Ladies and gentlemen, it’s official—Chase University has closed its doors, and it wasn’t even because of student loan debt. According to Fightful Select, Duke Hudson, once deemed Chase U’s “MVP,” was quietly released by WWE in January, effectively ending his tenure in NXT.
The writing had been on the chalkboard ever since Chase U disbanded in November, following Andre Chase’s heartbreaking loss to Ridge Holland that put the entire school’s future on the line. Apparently, instead of finding a new school mascot, WWE decided to just expel the whole thing from TV. Chase U? More like Chase Who?
Hudson, who last wrestled at an NXT house show in November, never got a proper sendoff. WWE provided no official reason for his release, but considering he’s been spending time posting Christmas photos and living his best life in Australia, it’s safe to say he’s doing just fine. Meanwhile, his former classmates—Andre Chase, Thea Hail, and Riley Osborne—haven’t exactly been thriving either. Chase is still active on NXT, but Hail and Osborne have completely vanished from TV, making this faction’s breakup even more depressing than a group project where only one person does all the work.
Hudson’s X (formerly Twitter) has been mostly silent, aside from a repost of Chase’s match in December. However, his Instagram remains active, and his bio still lists him as an “Australian WWE Star.” If this is a case of denial, it’s a strong one.
As for Chase U? Consider it another faction that dropped out before it could truly graduate. And now, with Hudson gone, it seems WWE didn’t just shut down Chase U—they tore the whole school down and built a parking lot over it.