The fallout from WWE’s annual post-WrestleMania talent purge continues to grow. While roughly 30 names were let go in the initial wave following WrestleMania 42, eight additional departures have since surfaced — including some notable veterans and developmental talents.
The biggest names among the new exits are Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, who together made up the backbone of The New Day for over a decade. Both men were presented with offers to stay — but only at significantly reduced pay. They declined and walked away. Kingston’s departure ends a WWE tenure dating back to 2006, highlighted by his WWE Championship victory over Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35. Woods, who signed in 2010, never captured singles gold but did win the 2021 King of the Ring tournament. He is expected to work under the name Austin Creed going forward, a moniker familiar to indie fans and followers of his UpUpDownDown YouTube channel.
Also departing are two members of Solo Sikoa’s MFT faction — JC Mateo and Tonga Loa. Mateo, the former Jeff Cobb, signed in 2025 and spent his run largely in the background after a handful of early wins. Loa, who debuted at Backlash 2024 and previously worked in WWE from 2009 to 2014 as Camacho, held the tag titles in a non-traditional capacity after Solo Sikoa ordered Jacob Fatu to hand over his belt.
On the developmental side, Carlee Bright announced her exit shortly after the initial cuts, though she has continued to appear on the current season of WWE LFG despite that announcement. Francois Prinsloo, who joined in 2024 but never made a televised appearance, shared on social media that his time with the company had been meaningful and had reignited his passion for performing. Aria Bennett, who debuted in June 2024 and dealt with injury setbacks, quietly updated her social media to reflect her departure. And Masyn Holiday, most recently part of an Evolve tag team with Layla Diggs, announced she left on her own terms, citing depression and anxiety and saying that life in WWE was not aligning with her personal goals — though she was careful to note no ill will toward the company itself.
With these eight additions, the total number of WWE departures in the post-WrestleMania 42 period continues to climb, reshaping the roster heading into the summer.
Source: WrestleTalk
