The WWE has initiated a number of departures from the company tonight including WWE Hall of Famer Paul Ellering who was inducted into the Hall with his former tag team, The Road Warriors.
Back in 2016, he returned to the WWE after approximately 11 years to manage The Authors of Pain in NXT. They moved up to the main roster together but AOP dumped him shortly thereafter.
Ellering was brought back to the WWE in 2023 to once again manage AOP teaming with Karrion Kross and Scarlett to form The Final Testament.
Akam and Rezar were also released by the WWE ending their second run in the company. Their last match was December 30th of last year in which they defeated the LWO.
In a shocker, Sonya Deville was also released. Deville appeared in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble alongside her Pure Fusion Collective teammates Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark. In her last match on Main Event five days ago she was defeated by Natalya.
Another member of the women’s locker room, Blair Davenport (AKA: Bea Priestley), has also been released. She joined NXT in 2021 and moved up to the main roster, Smackdown, last year. She wasn’t really involved in any feuds, just appearing here and there. Her last match on Smackdown back in November of last year was part of the WWE Women’s United States Title Tournament.
Finally, Cedric Alexander is gone as well. Although he was really successful and major part of 205 Live, Alexander never really developed a following on the main roster except as part of The Hurt Business. He was recently sent to NXT.
He said farewell in a post on X:
Thank you for the last 8 1/2 years!
Being a professional wrestler has been a dream of mine since I could form memories and I will continue to do so till the good Lord says otherwise. #SeeYouIn90
— PRIME Alexander (@CedricAlexander) February 8, 2025
