Three More Names Join WWE’s Expanding NXT Release List

# What happened WWE revealed three more departures tied to its developmental system: Marcus Brown, Ellen Akesson and referee Gary Wilson. The report attributing the news to Sean Ross Sapp surfaced on September 4, 2026 and was published by Ringside News the next day.

# Who the names are

Ellen Akesson is a Swedish powerlifter and world champion arm wrestler. She attended WWE's SummerSlam tryouts in 2025 and WWE publicly announced her signing in March 2026. Akesson had only recently begun training at the Performance Center and had not yet progressed far into developmental storylines or televised NXT programming.

Gary Wilson, whose legal name is Edwin Franken, served as a referee across NXT and NXT Level Up for several years. Wilson was a familiar on-screen official at the Performance Center, and his release demonstrates this round of cuts is not limited to wrestlers.

# Where this fits in the wider round of cuts These three departures were announced as part of a broader wave of roster reductions. Ringside News listed other confirmed releases that night, including Jasper Troy, PJ Vasa, Wendy Choo, Adriana Rizzo, Zena Sterling, Braxton Cole and Anya Rune. With Brown, Akesson and Wilson added, the confirmed list reached double digits.

WWE's initial cuts that night targeted names who had appeared on NXT, Evolve and LFG programming. The inclusion of recently signed prospects and a veteran referee indicates the sweep covered a broad range of developmental personnel.

# What this means for the individuals and WWE's development pipeline Brown and Akesson were early in their WWE tenures. Their departures remove two prospects WWE had recently invested in through Performance Center recruitment and tryout programs. Wilson's exit reduces experienced officiating depth within NXT tapings and Level Up events.

For WWE, the round of releases decreases headcount across multiple roles inside the developmental ecosystem. For Brown and Akesson, being released at this stage means they leave without an extended run in NXT. For Wilson, it ends a multi-year presence as a referee for NXT shows.

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