“They worked all year for a spot—just to get bumped for outsiders.”

That’s the sentiment quietly echoing through the locker rooms of the United Toughness Alliance this week following internal reports that several longtime UTA talents were cut from the first post-WrestleUTA: 25 show in favor of wrestlers from the Iron City Wrestling promotion.

According to multiple sources within the company, frustration is mounting among members of the roster who felt they had earned a moment in the spotlight following the historic 25th Anniversary show—only to be told their segments or matches were cut late in the planning process to "make room" for talent from the Birmingham-based Iron City Wrestling.

UTA’s official stance is that the inclusion of Iron City wrestlers is part of an ongoing effort to "explore regional partnerships" and "showcase the broader wrestling ecosystem," but not everyone in the back is buying that spin.

“It’s one thing to give the spotlight to a returning legend or a major free agent,” one talent told me under condition of anonymity. “It’s another thing entirely to bring in regional wrestlers that most of the fans don’t even know—on the very first show after WrestleUTA: 25. That should have been our time.”

While Iron City Wrestling has a small but passionate fanbase in the South, many on the UTA roster and production team feel that their inclusion—especially so prominently and so soon after the promotion's biggest milestone event—sends a confusing message about the company’s direction.

“It’s a slap in the face,” another source stated. “We were told all year to push harder, deliver better promos, commit to the grind, and now we're watching outsiders—no matter how talented—come in and take those hard-earned slots. What does that say to the locker room?”

Some fans have taken to social media with similar concerns, questioning whether the Iron City crossover was truly necessary or just a favor being cashed in by someone behind the scenes. UTA officials have not commented on those allegations, but rumors are already swirling that this might not be a one-off.

Backstage producers are reportedly trying to smooth tensions, but as of now, several mid-card names are said to be "fuming" and reevaluating their futures within the company.

Whether this move pays off in terms of ratings or fan response remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: the UTA locker room is far from united right now.