WWE made the decision to cut ties with another talent recently as it was reported by Fightful Select that Duke Hudson was quietly released from his contract and removed from the internal roster in mid-January.
Following his release from the company Duke Hudson posted a new vignette on social media which features two different versions of himself having a conversation on a show called Wrestling with Identity. In the video Hudson officially confirmed that he’s been released from WWE.
Duke Hudson: “Welcome to Wrestling with Identity. Do we have a name for you, or us yet?”
Other Duke Hudson: “I don’t know”
Duke Hudson: “Alright, well let’s get straight to the point. You’ve been fired, which might be breaking news to a lot of the people here. I don’t think I’ve seen anything online. You weren’t part of a group with a ‘budget cuts’, right, so this really was more of a ‘we hate you.’”
Other Duke Hudson: “Yeah.”
Duke Hudson: “That’s probably why you look so rough, but I’m pulling it off. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, how do you feel about wasting six years of your life in that building?”
Other Duke Hudson: “I wouldn’t say it was a waste.”
Duke Hudson: “Come on. Think of everything that happened in your time there. You and Bronnie [Bronson Reed], for example. You started at the same time, you came up in Australia together. Now he’s jumping off the top of cages at Survivor Series, and you’re being written off TV again. Rhea [Ripley], for example. She is a megastar. She grew up watching you wrestle in Australia. You love telling people that story. Well, they overtook you. Your time was wasted.”
Other Duke Hudson: “I can be happy for my friends and be disappointed in my own shortcomings at the same time.”
Duke Hudson: “Come on. You’re free now, you can say whatever you want to say. Don’t just stick to what you learn in media training. Tell me what you want to say.”
Other Duke Hudson: “I don’t know.”
Duke Hudson: “I’m not done with you. We’ll be right back.”
On to the next chapter. pic.twitter.com/NR2XbUJg1C
— Duke Hudson (@sixftfiiiiive) February 4, 2025
Hudson first signed with WWE back in 2019. Prior to his release he was last used back in November when he defeated Anthony Luke at a NXT live event.
H/T Fightful