Reason Behind Wes Lee’s WWE Release Revealed

Wes Lee shocked fans earlier this month when his WWE release became official, but now the real reason has been revealed.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE had simply decided he wasn’t in their long-term plans — despite his reputation as one of the best in-ring performers on the roster.

Meltzer explained that Lee, whose real name is Deveon Aichens, had reached the end of his run in WWE because management didn’t see him as someone they would ever move up to the main roster.

“The biggest surprise was Wes Lee (Deveon Aichens, 36), who is great in the ring. I guess the idea is that after five years in the system, they simply felt they were never going to use him on the main roster.”

Advertising

Advertising

Lee spent five years under the WWE umbrella, where he became a standout in NXT. He won both the North American Championship and tag team gold, but after his July 29 loss to Je’Von Evans and a handful of untelevised matches, he was quietly shifted to the alumni section of WWE’s website before his official release on October 10.

In the days following his departure, Lee wasted no time reclaiming his roots. He updated his Twitter bio to reflect a return to his pre-WWE name, Dezmond Xavier, the same name he used on the independent scene and during his TNA Wrestling run with The Rascalz.

At 36 years old, Dezmond Xavier is looking at the next chapter of his career — and with his former Rascalz teammates nearing the end of their TNA deals, speculation about a reunion is already heating up.