As WWE continues to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, it has furloughed a number of wrestlers, coaches, producers and other talent, including former world champion Kurt Angle, former tag team champions Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, and former cruiserweight champ Lio Rush.
In a post on its website, the Stamford company said: “WWE has come to terms on the release of Kurt Angle, Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev), Drake Maverick (James Curtin), Zack Ryder (Matthew Cardona), Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers), Karl Anderson (Chad Allegra), Luke Gallows (Drew Hankinson), Heath Slater (Heath Miller), Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz), Rowan (Joseph Ruud), Sarah Logan (Sarah Rowe), No Way Jose (Levis Valenzuela), Mike Chioda, Mike Kanellis (Mike Bennett), Maria Kanellis, EC3 (Michael Hutter), Aiden English (Matthew Rehwoldt), Lio Rush (Lionel Green), Primo (Edwin Colon) and Epico (Orlando Colon Nieves). We wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”
The cuts will reportedly save the Stamford company about $703,000 a month. Another $4.2 million a month will be saved by delaying its move to its new home at 677 Washington Blvd. in the city.
The moves come just days after WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon announced that Alpha Entertainment, the firm he created to oversee his alternative pro football league the XFL, was filing for bankruptcy.
WWE is still producing live wrestling events without live audiences. Earlier this week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared the Stamford company”™s live wrestling events an essential business, allowing it to continue production in its WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
Reportedly aiding DeSantis”™ decision was a promise made by McMahon”™s wife and former U.S. Small Business Administration administrator Linda McMahon to spend $18.5 million in Orlando and Tampa, on behalf of her “America First Action” super PAC to re-elect Donald Trump.
