Former WWE star Mandy Rose has spoken out about the recent wave of talent releases from WWE, firmly debunking rumors that performers like Kora Jade, Gigi Dolin, and Dakota Kai were let go due to alleged laziness or poor work ethic. Speaking on her Power Alphas podcast with husband “Sabby” Piscitelli (Tino Sabbatelli), Rose offered a candid insider perspective on WWE’s release cycles, drawing from her own experience with the company.
“It’s Just Business” – The Reality of WWE’s Release Cycles
Rose didn’t mince words when addressing speculation about why wrestlers get released, emphasizing that WWE operates on a calculated business model rather than making decisions based on individual performance issues.
“Let me just put a squash all that [expletive] right now,” Rose stated firmly. “It’s a business model with a revolving door. Meaning as their guys who sit in offices are dorks and nerds and they punch numbers all day and they know that WWE has x amount of money for their salary.”
She explained that releases occur in predictable cycles, regardless of talent or effort:
“Every 8 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks they have layoffs. That’s what they do. And at that moment or whatever in that time… they probably sit in the room and say, ‘We have cuts this week. Here we go. Who’s running cold? Who’s not cooperating?’
And they go down this list and they say, ‘Okay, well we got to eliminate 10 people so we could hire 10 new people.’ And that’s just the way the revolving door works.”
Rose’s explanation directly contradicts online rumors suggesting that recently released talent weren’t putting in sufficient effort at the WWE Performance Center.
Defending Her Colleagues’ Work Ethic
Rose specifically took issue with claims questioning the work ethic of recently released performers, noting that the rigorous schedule at WWE’s Performance Center makes laziness virtually impossible.
“A couple of the girls, Kora and Gigi, actually made a comment about it on Twitter. And I like that they spoke up because I think that’s BS,” Rose said. “It’s so stupid because we’ve been there and we know like how it works when it comes to releases.”
She continued her defense of the released talent:
“You can’t even sit and say there was like a specific reason or like you make up a reason of being someone that was didn’t put enough work… there’s no time to be lazy when you’re at the PC. You’re training all week. You’re putting in the work. Some of these girls have been there for a couple years now at this point. You’re going to live events. You’re traveling all around Florida.”
Rose also specifically mentioned Dakota Kai, noting:
“Dakota Kai had like two or three injuries at one point. Like you know what it takes to get back from a knee injury to get back into, you know, full tiptop shape.”
The Business Side: Various Factors Behind Releases
Rose emphasized that each talent release situation is unique, with multiple potential factors at play beyond simple performance metrics. The decisions often come down to financial calculations rather than talent assessment.
“The reality is everybody’s in different situations, different scenario,” Rose explained. “One person could be getting paid too much. One person could be not being used, kind of fizzling out, not getting up. They don’t want to renew your contract. Everyone’s every single person that gets released is in a different scenario.”
Sabby added a comparison to his NFL experience:
“I got caught in that bubble in the NFL. In my year seven, they want younger and cheaper. That was what I figured out when I was trying to get back in the NFL at year seven where I knew my minimum was a million bucks. At that time, you can get three rookies for me. So, younger and cheaper.”
WWE’s Changing Contract Strategies Under TKO
Rose also noted changes in WWE’s approach to talent retention since the formation of TKO Group Holdings, which combined WWE and UFC under the same parent company.
“Their big thing right now I’ve noticed with like now with TKO and how they’re hiring people and maybe they’re paying people a little bit more which is great for those people but they have to cut the others,” she explained. “They got to look at their books. They got to figure out who deserves how much and who doesn’t and then they got to get rid of that waste in a sense.”
She contrasted this with previous management:
“Back when Vince [McMahon] was in charge, Vince kept a lot of talent. If he wasn’t using them or whether he liked it… I think it’s a different business model plan how they do it now.”
Rose suggested contract negotiations have become more challenging:
“Word on the street is that if they are some, you know, my co-worker over here is making that much money, well, why shouldn’t I be making that much money? So they go in with an offer and they don’t want to give that offer. So at the end of the day they’re going to say, ‘Well, you know what, we’re going to have to cut you because we don’t want to renew your deal.'”
Life After WWE: “I’m Not Just Surviving, I’m Thriving”
Perhaps most notably, Rose, who was surprisingly released by WWE in December 2022 after losing the NXT Women’s Championship, revealed that she has found greater success outside the company.
“They want to make you believe that you can’t survive without them. So that’s why there’s always that fear that is instilled in every single one of us in that company,” Rose reflected. “We all went through it. But two and a half years later for me, you know, I can sit here and say I’m it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’m blessed.”
She offered encouragement to recently released talent:
“Don’t just come out and take every offer that comes your way because let’s be honest, it’s sometimes scary when you get released. And if you didn’t save your money and you didn’t make a whole lot of money to be able to save or invest, you might be in a little bit of a pickle. But there are plenty of opportunities. And trust me when I tell you, you will be just fine.”
Rose even positioned herself as a mentor for wrestlers navigating their post-WWE careers:
“When these women find out their release… the smart ones, I should say… they know who to call.” She emphasized her willingness to help former colleagues leverage their WWE name recognition into new opportunities: “Being in WWE is a blessing. It’s a huge spectacle. Like we always say, it’s the cream of the crop. And you developed a name there and you have equity in your name.”
Financial Preparation Advice for Current WWE Talent
Both Rose and her husband stressed the importance of financial planning for inevitable career transitions, offering practical advice to current WWE performers.
“Take care of your money because taking care of your money is definitely a scenario where it takes a little bit of pressure off you. It takes a little bit of anxiety away,” Sabby advised. “At this point of my life and your life, we don’t have the pressure that we have to do anything, which is great. And I would tell anybody in WWE, and I know some of them aren’t getting paid as much as you think, but if you are getting paid a good amount, take care of your money, save it a little, invest a little bit of it.”
Rose added her own perspective on financial security:
“Nothing lasts forever. So don’t think that it’s going to last forever because it’s not. We always talk about all the time, hopefully this train runs, but we know this train will run out and then you will transition to something new and something new and something new.”
The couple’s candid discussion offers a rare glimpse into the business realities of professional wrestling, contradicting simplistic narratives about talent releases while providing valuable perspective for both fans and performers about the cyclical nature of the industry.