Report: Alexander Wolfe, Skyler Story, Ezra Judge Among NXT Stars Released by WWE

WWE has released Alexander Wolfe, Skyler Story and Ezra Judge from the NXT roster, according to PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson.

Johnson reported "budget cuts" were cited as the reason behind the moves and that more in-ring talent could be out the door. He subsequently reported Jessamyn Duke and Vanessa Borne were also let go.

The news provides some context for what transpired during NXT on Tuesday night.

Wolfe lost a singles match to Killian Dain, which prompted a post-match attack by now-former Imperium stablemates Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel. The development makes sense as a way to write Wolfe off NXT programming indefinitely.

Wolfe initially rose up the ranks as a member of Sanity.

He and Eric Young beat The Authors of Pain at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III in August 2017 to become the NXT tag team champions. The 34-year-old was also part of NXT's first War Games match in November 2017, where Sanity and AOP lost to The Undisputed Era in the main event.

The other NXT wrestlers released were unable to make themselves regular members of the show.

Duke often accompanied Shayna Baszler to the ring during Baszler's NXT run but couldn't strike it out on her own away from her fellow Four Horsewomen. Borne qualified for the first-ever Mae Young Classic in 2017 and lost to Serena Deeb in the first round.

Wednesday's NXT cuts come a little more than a month after WWE released a number of main roster stars including Samoa Joe, Mickie James, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce.