Report: Two WWE NXT Releases Considered 'Head Scratchers'

WWE last week cut dozens of main roster and NXT talents in a round of releases that had been expected following the TKO merger of WWE and UFC. Of those let go from NXT, however, two stood out as odd to those backstage.

According to BodySlam.net, the decision to release Mustafa Ali and Ikeman Jiro raised some eyebrows. An (unnamed) WWE source was quoted as saying:

"That one (Mustafa Ali) and Jiro are huge head scratchers. Ali did everything he was told to do. My guess is his requests to be released finally caught up to him.

"Jiro was a guy who was really over with the NXT crowd. They'd clap to his entrance and cheer the funny stuff he'd do. The fans knew he was a good athlete, but were guaranteed a good time when he showed up."

The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer has suggested that Ali was cut because he was making main roster money while wrestling for NXT and WWE didn't see him coming back to the main roster anytime soon. Another report claims that WWE 'freaked out' over the content of a recent Ali vignette that aired on NXT TV.