WWE Announces Mass Layoffs in 2026, Including Mexican Star Santos Escobar and Notable Names Like Aleister Black and Uncle Howdy

WWE has undergone a significant roster reduction in the wake of WrestleMania 42, with multiple wrestlers released from their contracts as part of ongoing restructuring efforts under TKO Group Holdings. The departures, confirmed across several reputable wrestling news outlets, include notable names from both the main roster and developmental brands.

Among those released is Santos Escobar, who had been with WWE for six years. His release was confirmed by INFO7, which reported that Escobar’s departure came after six years of activity in the company. Escobar had reportedly signed a new contract with WWE in the fall of 2025 but had faced multiple injuries since then, limiting his in-ring activity.

Santos Escobar reportedly signed a new contract with WWE in the fall, but has had multiple injuries since then.

Cageside Seats

Also released in this wave were Aleister Black, who had returned to WWE approximately one year prior but failed to gain momentum amid a prolonged feud with Damian Priest, and Kairi Sane, who was involved in a storyline with IYO SKY and Asuka that did not culminate at WrestleMania 42. The Cageside Seats report noted that Kairi Sane “stands out for being in the middle of a story with IYO SKY and Asuka that didn’t make the card at WrestleMania 42.”

Aleister just returned to WWE one year ago, and never really gained momentum while stuck in a never-ending feud with Damian Priest.

Cageside Seats

Kairi Sane stands out for being in the middle of a story with IYO SKY and Asuka that didn’t make the card at WrestleMania 42.

Cageside Seats

The releases extend beyond individual performers to include entire factions. The Wyatt Sicks stable was among the first groups reported as departed, with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp initially reporting their exit. This was later confirmed by TPWW.net, which listed Uncle Howdy (Bo Dallas), Joe Gacy, Alba Fyre, Zoey Stark, and Nikki Cross as part of the initial wave of departures.

The first wave of stars who departed WWE included the entire Wyatt Sicks, Alba Fyre, and Zoey Stark, among others.

Cageside Seats

Additional names confirmed in the ongoing wave of releases include Andre Chase, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Dante Chen, Zelina Vega, Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin), Apollo Crews, Tyra Mae Steele, Sirena Linton, Tyson Dupont, Tyriek Igwe, Trill London, Chris Island, and Malik Blade. These names were compiled from updates provided by Cageside Seats and TPWW.net, which maintained a running list of departures as more names were reported.

Reports indicate that these cuts are part of a broader restructuring effort under TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company. Ringside News cited Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, who noted on Twitter that the week of April 20, 2026, saw “another round of WWE staff layoffs as part of the ongoing restructuring under TKO Group Holdings.” While the primary focus of the releases has been on on-screen talent, the layoffs suggest a wider organizational review.

The timing of these departures places them in the immediate aftermath of WrestleMania 42, a period historically associated with roster evaluations and potential cuts. However, unlike past years where budget-driven mass releases followed the event, the current wave appears tied to both performance assessments and contractual outcomes, with some departures resulting from expiring agreements rather than immediate termination.

For Mexican fans and media, Santos Escobar’s release carries particular significance. As one of the few prominent Mexican-born performers on WWE’s main roster, his departure was highlighted by Mediotiempo in its original Spanish-language report titled “¡Viernes negro en la WWE! Varios luchadores son despedidos y entre ellos hay un mexicano,” which translated to “Black Friday in WWE! Several wrestlers are fired and among them is a Mexican.”

As of April 25, 2026, none of the released wrestlers have publicly announced new destinations. However, given that many of these departures occurred upon contract expiration rather than mid-term releases, the performers are generally free to sign with other promotions immediately, subject to any non-compete clauses that may apply based on their tenure and contract terms.