Released WWE Superstars were NOT told to get vaccinated - Report
WWE released a total of 18 Superstars on November 4th, marking one of the largest WWE contract dumps in recent memory. In the coming days, it was reported that 5 of the 18 superstars, including former WWE Women's Champion Nia Jax, were let go partially due to their vaccination status.
Vaccination from the virus has become a hot button topic throughout the world, and the world of WWE seems to be no different.
A new report from Wrestling Observer Radio's Dave Meltzer suggests that WWE officials never instructed talent to receive the jab. While WWE strongly encouraged that they do, it was never forced on any superstar:
"There were several of the people - I don't know the names, specifically - it was probably a half dozen or more that did not get vaxed that got cut. It was very much part of the reason. They never told anyone to get vaccinated as far as I know. Because I'd ask, 'Were you told that you needed to get vaccinated?' and it was like, 'No.' It was understood that they wanted you to, absolutely, but nobody was told," said Dave Meltzer. (h/t Cultaholic)
Meltzer would go on to try and explain the logic on WWE's part to release superstars for not wanting to recieve the COVID-19 Vaccine, suggesting that traveling overseas and working in certain arenas would be very difficult to work around talent being vaccinated.
There were rumors within the industry last week that WWE would be cutting some talent in relation to vaccination status. That doesn't appear to be the case across the board, although it was cited as a reason for several of them
Metlzer sounded off on WWE, saying the company should have made more of an effort to explain to talent why they need to be vaccinated, rather than just release them:
"If the idea is like, 'We're gonna cut people who don't get vaccinated,' I think that they should tell people. Maybe there's legal reasons why they don't, as far as lawsuits or something. But it's part of your job that you've gotta go overseas. So if you were told that you need to get vaccinated because we're gonna go overseas, especially if you're a main roster person, and you don't, at that point yeah, I can get it. But nobody was told that," added Dave Meltzer. (h/t Cultaholic)
While WWE's official stance points to "budget cuts" as the root cause of the nearly 20 releases. Today's reports suggest that there is more to the story. If these reports hold true, it could possibly explain why certain superstars were let go so abruptly, with little to no explanation.
Nia Jax says her vaccination status was never brought up in WWE Release
Released superstar Nia Jax expressed her raw emotions about being released from WWE, shortly after the news became public. Jax says that her vaccination status was never brought up, but notes that WWE did not give much other explanation for her release.
"I usually keep my personal life private, but yesterday’s reports leave me with no option but to clarify matters. I recently took a short leave of absence from WWE for a mental health break. I’ve been working through so much — more than I can share — and so I took some time, with the full support of the company, to take care of myself. Earlier this week, after WWE sent me my schedule to return to the ring for the November 15 show, I asked for an extension to my mental health break, feeling that I needed more time, and hoping I would have the ongoing support of the company I have given my all to for the past 7 years. I did not receive a response. The next I heard, I was being released. My vaccination status was never mentioned. I wasn’t given any choices or options," read her statement.
Nia Jax was signed to WWE in 2014, competing in NXT until she was called up to the main roster in 2016. Her last appearance in the company came on the September 20th episode of RAW this year, when Jax was attacked by former partner Shayna Bazsler.
Jax is a former NXT Women's Champion, RAW Women's Champion, and 2x WWE Women's Tag Team Champion. A talent like her will do quite well, should she choose to continue wrestling.