This past April, over 20 stars were part of WWE’s post-WrestleMania cuts, but today, those with a 90-day non-compete clause have officially become free agents.
As of this morning, Kairi Sane, Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Motor City Machine Guns, Santos Escobar, Zoey Stark, Bo Dallas, Erick Rowan, Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis are free to sign or compete for any professional wrestling promotion of their choosing. So far, those who are without a 90-day non-compete clause or declined the offer to re-sign with WWE have been working on the independent scene, such as Kay Lee Ray, formerly known as Alba Fyre, who recently appeared in RevPro and Pro-Wrestling: EVE.
At this time, it’s unknown what’s next for talent like Bo Dallas, Erick Rowan and Dexter Lumis, but many recently released stars have already started the next chapter of their journey in professional wrestling, including other members of the Wyatt Sicks. Cross, who now goes by the name Nikki Storm, will be featured in both PROGRESS Wrestling and Maple Leaf Pro within the next month. Storm and her husband Big Damo also purchased PROGRESS and DEFY Wrestling this past June. As for Gacy, he unveiled a Wyatt Sicks themed video last month, where the pig mask that he used to wear in WWE motivates his character to find himself.
After being a regularly featured star on “WWE Raw” alongside Asuka, Sane’s release arguably caused the most fan backlash, especially since she was in the middle of a storyline with IYO SKY at the time of her departure. However, it was later revealed that she asked for her release, with reports suggesting that she wanted to move back to Japan. This morning, Sane posted a photo of herself with a motorcycle to kickoff the next stage of her career.
More former WWE stars set for future appearances
Two stars who look to be stepping back in the ring in the near future are the Motor City Machine Guns, as Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley recently uploaded a skit to their YouTube channel, teasing they had received a new contract from an unknown company, which many fans believe could be All Elite Wrestling.
Aleister Black, who was rumored to be involved in world title plans at WrestleMania 42, has yet to announce any future appearances, and though many assume he could return to AEW, it’s believed that the company doesn’t view him in the most positive light after he was reportedly difficult to work with. That said, his wife Zelina Vega could be preparing for an in-ring return, as she just filed to trademark the name “Xelina” for entertainment services in relation to wrestling.
Zoey Stark, who now will wrestle by the name Zoey Serrano, already has an upcoming spot in the RevPro Women’s Grand Prix 2026, where she’ll face Zeuxis in the first round. In May 2025, Serrano suffered a near career-ending knee injury during her match with Sane and Rhea Ripley, which was her last appearance in a WWE ring.
This past Tuesday, Santos Escobar also addressed becoming a free agent this week on social media, where he reflected on his career over the past six years, but did so while taking a shot at WWE President Nick Khan and Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
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