NXT referee Drake Wuertz has reportedly been released by WWE, and seven other names have been revealed alongside him.
Writing on Twitter, Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful noted that “Word among talent and staff at the WWE Performance Center is that referee Drake Wuertz has been let go.” This report has since been backed up by John Pollock of POST Wrestling who adds that there have also been other cuts. Sapp later added that NXT referee Jake Clemons has also left the company before reports started to filter through of wrestlers also being released.
Word among talent and staff at the WWE Performance Center is that referee Drake Wuertz has been let go. I've reached out to WWE for a confirmation on this, and clarity on the situation.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) May 19, 2021
Source has confirmed to me that Drake Wuertz has been released by WWE, first reported by @SeanRossSapp.
Was informed that there were other cuts as well.
— John Pollock (@iamjohnpollock) May 19, 2021
Drake Wuertz initially joined WWE in 2013 after his own in-ring career came to an end. Wuertz performed with CZW and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla during a 10 year career. Wuertz was reportedly suspended by WWE earlier this year. The reasons behind the suspension are unknown despite controversy surrounding Wuertz’s political affiliations and his views on mask-wearing among other things garnering a great deal of attention on social media.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful has reported that the following names have also been released from their WWE NXT contract with corroboration from PWInsider.
- Alexander Wolfe
- Kavita Devi
- Jessamyn Duke
- Vanessa Borne
- EJ Nduku
- Skyler Story
Inside The Ropes will continue to update the story as it develops.