Gulak and 10 WWE names recently released (May 3, 2024)

WWE has slashed down its developmental roster recently and released Drew Gulak and several other superstars. The NXT roster has yielded a lot of amazing main-roster talent for the company.

However, the creative team of WWE is seemingly taking a more focused approach with its existing members and parting ways with superstars not part of any storylines. Here is the list of 10 wrestlers who no longer have a contract with the Stamford-based promotion.

---

Collegiate wrestling star Darrell Mason walks out of WWE

Darrell Mason was a heavyweight wrestler signed by the WWE. Mason is a collegiate wrestling star and a 285-pounder who wrestled for the Minnesota State Mavericks.

The junior-year athlete had a rather brief stint in the company with minor appearances. He was also a part of the Next Gen docuseries produced by John Cena.

---

Kiyah Saint, Valentina Feroz, and Emma Diaz exit the women’s division of NXT

Valentina Feroz, Kiyah Saint, and Emma Diaz are also among the recently released wrestlers who showcased their uniqueness in the Stamford-based promotion.

While Saint and Diaz had fought their matches with resilience, Feroz was known for her versatility and knowledge of several fighting styles. Emma Diaz has also announced her availability for indie offers via a tweet on X.

---

NCAA athletes end their tenure

Vlad Pavlenko and Ezekiel Balogun had made their way to the WWE via their NCAA sporting careers.

Pavlenko is a track and field star who specialized in throwing events and Balogun is a former North Florida Ospreys basketball star. Keyshawn Leflore is another collegiate sports name who was previously a cheerleader.

---

Julian Baldi, Boa, and Trey Bearhill pack up

Julian Baldi, Boa, and Trey Bearhill have also been released by the company. Baldi and Boa had gimmicks representing their respective countries and had brief runs in the developmental brand. Bearhill was involved in a decent feud against Lexis King that benefited King but didn’t see a lot of plus points for him.

Announcing the news of his exit from WWE, Baldi noted that he doesn’t have any regrets and looked forward to the future. Boa's exit was predicted a few weeks back when his retirement rumors became the talk of the town.

---

The controversial release of Drew Gulak

Drew Gulak is easily the most notable name in the list of the most recent releases owing to his popularity on the WWE NXT. Gulak has been with the Stamford-based promotion since 2016 and has also won nine lower-card championship titles during his run. Unlike the other wrestlers, he didn’t face a problem of exposure or securing matches in the ring.

However, Drew Gulak got involved in an unsavory controversy when Ronda Rousey called him out for improper conduct at a 2022 event. Gulak tweeted a response to Rousey’s statement where he accepted the allegation but noted that what happened was accidental.

The NXT Superstar also wrote in his response that he had promptly apologized to the UFC and WWE veteran for the same. The controversy, however, stuck like glue to Gulak and the Stamford-based promotion wrote him off active storylines, and has now released him.