In NXT, The IIconics were...well, they had all the makings of an "iconic" duo. Unfortunately, their gimmick definitely suffered on the main roster, and while Billie Kay and Peyton Royce scored a big WrestleMania win by becoming the Women's Tag Team Champions in 2019, WWE barely booked them in any matches after that.
When they were broken up earlier this year, it looked like the company might do something with them, but that didn't materialise either. As a result, we weren't overly surprised when Kay and Royce were released earlier this month (talk about a missed opportunity, though).
Now, Fightful Select is reporting that there's a lot of unhappiness backstage that Kay was released as she was well-liked. Apparently, producer Kevin Dunn was instrumental in her being released because he didn't "get" Kay and couldn't see her finding success in the company.
That's despite the fact she's been making an impact on SmackDown recently in a comedic role.
As for Royce, we don't have any word on what led to her WWE departure, but Dave Meltzer has confirmed in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that she's set to use "Cassie Lee" as her in-ring name for post-WWE bookings. Until those 90-day non-compete clauses expire, we don't know where the two women will end up or if they plan to continue working as a team.
Keep checking back here for updates.