Shawn Michaels commented on Mustafa Ali’s release from WWE during a media call to promote the 2023 WWE NXT No Mercy PLE.
He said, โI found out right before he did. I will say this, Iโd be lying to you if I said it didnโt take us by surprise. Thatโs one thing Iโm learning here is that main roster and NXT are totally separate rosters. I think the world of Mustafa, had a great working relationship with him in the time that he was here, I will miss him.
Thatโs what we do here in NXT. We adjust. The fire drill is something that is a regular thing here in the WWE and certainly here at NXT. I feel we made a great pivot, we adjusted, and heโs an unbelievably creative and talented young man and no doubt his future looks incredibly bright and heโll be successful. Iโm going to miss him and I enjoyed working with him for the time that I did have him here. Now, Trick Williams is the beneficiary of that, and he has the biggest match of his life at No Mercy.โ
You can check out the complete media call below:
(h/t to Jeremy Lambert for the transcription)