Wrestling fans were caught a bit off guard earlier this week when news emerged that "NXT" star Duke Hudson had not only been released by WWE, but had been let go by the company back in January. The move ends Hudson's six year tenure with WWE, which saw him also work under his real name, Brendan Vink, on WWE's main roster, and find success in "NXT" as a member of the popular stable Chase Ubefore being taken off TV when the group disbanded last fall.
With the news now out there, Hudson is looking to keep his name in the spotlight, and he did so in a unique, introspective way. Taking to X early Tuesday afternoon, Hudson posted a minute and a half video called "Wrestling With Identity," where he, clad in a black jacket, interviewed another version of himself, wearing white. The Hudson in black was more upbeat than the Hudson in white, even as he declared that he had been "fired," and that the fact that no one else was released alongside him suggested this was a "we hate you" move on WWE's part, something both Hudson's agreed upon.
Things took a turn when Hudson asked himself how he felt "wasting six years in that building," which the white clad Hudson denied. Hudson then reminded himself how fellow Australians Bronson Reed and Rhea Ripley had surpassed him, despite Hudson and Reed starting together, and Ripley having watched Hudson wrestle before she began her career. The war within Hudson ended with him demanding to his counterpart that he "say what you want to say" only to get "I don't know." Hudson ended the video promising that he wasn't done with himself, suggesting the series would continue.
