ESPN Writer Who Gave WWE a C Grade Is Out in Company Layoffs

TLDR

ESPN combat sports reporter Andreas Hale announced on July 21, 2026, that he was laid off as part of the network's company-wide job cuts. Hale's exit follows a controversy in which he gave WWE WrestlePalooza a C grade in September 2025 and was later denied media credentials for WrestleMania 42. Hale stated the layoffs were part of a broader company decision and there is no proof WWE was involved, while vowing to continue covering combat sports elsewhere.