Duke Hudson wrestles with his identity.
On February 3rd, Fightful Select reported that WWE released former NXT Tag Team Champion Duke Hudson. Before his release, he had not wrestled since an NXT live event in November.
Hudson confirmed his release in a vignette that he posted on Twitter/X. The video is presented as an interview or podcast, titled "Wrestling with Identity", in which Hudson talks to a different version of himself.
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
Chase U member Thea Hail commented on Hudson's release and made it clear that she wished him well.
— Thea Hail (@theahail_wwe) February 4, 2025
love U -- pic.twitter.com/73kYRaI8eM
— Thea Hail (@theahail_wwe) February 4, 2025
Hudson signed with WWE in 2019, and he had a prominent run as a member of Chase U in NXT.
Fightful will provide more information about Duke Hudson's status as it becomes available.
