Over the course of the day, Mustafa Ali, Aliyah, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Top Dolla, Riddick Moss, Dolph Ziggler, Quincy Elliott, Dana Brooke, Shanky, Dabba Kato, Mansoor, Mace, Yulisa Leon, and Bryson Montana were also released from World Wrestling Entertainment as part of the merger between WWE and the UFC to form TKO Group Holdings.
The wrestling world has taken to Twitter to react to today’s mass layoffs, and you can check out some of the reactions from the likes of John Cena, Big E, Saraya, Trinity, Matt Cardona, and many others below:
I was so immensely fortunate to start my time on the main roster next to @HEELZiggler. I learned so many lessons about this craft by watching and listening. One of the smoothest workers I’ve ever been in the ring with. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Zig Man.
— Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) September 21, 2023
Hi @EmmaWWE 👋 🥰
— SARAYA (@Saraya) September 21, 2023
#dolphziggler 🥰
— Trinity (@TheTrinity_Fatu) September 21, 2023
🚨 TO THOSE WHO WERE JUST RELEASED 🚨
This can be the END of your career…
Or it can be the BEGINNING……
Look yourself in the mirror and decide.
I promise you the work and the MONEY is out there.
It’s not easy. It’s a grind. It’s a hustle. It’s frustrating…
But it also…
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) September 21, 2023
Getting released by WWE can be the best thing or the worst thing to happen to your career. The choice is yours & my success proves that.
— $TEPH DE LANDER (@stephdelander) September 21, 2023
Today can be the worst day of your life or it can be the day everything changed. Today can be the finish line or it can be the starting line. It’s all up to you. Remember that phone call, but don’t let it define you. Your talent and your value is not determined by one person or…
— Mike Bennett (@RealMikeBennett) September 21, 2023
One thousand five hundred and fifty four matches. @HEELZiggler #Respect
— John Cena (@JohnCena) September 21, 2023
Bc I luv and support him always 🥰
— Trinity (@TheTrinity_Fatu) September 21, 2023
@TheMarkHenry and @bullyray5150 are over…. Man.
Thanks for the interview @BustedOpenRadio
I’m sure they are talking about a few of my future challengers in 90 days now.@IAmEliasWWE 👀 #overMAN https://t.co/T0EfRwz7jN
— ecIII (@therealec3) September 21, 2023
The day @Sheltyb803 convinced me to get an iPhone pic.twitter.com/LkDJc90UyG
— PRIME Alexander (@CedricAlexander) September 21, 2023
I hate today
— Kayla Braxton (@KaylaBraxtonWWE) September 21, 2023
I’m a major @HEELZiggler guy.
He’s the man.
Now, wrestle me.
— Shawn Spears™️ (@ShawnSpears) September 21, 2023
My favorite wrestler: @HEELZiggler
— Brian Myers (@Myers_Wrestling) September 21, 2023
🔥 @HEELZiggler The man.
— Breeze (@MmmGorgeous) September 21, 2023
Nemeth
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) September 21, 2023
I’ve never met this guy, and often he was booked like a total loser, but Dolph Ziggler is one of the best wrestlers on the planet when they let him be. https://t.co/PyU2fGfp4W
— “Filthy” Tom Lawlor トム・ローラー (@FilthyTomLawlor) September 21, 2023
Is the world even ready for you to have creative freedom? Looking forward to seeing all you do.
— Alex Zayne – アレックス・ゼイン (@AlexZayneSauce) September 21, 2023
mustafa ali once gave me a sick shoutout on social media that helped get eyes on me and often used his platform to spotlight indie talent.
this mf cares. i hope nothing but the best for him.
— xX_kiddbandit_Xx (@kiddbanditpro) September 21, 2023
When I did WWE extra work, I got to thank Mustafa Ali in person for sharing my work and help open doors for me.
I don’t think talent in that position sometimes understand the gravity something as little as that can do for somebody on the indies.
Him taking 10 minutes out of his…
— VAUGHN (@VaughnVertigo) September 21, 2023
Thank you, Shelton Benjamin, for being an inspiration for so many young black wrestlers. You’re my idol and a 🐐.
— ALEX KANE Mr. 34 (@Alex_kane11) September 21, 2023
forever greatness … the whole universe acknowledges you usooo…. CONTINUE TO BE GREAT LIKE I KNOW YOU WILL HELLOOOO‼️‼️‼️
— ZILLA FATU (@Zillafatu) September 21, 2023
Representation matters…seeing @The305MVP @fightbobby @Sheltyb803 wrestle as a kid made me see I could do this.
📸 Marissa Marie
Gear via @Quality_Tights pic.twitter.com/wMhT9dF2Wb— 👑Isaiah Broner (@IsaiahBroner) September 17, 2023
One time on Twitter (RIP) @HEELZiggler said I was one of his favorite comedians. He did not have to do that, he didn’t really know me, but it gained me like 2,000 followers in 24 hours.
Then he let me open for him on some comedy shows.
I hope for nothing but happiness for him.— Dan Barry (@thedanbarry) September 21, 2023
yoooo @HEELZiggler ik u steal the show, and i’m the center of attention, and i’m also lookin for a tag partner 👀
— brittnie brooks (@BrittnieBrooks) September 21, 2023
I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing @AliWWE a couple of times over the past few years and they’re definite career highlights. Supremely creative, driven and talented man with so much untapped potential. If this is the end in #WWE like it seems, hopefully he can shine elsewhere. https://t.co/rPI5bvUM3r
— Alistair McGeorge (@AlistairMcG) September 21, 2023
Our thoughts are with ALL the WWE Employees and Talents that have been released.🙏🙏🙏@bullyray5150 & @TheMarkHenry react to the breaking news of the roster cuts, including @IAmEliasWWE.
FULL Reaction on the #bustedopen247 Podcast:https://t.co/tuDzn1CW3x pic.twitter.com/JVgolCTOYI
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) September 21, 2023
@MiaYim I blame you 🤣 https://t.co/sOGBEglyrB
— Shelton J. Benjamin (@Sheltyb803) September 21, 2023
You can keep up with all your wrestling news right here on eWrestlingNews.com. Or, you can follow us over on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
On September 21, 2023, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announced a series of budget cuts that resulted in the release of several wrestlers and employees. This move was part of a merger between WWE and the UFC to form TKO Group Holdings. Among the released wrestlers were Mustafa Ali, Aliyah, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Top Dolla, Riddick Moss, Dolph Ziggler, Quincy Elliott, Dana Brooke, Shanky, Dabba Kato, Mansoor, Mace, Yulisa Leon, and Bryson Montana.
The wrestling community took to Twitter to express their reactions and support for the released individuals. Superstars like John Cena, Big E, Saraya, Trinity, Matt Cardona, and many others shared their thoughts and memories of working with their former colleagues.
Big E expressed his gratitude for working alongside Dolph Ziggler and acknowledged the lessons he learned from him. He praised Ziggler as one of the smoothest workers he has ever been in the ring with. Saraya simply tweeted a greeting to Emma (Aliyah’s real name), showing her support. Trinity (Naomi) tweeted the hashtag #dolphziggler to show her appreciation for him. Matt Cardona encouraged the released wrestlers to see this as an opportunity for a new beginning and emphasized that there is still work and money available in the industry.
Steph De Lander shared her own success story after being released by WWE, stating that getting released can be the best or worst thing for one’s career, depending on how they handle it. Mike Bennett also echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the released wrestlers have the power to determine whether this is the end or the beginning of their careers.
John Cena paid tribute to Dolph Ziggler by acknowledging his impressive record of 1,554 matches and showing his respect. Trinity expressed her love and support for Ziggler, while Brian Myers and Tyler Breeze also praised him as a talented wrestler. Other wrestlers like Swerve Strickland, Tom Lawlor, and Alex Zayne expressed their admiration for Ziggler’s skills and hoped for his continued success.
The released wrestlers received support from their peers, with many sharing personal stories of how these individuals had helped them or inspired them in their careers. Mustafa Ali was commended for using his platform to spotlight indie talent, while Shelton Benjamin was recognized as an inspiration for young black wrestlers. The wrestling community expressed their hopes that these released wrestlers would find success elsewhere.
The news of the releases was met with sadness and disappointment from fans and industry insiders alike. Kayla Braxton tweeted her dislike for the day, while Shawn Spears jokingly challenged Ziggler to a match. The wrestling community rallied together to show their support and love for the released wrestlers during this challenging time.
It is important to note that WWE’s budget cuts and releases are common occurrences in the wrestling industry. Wrestlers often have the opportunity to continue their careers in other promotions or explore new avenues within the industry. The wrestling community remains resilient and supportive, always ready to embrace and uplift those affected by such changes.
For the latest updates on wrestling news, you can visit eWrestlingNews.com or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.