Mustafa Ali Requests Release From WWE, Reportedly Had Argument With Vince McMahon

Mustafa Ali tweeted today that he is requesting his release from WWE.

In the tweet, he said:

I have a message that is much bigger than my dreams in pro wrestling. Despite my best efforts, I will not be able to deliver this message while working with WWE.

Therefore, I am requesting my release from WWE.

– Mustafa Ali

i am requesting my release from wwe pic.twitter.com/Q1QP8SA5zV

— Mustafa Ali / Adeel Alam (@AliWWE) January 16, 2022

According to a report by Fightful Select, a “heated argument” with Vince McMahon may have led to Ali’s release request.

On the October 29 SmackDown, following a loss to Drew McIntyre in two minutes, Ali got on the mic and cut a promo about how WWE fans would never accept him because of his name. Two weeks later on Twitter, he revealed that this was supposed to be the setup for a new angle and gimmick, but it was scrapped by WWE, so Ali posted a potential promo with the gimmick on Twitter:

a few weeks ago, i made a statement that some deemed controversial. my intentions were to bring a beautiful vision to life. unfortunately, for reasons beyond my control, i won’t be able to make that vision a reality. but i can share with you what could have been. pic.twitter.com/V2bKzYJUrw

— Mustafa Ali / Adeel Alam (@AliWWE) November 13, 2021

After this angle was scrapped, Fightful says that Vince McMahon made a new pitch to Ali, which a source said was “something Mustafa Ali would never have done,” and this led to a “heated argument” between Ali and McMahon. It’s unknown what the pitch was.

The October 29 loss against McIntyre was Ali’s last match in WWE. His wife had a baby in late November and Ali requested one week off for paternity leave, and was ready to return in the first week of December, but he hasn’t been on TV since.

It’s unknown if WWE will grant his release, but a higher up told Fightful that it would be difficult to justify not releasing him because of all of their “budget cut” releases over the past few months.