Being released from WWE is often seen as a major negative due to the fact it has long been established as the number-one promotion in the industry. People don't want to find themselves being cut from the company, especially during a time when neither WCW nor AEW was around to provide major competition.
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There have been plenty of wrestlers who have struggled after being released by the company, with life post-WWE not being easy. However, that isn't the case for everybody because many ended up benefitting from being cut by the company, as they went on to do great work elsewhere.
10 Hurt: Alex Riley Spent Years Not Wrestling
Was Absent From Wrestling For Six Years
- Released in 2016
- WWE Tenure: 2007 - 2016
- Returned to wrestling in 2022
Alex Riley is someone who had a lot of potential as a performer due to the fact he was a great talker, solid inside the ring, and someone who had a fantastic look. However, that wasn't enough for him as he ended up being released in 2016 after a few difficult years following some backstage politics that impacted his career.
Riley had been relegated to NXT where he commentated and wrestled, but that wasn't enough to save him. He was cut, and it impacted him as he didn't end up wrestling again until 2022.
9 Helped: Drew McIntyre Lived Up To His Potential
Went On To Help The British Wrestling Scene
- Released in 2014
- WWE Tenure: 2007-2014/2017-Present
- Two-time WWE Champion
Drew McIntyre being cut by WWE was a surprise at the time considering the fact he was once brandished as the Chosen One by Vince McMahon himself. He was going through a difficult time personally when he was released, but the decision to cut him ended up working in his favor.
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It seemed to light a spark in him as McIntyre returned to Britain with ICW, making a real bang. He got into the best shape of his life and competed around the world, eventually becoming such a star that WWE had to bring him back which led to him eventually living up to his potential by becoming WWE Champion.
8 Hurt: Damien Sandow Struggled Post-WWE
Went On To Compete On The Indies
- Released in 2016
- WWE Tenure: 2003-2007/2010-2016
- Currently works for the NWA
Damien Sandow had a solid WWE career during his two runs with the company, making a legitimate name for himself. He was able to achieve plenty, including winning the Money In The Bank briefcase, and he should have gone on to do a lot more had WWE booked him that way.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen and he ended up getting cut from the company even though he was always able to get over. After his release, Sandow struggled to make much of a splash whether on the indies or for Impact Wrestling, eventually landing in the NWA in 2019.
7 Helped: Camacho
Went On To Join NJPW
- Released in 2014
- WWE Tenure: 2009-2014
- Seven-time IWGP Tag Team Champion
Camacho might not be someone that most people remember from WWE because he didn't make too much of an impact. However, his in-ring talent was clear throughout that time, and while it didn't lead to much of a push in WWE, he did a lot better after leaving the promotion.
Camacho has gone on to enjoy a lot of success, particularly since he signed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 2016. Working under the name of Tanga Loa as one-half of the Guerrillas Of Destiny has led to him being part of one of the greatest teams in modern wrestling.
6 Hurt: No Way Jose Couldn't Keep The Conga Going
Went On To Join Impact Wrestling Briefly
- Released in 2020
- WWE Tenure: 2015-2020
- Last wrestled in 2022
No Way Jose was a fun character throughout his WWE run, and while there were certainly limitations on how far it could go, there's no doubt he got over. That is why people felt he would be able to do well after being released by the company, but that wasn't the case.
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He had a brief run with Impact Wrestling, but that wasn't something that stuck for him. Instead, he's made a few independent appearances, but No Way Jose hasn't wrestled since 2022, bringing his future into question.
5 Helped: Kurt Angle Could Focus On Himself
Went On To Join TNA
- Released In 2006
- WWE Tenure: 1998-2006/2017-Present
- WWE Hall Of Famer
Not every release needs to help a wrestler from a professional standpoint, and Kurt Angle is an example of that. While the work he did in TNA was some of the best of his entire career, the former Olympian needed the release from a personal level due to the difficult situation he was in.
The travel and lifestyle led Angle to an addiction to prescription pills, and that was something he needed to get away from. While the change wasn't instant, in the long run, it was certainly a good thing.
4 Hurt: Kassius Ohno Has Been Missing
He Has Taken Time Away From The Ring
- Released in 2020
- WWE Tenure: 2011-2013/2016-2020
- Two-time ROH World Tag Team Champion
Kassius Ohno, better known to a lot of wrestling fans as Chris Hero, is one of the most gifted wrestlers of his generation, but following his WWE release he hasn't been able to showcase that. Ohno never quite reached the level most expected in WWE, often just being used to put others over, which is why his release wasn't a shock.
However, most fans thought he'd end up working for AEW or turning up on the independent scene. However, he hasn't wrestled a single match since his release, which has taken most by surprise.
3 Helped: The Revival Could Create Masterpieces
Went On To Join AEW
- Released in 2020
- WWE Tenure: 2014-2020
- Former two-time Raw Tag Team Champions
The Revival was a brilliant team in WWE, focusing heavily on the in-ring aspect of the professional wrestling business which helped to get them over. Their match quality in NXT was extremely high and that continued on the main roster, with the duo being triple crown Tag Team Champions after holding all the gold that WWE had to offer.
Ultimately, them being moved on was a good thing for them because it led to them joining AEW. They've put on some classics working for Tony Khan, which is normal because tag team wrestling is taken much more seriously in AEW.
2 Hurt: Jaxson Ryker Didn't Sign A Contract
Went On To Retire
- Released in 2021
- WWE Tenure: 2017-2021
- Retired from wrestling in 2023
Jaxson Ryker's WWE career was hit and miss, having some memorable moments with others that have ended up being forgotten about completely. He wasn't able to make as much of an impact in WWE as he had done in TNA previously, and his release wasn't a huge shock.
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Since that point, he competed on the independent scene, but he didn't manage to secure a contract with any promotion. Rather than continuing to push this path, Ryker retired from the wrestling industry.
1 Helped: Cody Rhodes Became A Giant Star
Went On To Help Create AEW
- Released in 2016
- WWE Tenure: 2006-2016/2022-Present
- Former AEW Executive Vice President
Cody Rhodes being let go by WWE was a huge surprise as he had been in the company for so long and always had a place on the card. However, the American Nightmare decided to back himself and move on from WWE to try and prove himself as someone who could be a main event star, and that's exactly what he did.
In 2022 he returned to WWE and is now positioned as one of the biggest stars in the company, and it's hard to imagine that would've happened without being released. He went on to wrestle all around the world and played a huge part in creating AEW as a company, ensuring that he made legitimate wrestling history during his time away from WWE.
