According to reports two of NXT’s top stars have requested their release from WWE.
The report from Fightful Select states that former NXT UK Tag Team Champions Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid previously known as the Grizzled Young Veterans have asked to leave the company.
The UK duo have been a part of the promotion for several years and have appeared for NXT UK, NXT and WWE Live Events.
Reid also known as James Drake signed with WWE in 2017 for the United Kingdom Championship Tournament. Fowler, better known as Zack Gibson signed the following year as the UK brand prepared to launch.
Starting as singles wrestlers they began teaming up toward the end of 2018 for both PROGRESS and as part of NXT UK. They captured the PROGRESS Tag Team Championships before defeating Mustache Mountain TakeOver: Blackpool to become the inaugural NXT UK Tag Team Champions.
They went on to hold the titles for 231 days before dropping them to Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews at TakeOver: Cardiff.
Following the loss, they headed stateside to join the original black and gold version of the brand. They debuted in 2020 in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and reached the finals defeating Kushida and Alex Shelley, and The Undisputed ERA along the way. However, they lost to the BroserWeights.
They remained a solid part of the tag team division, but upon the 2.0 launch of the brand, they were re-branded as The Dyad and became known as Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid.
As the new act, they joined the Joe Gacy-led faction The Schism. The group then added Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s daughter, Ava to the fold.
The group recently lost to Chase U at Stand & Deliver 2023. The duo were also pictured in attendance at WrestleMania 39.
NXT Talents Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid Have Reportedly Requested Their Release From WWE
The full report states that while the UK veterans have asked to be let go from their contracts, Fightful “haven’t heard a reason why they’ve asked for their releases, but they’re expected to announce themselves shortly as well.”
The report also details that “generally there’s a non-compete associated with requested releases, and then a grace period following that they’d be able to work in the states.”