On February 4, WWE announced the release of Steve Cutler.
Cutler had been paired with Wesley Blake as the Knights of the Lone Wolf alongside King Corbin. Following his release, Cutler's girlfriend Deonna Purrazzo announced she and Cutler had tested positive for COVID in early January.
Fightful Select reported, "There was heat on Cutler specifically from Vince McMahon when Cutler was sidelined from WWE TV after contracting COVID-19 in early January."
When asked about Cutler's release on the NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day media call, Triple H replied, "To be honest, I have no knowledge of precisely that situation or what went into it. It really had nothing to do with me. We take COVID seriously across the board with everything. We're expecting our talent to be as safe as possible and we're taking every precaution we can from a testing and cleaning, just every precaution we've been advised to take and is best for us to take. We're taking it all seriously. The safety and health of our performers, staff, and crew is first and foremost on anything we do. I don't know that situation, only what's been speculated to me or what I've read, but I've not specifically asked and I don't have that information."
Cutler took to social media after his release was announced to thank fans for their support and start his 90-day countdown until his non-compete clause is up.
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