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Tennessee Promotes Josh Elander To Head Coach After Tony Vitello Departure


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Tennessee’s Josh Elander (Photo by Eddie Kelly)

Tennessee didnâ€t look far to find Tony Vitello’s successor. The Volunteers turned to the architect of their recruiting success and the steady hand who helped build the programâ€s modern identity, promoting associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Elander to head coach following Vitelloâ€s historic departure for the San Francisco Giants, the program announced Saturday morning.

“From the outset of this national search, Josh emerged as the undeniable top choice,†Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in a statement. “His relentless commitment has helped transform Tennessee baseball into a powerhouse, and we are proud to have him as our next head coach on Rocky Top. His influence inspires excellence in every aspect of our program and we look forward to continuing our quest for championships on the diamond under Joshâ€s guidance.â€

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For Tennessee, the move represents both continuity and conviction. Elander has been at the center of the Vols†rise for eight seasons, helping to shape the roster, culture and offense that powered Tennesseeâ€s ascent into one of the nationâ€s most explosive and successful programs.

The connection between Vitello and Elander traces back more than a decade. Elander was a standout catcher at TCU from 2010-12, where Vitello joined the coaching staff beginning in 2011. A brief pro career followed, but the relationship resurfaced in 2017 when Elander reunited with Vitello as an assistant at Arkansas. When Vitello landed the Tennessee job that offseason, Elander followed, becoming a foundational piece of the transformation to come.

His impact was immediate and lasting. Elander quickly emerged as one of college baseballâ€s premier hitting minds and talent evaluators. Seventeen Tennessee hitters have been drafted within the first five rounds under his direction, including six first-rounders: Drew Gilbert, Jordan Beck, Christian Moore, Blake Burke, Gavin Kilen and Andrew Fischer.

That success earned him a promotion to associate head coach in 2022 and placed him increasingly at the forefront of Tennesseeâ€s future. Internally, he has long been viewed as the natural heir to Vitello. He has deep ties to the program, a pulse on the locker room and the trust of a roster built on relationships he helped cultivate.

Players, fans and alums made their stance clear in the aftermath of Vitelloâ€s departure: continuity mattered, and Elander was the steward who could preserve it.

With the Vols coming off the most successful era in program history and holding one of the most star-studded recruiting pipelines in the country, the hire is also a stabilizing one. Elander has relationships with the next wave of Tennessee talent and credibility with high school prospects who chose Knoxville because of the culture and development he helped build. Keeping that intact was a priority.

The Volunteers†2026 class is stacked with early-round draft-caliber commitments, including outfielder Trevor Condon, two-way talent Cole Koeninger, shortstop Landon Thome, righthander Gary Morse, catcher Sean Dunlap and outfielder AJ Curry. The 2027 group may be even more impressive, as three of the top 10 high school prospects in the country, shortstops Dylan Seward (No. 1), Max Hemenway (No. 3) and Leo Nockley (No. 9), are already verbally committed to the Vols.

“Iâ€m incredibly grateful for the opportunity here on Rocky Top,†he said. “Iâ€m really happy for our players to continue building on what weâ€ve already built here. The hunt continues, and weâ€re still excited. Love this place and these people. So thankful for the best thatâ€s yet to come.â€

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Former WWE LFG talent speaks on departure

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Former WWE LFG talent and occasional NXT live event wrestler BJ Ray has issued a statement regarding his release from the company last week.

Ray, perhaps best known for instigating an argument with coach Bubba Ray Dudley on LFG, posted about his time with WWE, calling it “…arguably was one of the greatest rookie runs of all time.”

WWE made several cuts from its ID program and NXT last Friday, one of which was Ray, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Ray wrote:

“WHAT A JOURNEY

Well obviously I had to have pissed somebody off lmao! I would like to take this moment to address you guys as Brayden Jesse Ray. First and foremost, I have to give the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, who had given me this opportunity. Secondly, I would like to thank Hunter, Shawn, & Matt Bloom (as well as all the

@WWE coaches & staff) that were involved with this entire process. The WWE Performance Center is truly a unique place filled with many gifted individuals and unlimited support. As soon as I stepped out of my uber at my WWE tryout, the SexyBJRay effect was in full play. I had a strategy upon filming WWE: NEXT GEN, to start building one of the most over exaggerated versions of myself, to give the wrestling industry a HEEL like theyâ€ve never seen before. And quite frankly, it arguably was one of the greatest rookie runs of all time. In a matter of months, whether hate or love, I won the WWE fans over and they were extremely invested. Without ever having a debut match on live

@WWENXT tv, I have become one of the most recognized names in the brand and industry. From getting swarmed at WWE World in Las Vegas to taking pictures with fans in every airport I walk into, I have been able to build a movement with my hard work and dedication. The hours behind the scenes, editing social media content, training, and reflecting on my character work, I feel it has all payed off. There have been many challenges along the way, but I can only control what I can only control. Obviously this release is a big bummer (especially when you have no idea what you could have done different), but the only option in my opinion is an attitude of gratitude. All I can do is keep pushing, & put it in Godâ€s hands. Iâ€m healing strong and will continue to rehab my shoulder until Iâ€m 100%. And the biggest SHOUTOUT & THANKS to my fans who made it all worthwhile. And now, Brayden Jesse Ray is back on sabbatical and SexyBJRay has a few words. As my good friend @TheNotoriousMMA once said, “Iâ€d like to take this chance to apologize to absolutely nobodyâ€. What youâ€ve seen was just the trailer… get ready for the whole movie

and p.s. “Ayo you got Snapchat?!â€

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WWE

Another WWE ID & EVOLVE Talent Announces Departure From The Promotion

By Ella Jay

Oct. 16, 2025 6:32 pm EST

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Ethan Miller/Getty Images

In November 2024, WWE announced the first group of WWE ID prospects, with former Wrestling Open Champion Bryce Donovan being one of them. Nearly a year later, Donovan’s time in the program and WWE has officially come to an end.

Donovan confirmed the news on X, writing, “Finale. I will no longer be with WWE ID or Evolve. Thanks for the good time everyone. Learned a lot especially from @TheRealXPac who’s the best coach anyone could ask for. I’ll let you know what’s happening next when I decide or maybe I won’t idk yet.”

As he continued his work across the independent wrestling circuit as a WWE ID prospect, Donovan also competed on “WWE EVOLVE,” which airs on Wednesday nights on Tubi. Donovan’s most recent “EVOLVE” appearance took place on October 15, when he unsuccessfully challenged Jackson Drake for the WWE EVOLVE Championship. In the same episode, Kendal Grey dethroned Kali Armstrong to become the brand new EVOLVE Women’s Champion. Donovan previously wrestled in the WWE ID Men’s Championship tournament, but fell short to the eventual winner Cappuccino Jones in the quarter finals.

Donovan’s departure from WWE marks the latest in a string of others dating back to last week when the likes of Kylie Rae and Zara Zakher also left the WWE ID program. Several other talents from “EVOLVE” and “WWE NXT” were also impacted by a wave of releases. Notable names in that batch include former NXT North American Champion Wes Lee and “EVOLVE” General Manager Stevie Turner. Like Donovan, it remains to be seen where their next destination in pro wrestling will be.

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Bryce Donovan announces WWE ID departure

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Another WWE ID prospect has announced their departure from the program.

Bryce Donovan revealed on social media today that he is no longer part of WWE ID or the WWE Evolve roster. He competed in a title match on Wednesday’s Evolve Succession special, losing to Evolve Champion Jackson Drake.

In his announcement today, Donovan thanked everyone in WWE ID and gave a special shoutout to Sean “X-Pac” Waltman — who has been helping coach the ID recruits.

“Finale. I will no longer be with WWE ID or Evolve,” Donovan announced. “Thanks for the good time everyone. Learned a lot especially from @TheRealXPac whoâ€s the best coach anyone could ask for. Iâ€ll let you know whatâ€s happening next when I decide or maybe I wonâ€t idk yet.”

The ID program launched one year ago as a way to provide indie talent with financial and other developmental support while giving WWE the option to sign them to NXT full-time down the line. Zayda Steel, Kylie Rae, Zara Zakher, Aaron Roberts, Ice Williams, and Jordan Oasis are among those who have departed WWE ID recently either by choice or not having their contracts renewed.

These departures do not mean that WWE ID is ending. The company is hyping that new ID prospects will be unveiled soon.

Donovan was one of the first ID signees announced last year. Trained at the Create-A-Pro Academy, he has experience on the Northeast indies and competed on AEW Dark in the past.

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Ridge Holland Announces WWE Departure Amid Injury

Ridge Holland will not be renewed for his WWE contract after residual injury complications he sustained at a TNA taping. Holland kept fans abreast of this news on his personal social media and relayed to his fanbase that he would not be continuing on with WWE, at least at this juncture. His current contractual agreement with the promotion is said to elapse on November 14th and the TKO helmed property has decided to not seek to extend that deal per the wrestler himself.

Holland’s WWE journey began in 2018 with some more momentum being gathered for him during his 2020 run with NXT. Holland’s 2021 main roster moves under the Smackdown banner saw his involvement with Sheamus and Pete Dunne in the the Brawling Brutes faction. Ridge Holland is also infamously tied to an accident with Big E that has kept the former WWE champion on the sidelines with neck injury issues since 2022 after an errant belly to belly suplex was delivered outside of the ring.

2023 onward saw Holland return to NXT for a stint with the tag titles as well as appearances with both Evolve and TNA before the news of this departure came to light.

Ridge Holland’s full statement regarding his release from WWE

Ridge Holland’s full statement on social media, with an h/t to 411 Mania, reads as follows,

“Iâ€ve been informed that WWE will not be renewing my contract when it ends on November 14th. WWE are still going to cover my rehab from injury.”

“but my guaranteed pay will end, quite frustrating to say the least as I cannot work for another 6 months due to the aforementioned injury, with a family of 5 to support.”

“My career with WWE has been blighted by misfortune but Iâ€m still thankful and grateful for the opportunity and experience. The shining light that has always kept me going is the HUGE support from a handful of special human beings. Thank you.”

“Iâ€m unsure what lies ahead of me in terms of wrestling but going forward I will be working hard to heal up and in that time I will be launching my own online coaching business…..so stay tuned. Cheersâ€

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Stevie Turner Is Excited To Wrestle Again After WWE Departure

Stevie Turner is excited to get back in the ring now that her tenure with WWE has come to an end. On X, Turner shared her excitement.

Turner had just 52 matches during her tenure with WWE, a run that began upon her signing in March 2021. Her post hints at frustrations over feeling underutilized as an in-ring talent within the promotion. Turner’s most recent match was in February 2025, where she was on the losing end of a tag-team match at an NXT live event.

In March 2025, Turner was announced as the General Manager of Evolve, though the English performer later dubbed herself as Evolve’s Prime Minister. This role would have seemingly ended Turner’s in-ring career with WWE, in favor of being an on-screen authority figure.

Before WWE, Turner wrestled on the UK independent scene as Bobbi Tyler and became a six-time champion across various promotions. She also wrestled for STARDOM, where she was part of the Tokyo Cyber Squad.

Now, Turner/Tyler is ready to re-establish herself as an in-ring threat. Her post shares how being in WWE isn’t always fulfilling for those who want to wrestle.

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Anoaâ€i Family Member, Former NXT Champion And More Announce WWE Departure

More WWE names have announced departures.

The latest round of WWE cuts started earlier this week when indie star Zayda Steel announced that she will not be renewing her WWE ID contract. Shortly after, Kylie Rae also confirmed that her time with the ID program was coming to an end.

This was followed by news of several more cuts on Friday. The most surprising of these names was Lance Anoaâ€i, member of the famous Anoaâ€i family and cousin to names such as Roman Reigns and The Rock.

Lance was signed to a development deal back in November 2024. He had wrestled in several matches for the company as an enhancement talent before his signing, but Anoaâ€i surprisingly did not compete in any sanctioned matches during his development run.

The 33-year-old took to Twitter to announce the news, noting that he hasn’t had the best of luck since arriving in the company. Though he confirmed that he won’t be leaving wrestling and he will be back in the indie circuit when his non compete clause expires in 30 days.

Other names who confirmed their exit from the company as well include WWE LFG and Evolve competitors Jamar Hampton and Drako Knox, as well as Evolve General Manager Stevie Turner.

While not confirmed officially, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful is reporting that former NXT North American and Tag Team Champion Wes Lee is also among the names released from the company.

Many of these names have taken to social media to comment on their departure, expressing their gratitude for the opportunity as well as addressing their future. You can check out their posts below:

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TNA Star Confirms Departure from the Company

Laredo Kid is officially done with TNA—for now.

The former TNA Digital Media Champion has confirmed his departure from the company in a statement shared on social media. After years of thrilling fans with his high-flying style, Laredo Kid is now stepping away from the promotion that helped showcase his talent to a broader audience.

In a message posted to Twitter, the luchador thanked TNA for the journey and made it clear he hasnâ€t closed the door on a possible return.

“Thank you for everything to this great company and family @ThisIsTNA. I appreciate your tremendous support. I hope to return to work in the future. Weâ€re on a new path.â€

Laredo Kidâ€s final TNA match took place on the May 24, 2025 edition of iMPACT. Though still under contract at the time, he gradually shifted his focus toward other opportunities—including appearances at AAA x WWE crossover events and independent shows beyond the TNA umbrella.

Kidâ€s TNA run included winning the TNA Digital Media Championship at Rebellion in 2024, a moment that stood out during a competitive stretch for the promotion. While his departure adds to the growing list of talent shakeups across the wrestling world, the door is clearly open for a comeback down the line.

Do you think Laredo Kid will return to TNA someday? Or is he better suited for a fresh start elsewhere? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

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WWE

Pro Wrestling NOAH Announces Departure Of Former 5x GHC Heavyweight Champ Go Shiozaki

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One of Pro Wrestling NOAH’s longest serving performers will be starting a new chapter in their career in the coming days as it has been confirmed by the company that the contract of former five-time GHC Heavyweight Champion Go Shiozaki has officially expired.

The company took to their X (formerly known as Twitter) account to issue an official statement on the matter.

“Notice of Contract Expiration: Go Shiozaki. Following discussions initiated by Go Shiozaki, it has been decided that his contract with PRO WRESTLING NOAH will not be renewed. As of today, the contract has officially expired. September 30, 2025. CyberFight/PRO WRESTLING NOAH.”

The Executive Vice-President of CyberFight, NOAH legend Naomichi Marufuji, also issued a statement regarding Shiozaki’s exit, though it seems that Marufuji wasn’t too happy about the way things transpired as referenced a gesture he made to Shiozaki in what turned about to be his final match for the company.

“9.23 Korakuen Hall. I think he didn’t understand it either, but I pointed to the NOAH logo in the center of the ring with various meanings in mind. I probably won’t ever put the Noah jersey on his shoulder again. Don’t do things halfway. Live. For now, Bye-Bye.”

Shiozaki arrived at the NOAH dojo back in 2003 and quickly rose through the ranks as a Junior Heavyweight before graduating to the main event scene. He was the first man to hold the GHC Heavyweight Championship following the untimely passing of company founder Mitsuharu Misawa in 2009, and would hold the title for a second time before departing for All Japan Pro Wrestling in 2012. After holding the AJPW Triple Crown Championship, he returned to NOAH in 2015 and became one of the most decorated wrestlers in company history. He would eventually reach five GHC Heavyweight Championship reigns, more than anyone else, as well as holding the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championships on seven different occasions. As for what’s next, Shiozaki is the current ZERO1 World Heavyweight Champion, and given how successful he was in NOAH, he won’t be short of offers when he enters the free agency pool.

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WWE NXT Star Edris Enofe Announces Departure After 4 Years

WWE NXT wrestler Edris Enofe announced his departure from the company on Monday, September 29, marking the end of a four-year tenure with the promotion.

In a video posted to social media, Enofe stated: “As of today, I will officially be leaving the WWE. This is a decision I have thought about for a very long time, and Iâ€m gonna trust my gut on this.â€

The 31-year-old expressed gratitude to colleagues throughout the organization, saying:

“For the past 4 years I have had the chance to meet and work with incredible people, from the wrestlers, to the referees, the creative teams, the medical staff and of course all the coaches who put in so much time and effort into making me better, and for that I will always, always appreciate yâ€all.â€

He concluded by thanking fans for their support over the years.

Edris Enofe in WWE

Enofe signed with WWE in 2021 following tryouts during SummerSlam weekend in Las Vegas as part of the initial NXT 2.0 class. A U.S. Navy veteran, he gained attention with a standout debut and became known for his charisma and athletic ability.

His most notable run came as part of a tag team with Malik Blade, with the duo becoming popular among NXT audiences and frequently challenging for the NXT Tag Team Championships, though they never captured the titles. The team made their debut on the January 11, 2022 episode of NXT as part of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament, advancing to the semi-finals.

Enofeâ€s last WWE match was a loss to Lince Dorado at an NXT live event on July 25. Following Bladeâ€s injury in October 2024, Enofe appeared sparingly in singles competition, primarily wrestling for WWE Evolve.

Enofe is the second NXT star to depart the company in less than a week, following Jazmyn Nyxâ€s announcement.

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