Duke Hudsons WWE career is officially over, but the real shocker? His release actually happened weeks ago in January, and the news is only now coming to light. WWE quietly cut ties with the former NXT Tag Team Champion, and according to reports, Triple H simply didnt see him as a long-term player.
Hudson, who originally debuted as Brendan Vink, got his first WWE shot in 2019 at an NXT live event before transitioning to TV in 2020. He had a brief run on Raw alongside Shane Thorne, even catching the attention of Paul Heyman. During Heymans stint as Raws creative lead, he saw Hudsons potential and had plans to push him as a fresh face.
Heyman saw a lot in him. He saw a big guy, good look, moves. Well, he wasnt ready, but Heyman thought, you know, if you remember, when Heyman started on the Raw thing, his big thing was to bring in all kinds of new guys and push and push guys who hadnt been pushed before, Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio.
That vision didnt align with Vince McMahons thinking. Duke was, you know, a guy he tried with for, like, three weeks, and then Vince got the three-week thing. And its like, Nah. And that was that, and he was gone, Meltzer added.
Even after Vince was out of the picture, Triple H still wasnt sold on Hudsons main roster potential. Now, of course, Vince is gone, so it doesnt matter, but you know, [Paul Triple H] Levesque is the one who makes the calls, and for whatever reason, you know, he didnt see Duke as a main roster guy, Meltzer explained. So at some point, when youre, you know, when youre 34, and you dont see him as a main roster guy, and hed been there for six years, its kind of like thats the way it works.
Despite having a run as NXT Tag Team Champion alongside Andre Chase in 2023, it wasnt enough to keep his WWE career alive. Now, Hudson is finally addressing his release on his own terms.
He confirmed his departure with a cryptic video posted to Twitter/X. The vignette, styled like a podcast titled Wrestling with Identity, features Hudson having a brutally honest conversation with himself.
Welcome to Wrestling with Identity, Hudson says, speaking to a version of himself. Do we have a name for you, or us yet?
I dont know, the other Hudson responds.
Hudson doesnt hesitate to get to the point. Alright, well lets get straight to the point. Youve been fired, which might be breaking news to a lot of the people here. I dont think Ive seen anything online. You werent part of a group with a budget cuts, right, so this really was more of a we hate you.
His other self, without hesitation, replies, Yeah.
Then comes the harsh self-reflection. Thats probably why you look so rough, but Im pulling it off. Now that the cats out of the bag, how do you feel about wasting six years of your life in that building?
I wouldnt say it was a waste.
Hudsons other self fires back. Come on. Think of everything that happened in your time there. You and Bronnie, for example. You started at the same time, you came up in Australia together. Now hes jumping off the top of cages at Survivor Series, and youre being written off TV again. Rhea, 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.
Hudson doesnt let negativity take over completely. I can be happy for my friends and be disappointed in my own shortcomings at the same time, he responds.
But his other self isnt satisfied. Come on. Youre free now, you can say whatever you want to say. Dont just stick to what you learn in media training. Tell me what you want to say.
I dont know.
The video ends with Hudson abruptly cutting off the conversation. Im not done with you. Well be right back.
Hudson is clearly wrestling with his next move, but one thing is certainhes not done with the industry. After years in WWE, his next chapter is wide open, and fans are waiting to see where he lands next.
What do you think of Duke Hudsons next steps? Was his WWE run undervalued, or was his release inevitable? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
