Backstage Update on Aleister Black & Wyatt Sicks WWE Releases and Rumor Killer on Reason for Their Releases

As noted before, Aleister Black and the entire Wyatt Sicks stable (Bo Dallas/Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, & Nikki Cross) released from WWE last week as part of a larger batch of talent releases and departures.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported in a recent Q&A article that his sources within WWE stated that there has been a story going around among talents backstage that someone in TKO is not a fan of “darker characters” and that has been the blame placed on why Black, the Wyatts Sicks, and Zelina Vega were all cut. Johnson reported that one person spoken to suggested to him that The Undertaker being The American Badass and not The Deadman in appearances is proof of that outlook. Johnson also reported that this is something he has yet to been able to confirm from his other sources.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources stated that the reason for the Wyatt Sicks’ release was due to WWE officials had felt that the group had run its course in the company. Meltzer reported that there were those who saw the group at first as being just a short-term idea and as just a tribute to Bray Wyatt. Meltzer also reported that while the group was over big at first, WWE officials felt limited on how they could be used with that gimmick over the long haul.

In regards to Black and Zelina Vega’s releases, Meltzer reported that those spoken to stated that it was due to a lack of creative plans for them in the company. Meltzer also reported that while WWE officials had recruited Black hard to get him out of AEW, they really didn’t have much in the way of creative ideas for him when he returned.

In regards to the rumors that WWE made the releases due to TKO not wanting “darker” characters on WWE programming, Meltzer reported that those spoken to stated that claim was “bullshit” and these were not decisions that even reached that level.

In regards to Vega, Meltzer reported that AEW had reached out to Vega the last time she was released from WWE in November of 2020 but she had “ghosted” AEW CEO Tony Khan during talks and went right back to WWE.