Why Was Francois Prinsloo Released From WWE? What Reports Are Saying

WWE roster cuts always trigger speculation, especially when dozens of names are suddenly removed at once. For fans, the immediate reaction is usually the same. Why this wrestler? Why now?

And one of the questions with this round of cuts is why was Francois Prinsloo released from WWE?

While the company did not publicly provide a detailed explanation for his departure, reports surrounding WWE’s latest wave of cuts offer a clearer picture of what may have happened behind the scenes.

Here's what we know.

According to Sports Illustrated, more than 30 WWE talents were either released from their contracts or informed that their deals would not be renewed during the latest round of cuts. Francois was among the names affected.

The report noted that WWE’s decisions were tied to broader roster evaluations rather than a single issue connected to one performer. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer said WWE released talents the company reportedly “felt were not going to make it long-term.”

Dave also suggested the cuts were partially a delayed correction after fewer releases the previous year. “They do cuts every single year. [Last year,] they kind of held back, so [this year is] kind of like a catch-up."

He went on to say that WWE’s upcoming change to a two-hour format for SmackDown influenced how many wrestlers the company believed it could realistically feature on television.

More SmackDown Superstars than Raw Superstars were released, and Dave explained that SmackDown is going to a two-hour show and the reduced runtime meant “there is less time to put as many people on.”

That context matters because it suggests the cuts were not necessarily tied to one wrestler’s performance alone, but to broader changes in how WWE plans to structure its programming moving forward.

Following the news, Francois shared a lengthy statement to his Instagram reflecting on his time with WWE. Rather than sounding bitter, his message focused heavily on gratitude, growth, and unfinished ambition.

“WWE has been nothing but a blessing for me,” he wrote, later adding that the experience “reignited my passion and talent for acting and speaking.” He also thanked coaches, medical staff, classmates, and fans who supported him throughout his time in the company.

He said the release was difficult to process. “It’s been fun and hard, but hardest of all is having to accept my journey getting cut short before I could really start,” he wrote.

Toward the end of his statement, he added something that has fans wondering what happened behind the scenes.

“But I wise man once told me: ‘The wolf climbing the mountain is always hungrier than the one at the top,’” he wrote, adding, “unfortunately, I’ve been left starving ... But we'll talk more about that later.”

Large roster cuts tend to create immediate emotional reactions from fans, but they are also closely tied to business decisions involving television time, creative direction, and roster balance.

In this case, reports suggest WWE was evaluating its roster across multiple levels while also preparing for structural changes to SmackDown. That broader context appears to be a major reason why so many names, including Francois, were part of the latest round of departures.

For fans, releases like this are always a reminder of how unpredictable wrestling careers can be, especially in a company as large as WWE. But if Prinsloo’s own message is any indication, he does not sound like someone planning to disappear quietly.