Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Vince McMahon and WWE officials made the decision to release Braun Strowman due to his high salary costs, which was stated to be around $1.2 million per year in guaranteed money.
Meltzer reported that WWE officials felt that Strowman was making top tier money despite him no longer being viewed as a top star and being obsolete as the company’s giant attraction following the addition of Omos and Commander Azeez to the main roster. Meltzer also reported that one of his sources stated that WWE officials viewed Strowman as someone who was “two years past his peak” as a big star.
Another sources stated that Strowman had made a big mistake during the negotiations for his new contract since he did not push for a “no cut” clause when he was at his highest star status and bargaining power in the company. This same source stated that a few of WWE’s bigger stars have a “no cut” clause currently in their contracts for added job security in the company.