With WrestleMania 42 now behind us, WWE’s parent company TKO has once again carried out budget cuts. The company released talent who were either underutilized or not generating enough revenue and interest.
On the evening of Friday, April 24, 2026, multiple names, including several female wrestlers, were reported as released via Fightful Select. Some of the cuts were highly surprising.
The three most shocking releases in the women’s division were Kairi Sane, Zelina Vega, and Tyra Mae Steele.
Kairi Sane had been heavily featured in a major storyline alongside IYO SKY and Asuka throughout most of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.
Zelina Vega was widely viewed as a top contender for the next Women’s United States Championship opportunity.
Tyra Mae Steele (real name Tamyra Mensah-Stock), a former U.S. Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and winner of LFG Season 1, had been expected to become a major star in women’s pro wrestling.
Full List of Female Talent Released:
- Kairi Sane
- Zelina Vega
- Nikki Cross
- Zoey Stark
- Alba Fyre
- Tyra Mae Steele (LFG Season 1 Winner)
- Sirena Linton
Additional budget cuts may occur in the coming days. At the end of the day, WWE and TKO are running a business, so they must make tough decisions in the company’s best interest.
Source Credit: FightfulSelect.com
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