed established acts and factions, including the entire Wyatt Sicks faction, Kairi Sane, Aleister Black and Zelina Vega, Santos Escobar, and more. It was revealed in the following weeks that the New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, as well as Tonga Loa, and JC Mateo were also leaving. NXT releases at the time included Andre Chase, Tyra Mae Steele, Dante Chen, Luca Crusifino, and others. Some lesser-known talent who competed on WWE LFG: Legends & Future Greats, were cut as well.
Among the newly reported departures, Swedish powerlifter and arm wrestler Ellen Akesson posted a candid update on Instagram regarding her status. Akesson is a champion powerlifter and arm wrestler, who has been described as Sweden’s strongest woman. She started powerlifting at just 17 years old after she was drafted to the Swedish Army. She signed with WWE and joined the Performance Center in March 2026, after a tryout in August 2025 in New Jersey. Akesson first appeared for the company in July during NXT tapings, where she delivered a promo during a dark segment, though she never made it to NXT television before her release.
The Complex Arc of Wendy Choo
The roster changes also touch veterans of the developmental brand, including Wendy Choo. Wendy Choo is perhaps best known to WWE NXT fans for her sleepy gimmick, where she would wear pajamas and bring a pillow to the ring and often fall asleep on the apron, or even in the ring itself. The character turned into something darker, similar to a sleep paralysis demon of nightmares, during her time in the developmental brand. Choo, a former EVOLVE Women’s Champion, made her first WWE appearance as part of the Mae Young Classic in April 2018. She signed with the company the following February.
After a series of gimmick changes and injuries, she debuted as Choo on NXT in November 2021. She teamed with former WWE star Dakota Kai in the Mae Young Classic in March 2022.
Unresolved Questions Surrounding Performance Center Strategy
With WWE management maintaining silence on the scope of the restructuring, it is currently not known how many talents will be leaving NXT with these ongoing cuts, but reports have confirmed the following stars, some of whom have confirmed the news on social media, are departing the company.
