Booker T Explains Why WWE’s Latest Releases Don’t Surprise Him

WWE cut several talents from its LFG, NXT, and ID programs, leaving fans stunned by names like Wes Lee and Ridge Holland being on the list. But Booker T made it clear he isn’t surprised by the company’s decision, and he delivered a reality check for anyone trying to break into the business.

Speaking on the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker said he wants young wrestlers to understand that professional wrestling moves fast and requires much more than just talent. He emphasized that the clock starts ticking the moment someone joins developmental.

“We gotta talk about the releases. I wanna wise some of these young guys up—you really gotta understand how serious this thing is and how the clock is ticking every second. I advise you young guys that are trying to make that transition from whatever life you had before to pro wrestling: it’s about picking it up, being smart, and doing it quickly. Sometimes you can have all the talent in the world, but that’s not what will get you to the next level.”

Booker pointed to Wes Lee as an example, saying he thought Lee was safe but that his release proved how NXT truly functions as a developmental system. Booker explained that staying in NXT too long without a main roster call-up often means the writing is on the wall.

“I look at Wes Lee. Wes Lee is a guy I would’ve thought was safe—but I think this is what it’s all about. NXT is a developmental system. Wes Lee’s been there for five years? When you’ve been in the developmental system for five years and you’re not looked at as someone who’s gonna be on the main roster, you could be one of the guys that’s gonna get cut.”

Booker added that young talent should treat their window as short, giving themselves no more than two and a half years to prove they belong.

“That’s what I think about when I look at the young talent out there. If they’re just happy being a part of it, that’s not enough. I don’t think about Wes Lee at all—his talent was extraordinary—but as far as this developmental system, I implore guys to think that you’ve got maybe two, two and a half years at max. So you gotta be motivated to figure out what this thing is all about.”

While Wes Lee’s release caught him off guard, Booker said the others didn’t. He mentioned Ridge Holland specifically, saying he’d been around long enough without breaking through.

“What happened with Wes Lee was a shocker, but as far as anyone else on that list—no one really shocked me. Ridge Holland, he’s a guy that’s been around for a while and never really crashed through, and I could see a guy like that—after a while, you just say, ‘Well, we’re gonna go with this.’ I could see that. Everyone else on that list is just a casualty of the business.”

Along with Lee and Holland, WWE also cut Stevie Turner, Lance Anoa’i, Drako Knox, Haze Jameson, Summer Sorrell, Brayden “BJ” Ray, Jamar Hampton, and Jin Tala. Booker’s message is simple—wrestling is a business that constantly evaluates who’s ready to move forward, and anyone who isn’t pushing past their ceiling risks becoming expendable.

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