Nikki Cross Released by WWE After 10-Year Run with the Company

NIKKI CROSS RELEASED BY WWE AFTER 10-YEAR RUN WITH THE COMPANY MAXXEDOUT Staff · MaxxedOut Published: April 24, 2026 | Read Time: 4 min ________________

WWE has officially released Nikki Cross, ending a decade-long tenure that spanned six character reinventions, a Raw Women's Championship reign, and a role in one of the company's most emotionally charged factions. Cross is among several names departing the company today as part of WWE's annual post-WrestleMania roster cuts, alongside Alba Fyre, Zoey Stark, and Joe Gacy, her fellow Wyatt Sicks stablemate. Cross confirmed the news on X, writing: "Goodbye and Thank you WWE. I'm really excited for whatever my next chapter will hold." She went on to thank Robbie Brookside and William Regal for helping her dream come true, as well as the wrestlers, coaches, producers, and backstage crew she worked alongside throughout her career. The Scottish-born performer signed with WWE in 2016 after building a reputation on the independent circuit as Nikki Storm. She debuted in NXT as part of the Sanity stable, quickly standing out with her unhinged, high-energy persona. From there, Cross carved out a versatile career on the main roster, forming a fan-favorite tag team with Alexa Bliss that produced two Women's Tag Team Championship reigns, winning Money in the Bank in 2021, and cashing in to capture the Raw Women's Championship the very next night as Nikki A.S.H. Cross had been absent from WWE television since late 2023 despite remaining under contract and appearing backstage at events. She was last featured as a member of The Wyatt Sicks, the faction built to carry forward the legacy of the late Bray Wyatt. With both Cross and Gacy now released, the future of that group faces new uncertainty. Beyond wrestling, Cross earned a Master's degree in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2023, with her dissertation focused on women's wrestling, a detail that speaks to a performer whose commitment to the industry ran deeper than what was ever shown on screen. It remains unclear whether Cross's departure was a release or a contract expiration. Regardless, her next chapter, whether on the independent scene, in another promotion, or beyond wrestling entirely, is one worth watching.