Nia Jax and 4 other WWE superstars reportedly released because they were unvaccinated
WWE remains serious about getting everyone within the company vaccinated. However, on a roster filled with talent and with hundreds of people working behind the scenes, not everyone seems to agree with that point of view.
Nia Jax was one of those people. She was public about not supporting the COVID-19 vaccine. And according to New York Post, Jax's invaccination was the reason for her release.
Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast doubled-down on this report, stating that four WWE Superstars were released because they weren't vaccinated.
Spoke to a source regarding the WWE roster cuts.
It’s believed that possibly 4 individuals were released due to not being vaccinated.
nypost.com/2021/11/04/kei…
Fightful further reported that at least five of the released names were "openly" unvaccinated.
"At least five of the released talent were 'openly unvaccinated,' including some very surprising names. It was stressed to us that this wasn't the exclusive reason, and wasn't the reason across the board for firings. It should be noted, releasing talent for not being vaccinated is completely legal, and would have restricted many of the venues that performers could compete in and travel availabilities."
While the other names aren't yet known, Scarlett Bordeaux and Karrion Kross were speculated to be in the same category as they previously liked "anti-vaccine" posts on social media.
Nia Jax's comments from a few months earlier about the COVID-19 vaccine makes it obvious that she wasn't an advocate. On her Instagram story in November 2020, she said:
"The Covid Vaccine is 90% effective after 8 months of development when the flu vaccine is 40% effective after 70 years of development. I'll go with my immune system, as it's 99.9% effective. God made my immune system, and I trust him the most."
Sasha Banks was also under fire a few months ago after she was spotted liking anti-vaccine and anti-mask posts on Instagram. She went as far as liking posts that questioned the pandemic as well.
It was speculated that WWE's abrupt removal of Banks from SummerSlam 2021 was a result of her not being vaccinated. When asked by the New York Post about why she missed SummerSlam, Sasha Banks declined to comment.
What is Nia Jax's legacy in WWE?
Fightful has confirmed Nia Jax has been released by WWE
The Irresistible Force may have once been untouchable due to her association with The Rock and the famous Anoa'i family. But the WWE releases since 2020 have proved that few superstars, if any, belong to that category.
It will be interesting to see what the other side of the story is. It may cause a lot of debate, with some arguing that it's a violation of basic human rights, while others would argue that WWE is within its rights to release people for not being vaccinated.
Regardless, Nia Jax has left behind a legacy in the company during the golden era of the women's division. She's a former RAW Women's Champion and a two-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion.
We wish Nia Jax her the best for her future ventures.