WWE saw a significant group of departures announced on September 4, with the exits affecting talent and personnel associated primarily with NXT, WWE EVOLVE, WWE LFG and the WWE ID program. Among the most recognizable names in the group are Jasper Troy, Wendy Choo and Adriana Rizzo, while several newer signees and developmental performers are also no longer with the company.

The list spans varying levels of experience. Some had been signed for years and appeared on television or WWE digital programming, while others had only recently joined WWE’s system and had not yet wrestled in an official capacity. The departures also include a referee, underscoring the broad nature of the changes across the developmental landscape.

No specific reasons for the departures or details concerning release terms were included in the announcement. What is clear is that the group represents a cross-section of WWE’s modern talent pipeline, from established NXT names to WWE LFG participants, EVOLVE regulars and prospects brought in through WWE ID.

Jasper Troy leaves after LFG win and WWE Speed reign

Jasper Troy is among the highest-profile names included in the departures. Troy signed with WWE in 2022 and built a résumé across several of the company’s developmental and digital platforms. He won the first season of WWE LFG and also held the WWE Speed Championship, accomplishments that made him one of the more visible performers connected to the LFG project.

His last match came on the August 27 edition of WWE Main Event. Troy’s presence on that program shortly before the September 4 announcement makes his exit especially notable, as he had continued to receive in-ring opportunities within WWE’s broader television ecosystem.

Winning WWE LFG’s first season gave Troy a distinct place in the company’s efforts to spotlight developing wrestlers through competition-based programming. His WWE Speed title run added another tangible milestone. With his departure, Troy moves on after having worked across platforms that WWE has used to introduce and evaluate emerging talent.

Wendy Choo’s lengthy WWE run comes to an end

Wendy Choo departs after signing with WWE in 2019. Her tenure placed her among the longer-serving names in this round of exits, and she had competed in multiple stages of the NXT environment during that time. Choo was also a former WWE EVOLVE Women’s Champion.

Choo’s most recent match took place in a dark match held before the August 25 episode of WWE NXT. Her inclusion in the September 4 group closes a WWE run that extended for several years and included work across the company’s developmental programming.

The EVOLVE Women’s Championship reign stands as a key credential from Choo’s time in the system. WWE EVOLVE has provided another setting for wrestlers to gain experience and establish themselves in a competitive environment, and Choo’s championship history there remains part of her record as she exits WWE.

Adriana Rizzo exits after work in ring and as EVOLVE interviewer

Adriana Rizzo, who signed with WWE in 2022, is also part of the announced departures. Rizzo had worked as an interviewer on WWE EVOLVE while continuing to compete at NXT live events. That combination of on-camera interview responsibilities and in-ring activity gave her a varied role within WWE’s developmental structure.

Her final listed match occurred at an NXT live event on August 21. Rizzo’s departure follows roughly four years in WWE, during which she was utilized both in performance roles and in a presentation capacity for EVOLVE.

Rizzo’s work demonstrates how developmental talent can be assigned multiple responsibilities while progressing through the system. In addition to matches on the live-event circuit, she helped represent the EVOLVE brand in a non-wrestling role. Her exit removes one of the talents who had been visible in that portion of WWE’s expanding developmental content.

LFG and EVOLVE participants also included

Zena Sterling is another departure with a connection to WWE LFG. Sterling signed with WWE in 2023 and took part in both the first and second seasons of the series. Her most recent listed match was at an NXT live event on August 22.

Like Troy, Sterling’s work on WWE LFG placed her before an audience that follows the company’s emerging prospects. Appearing on two seasons of the program gave her a recurring role in that format, even as she continued to compete on the NXT live-event circuit.

PJ Vasa, who signed in 2025, is also no longer with WWE. Vasa competed on WWE EVOLVE during his time with the company. The same is true of Anya Rune, who joined as WWE ID talent in March 2026 and worked on EVOLVE, and Braxton Cole, who signed in 2025 and also competed on the EVOLVE brand.

Cole’s last listed bout came at an NXT live event in August. The departures of Vasa, Rune and Cole are notable because each was connected to a developmental initiative designed to create opportunities for newer performers. EVOLVE has become an important part of that structure, giving talent another platform to develop outside the standard NXT television framework.

Recent signees among those departing

Two of the names announced had joined WWE only months earlier and had not wrestled for the company. Ellen Akesson signed in May 2026 but never competed in a WWE match. Marcus Brown signed in March 2026 and likewise did not wrestle before his departure.

The short tenures of Akesson and Brown illustrate the uncertain nature of the developmental process. WWE’s recruitment system brings in athletes and prospects at different points in their careers, and not every signing reaches the stage of a televised match, a live-event match or a formal debut. Neither Akesson nor Brown recorded a WWE match before leaving.

Anya Rune’s tenure was also brief in comparison to the more established names in the group. Rune joined under the WWE ID banner in March 2026 and went on to compete on EVOLVE. WWE ID has served as a pathway for talent entering WWE’s broader developmental orbit, making Rune’s exit another example of how quickly the composition of those programs can change.

Referee Gary Wilson also departs

The September 4 departures are not limited to wrestlers and on-screen personalities. Referee Gary Wilson, who signed with WWE in 2022, is included in the group.

Officials play a vital role in the weekly operation of WWE’s developmental system, working matches that help provide structure and consistency across television, live events and other programming. Wilson’s departure means the company is also losing a member of its officiating staff who had been part of WWE for approximately four years.

While referees do not always receive the same public attention as performers, departures in that area remain important. A promotion’s refereeing crew is a central component of match presentation, and developmental officials gain experience alongside the wrestlers they oversee.

What the departures mean for WWE’s developmental system

As a whole, the September 4 list reflects the breadth of WWE’s current developmental operation. NXT remains the centerpiece, but it now exists alongside EVOLVE, WWE LFG, WWE Speed, WWE ID and a robust live-event schedule. The departing group touched many of those areas.

  • Jasper Troy signed in 2022, won WWE LFG Season 1 and held the WWE Speed Championship.
  • Zena Sterling signed in 2023 and appeared on WWE LFG Seasons 1 and 2.
  • Wendy Choo signed in 2019 and is a former WWE EVOLVE Women’s Champion.
  • Adriana Rizzo signed in 2022 and worked as a WWE EVOLVE interviewer.
  • PJ Vasa, Anya Rune and Braxton Cole all competed on WWE EVOLVE.
  • Gary Wilson had been with WWE as a referee since 2022.
  • Ellen Akesson and Marcus Brown departed without wrestling for WWE.

The names involved represent several different stages of professional development. Troy and Choo leave with championship credentials. Rizzo and Sterling had clear on-screen roles across WWE programming. Vasa, Rune and Cole were building experience through EVOLVE and NXT live events. Akesson and Brown were still at the earliest point of their WWE journeys.

For WWE, the exits create openings within a system that consistently brings in new talent through scouting, NIL recruitment, independent wrestling connections and programs such as WWE ID. For the individuals involved, the announcement marks the end of their current WWE chapters, with their future wrestling or professional plans not detailed.

The September 4 departures therefore stand as a substantial reshaping of the company’s developmental roster and support staff. Jasper Troy, Wendy Choo, Adriana Rizzo, Zena Sterling, PJ Vasa, Anya Rune, Braxton Cole, Gary Wilson, Ellen Akesson and Marcus Brown are all included in the announced group, ending a wide range of WWE tenures across NXT, EVOLVE, LFG and related programs.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.