Why so many WWE wrestler no longer actively employed?

Wrestlers come and wrestlers go, and that’s been true in the WWE as it is everywhere.

Some leave on good terms and some on bad. Some agitate for a departure and some are happy to work out their contract. Some retire, while some go on to bigger and better things.

The shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic has meant many more top-level stars have been “future endeavoured” since the turn of the decade than in previous years.

Meanwhile, the emergence and rise (and rise) of AEW, along with the improved profile of IMPACT Wrestling has meant that many wrestlers are in a better place now than they ever were with the WWE.

Related: Is wrestling real or fake? All your WWE questions answered

Below – and in reverse chronological order – we round up every (major) WWE release of the 2020s, and we also let you know where they are now.

We’ve stuck to main on-screen talent, so just wrestlers, announcers, referees and on-screen interviewers.

Things move fast, and sometimes it’s hard to track down the exact date of a release, or wrestlers who are working in Parts Unknown, but we’ll be keeping this as up-to-date as we can as the decade continues.

Dakota Kai – free agent/no-compete clause

Malcolm Bivens – free agent/no-compete clause

Paige Prinzivalli – free agent/no-compete clause

Harland – free agent/no-compete clause

Persia Pirotta – free agent/no-compete clause

Sanjana George – free agent/no-compete clause

Draco Anthony – free agent/no-compete clause

Mila Malani – free agent/no-compete clause

Raelyn Divine – free agent/no-compete clause

Dexter Lumis – free agent/no-compete clause

January 6, 2022

Samoa Joe – at AEW

William Regal – at AEW

Road Dogg – free agent

Scott Armstrong – free agen

Ace Steel – at AEW

Dave Kapoor (Ranjin Singh) – free agent

Cathy Corino (Allison Danger) – free agent

Ryan Katz – free agent

Timothy Thatcher – free agent

Danny Burch – free agent

Hideki Suzuki – at Pro Wrestling NOAH

November 18, 2021

Ashante Adonis – free agent

Top Dolla – free agent

Drake Maverick – at WWE as a writer

John Morrison – free agent/independent, wrestling at AAA and GCW

Tegan Nox – free agent

Jaxson Ryker – free agent

Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott – at AEW as Swerve Strickland

Shane Thorne – free agent

November 4, 2021

Keith Lee – AEW

Karrion Kross – at Major League Wrestling as Killer Kross

Nia Jax – free agent

Ember Moon – free agent/independent as Athena, wrestling at Warrior Wrestling

Eva Marie – free agent

Mia Yim – free agent/independent

Harry Smith – free agent at NWA as Davey Boy Smith Jr

Lince Dorado – free agent

Gran Metalik – free agent

Jeet Rama – free agent

Katrina Cortez – free agent

Trey Baxter – independent as Blake Christian, wrestling at GCW, Beyond Wrestling and DEFY Wrestling

Zayda Ramier – at AEW as AQA

Jessi Kamea – free agent

B-Fab – free agent

Oney Lorcan – free agent

Franky Monet – at IMPACT Wrestling as Tara Valkyrie

Scarlett Bordeaux – free agent

August 27, 2021

Adam Cole – at AEW

August 6, 2021

Bobby Fish – at AEW

Bronson Reed – at NJPW

Mercedes Martinez – at IMPACT Wrestling

Tyler Rust – at Ring of Honor

Kona Reeves – free agent

Leon Ruff – at GCW

Stephon Smith – independent

Jake Atlas – independent, then at ROH, then retired

Ari Sterling –independent

Desmond Troy – independent as Denzel Dejournette

Zechariah Smith – independent

Asher Hale – at AEW as Anthony Henry

Giant Zanjeer – independent

August 3, 2021

Ric Flair – appeared at Triplemania XXIX for AAA and NWA 73

July 31, 2021

Bray Wyatt – independent – now working in movies

June 25, 2021

Killian Dane – independent as Big Damo

Curt Stallion – at AEW as Stallion Rogers

August Grey – at AEW as Anthony Greene

Marina Shafir – independent

Sunil Singh (The Bollywood Boyz/ The Singh Brothers) – independent

Samir Singh (The Bollywood Boyz/ The Singh Brothers)

Tyler Breeze – independent as The Prince of Pretty

Fandango – independent as Dirty Dango

Arturo Ruas – at AEW as Adrian Jaoude

Tony Nese – independent, at NYWC

Ariya Daivari – independent, at NJPW

Tino Sabbatelli – independent

June 2, 2021

Ever-Rise (Chase Parker and Matt Martel) – at AEW as 3.0 (Jeff Parker and Matthew Lee)

Braun Strowman – independent, wrestling at Free The Narrative

Aleister Black – at AEW as Malakai Black

Buddy Murphy – out of contract/independent

Lana – out of contract/independent

Ruby Riott – at AEW as Ruby Soho

Santana Garrett – independent, with appearances at AEW and SHINE

May 19, 2021

Jessamyn Duke – independent, gaming on YouTube

May 4, 2021

Daniel Bryan – at AEW as Bryan Danielson

March 21, 2021

Andrade – at AEW as Andrade El Idolo

February 2021

Lars Sullivan – retired from wrestling

Big Show – at AEW as Paul Wight

February 4, 2021

Steve Cutler – at IMPACT Wrestling as Steve Maclin

April 15, 2021

Samoa Joe – re-signed and back at WWE

Peyton Royce (The IIconics) – independent, as Cassie Lee (The IInspiration) – later retired

Billie Kay (The IIconics) – independent, as Jessica McKay (The IInspiration) – later retired

Mickie James – at IMPACT Wrestling

Chelsea Green – at IMPACT Wrestling

Tucker Knight – out of contract

Kalisto – independent, wrestling teacher as Samuray Del Sol

Bo Dallas – independent, a YouTube chef as Taylor Rotunda

Wesley Blake – planning return to wrestling as Westin Blake

November 13, 2020

Zelina Vega – re-signed and back at WWE

July 29, 2020

Kairi Sane – working as a WWE ambassador in Japan

June 26, 2020

Ligero – released following allegations of misconduct during the Speaking Out movement

Travis Banks – released following allegations of misconduct during the Speaking Out movement

June 19, 2020

Jack Gallagher – released following allegations of misconduct during the Speaking Out movement

May 2020

Sting – at AEW

April 28, 2020

Cain Velasquez – independent

April 20, 2020

Taynara Conti – at AEW as Tay Conti

April 17, 2020

Mohamed Fahim – independent/unknown

Mars Wang – independent/unknown

Tino Sabbatelli – briefly at AEW as Sabby, reportedly re-signed to WWE but released again

Cezar Bononi – at AEW

Marco Gomesg – independent, now a Muay Thai coach

April 15, 2020

Akam (AOP) – independent as Sunny Dhinsa

Rezar (AOP) – independent as Gzim Selmani

Rusev – at AEW as Miro

Zack Ryder – independent, with work at AEW and IMPACT Wrestling as Matt Cardona

Mike Kanellis – at Ring of Honor as Mike Bennett

Maria Kanellis – at Ring of Honor asMaria Kanellis-Bennett

Primo Colón – at World Wrestling Council as Eddie Colón

Epico Colón – at World Wrestling Council as Orlando Colón

Erick Rowan – independent, as Erick Redbeard

Sarah Logan – on indefinite hiatus

Karl Anderson (The OC) – at IMPACT, with appearances at AEW and ​​NJPW

Luke Gallows (The OC) – at IMPACT as Doc Gallows, with appearances at AEW and ​​NJPW

EC3/Ethan Carter III – independent, with appearances at IMPACT and Ring of Honor

Lio Rush – at AEW

Curt Hawkins – at IMPACT as Brian Myers

Drake Maverick – returned to WWE, then released again in November 2021

Renee Young – podcasting and YouTube-ing as Renee Paquette

Heath Slater – independent, with appearances at IMPACT Wrestling and Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling

Eric Young – at IMPACT Wrestling

Curtis Axel – independent as Joe Hennig

No Way Jose – at IMPACT Wrestling as No Way

Hurricane Helms – returned to WWE

MJ Jenkins – independent as Marvelous MJ Jenkins

Deonna Purrazzo – at IMPACT Wrestling and AAA

Kassius Ohno – independent as Chris Hero

Aleksandar Jaksic – independent as Zora Vesta

Kurt Angle – returned to WWE, but later retired

Aiden English – at impact and NJPW as Matt Morris

Mike Chioda – at AEW

Nick Ogarelli – at AEW as Nick Comoroto

Hussain Aldegal – independent/unknown

Faisal Kurdi – MMA Fighter & Trainer

Serena Deeb – at AEW

Edgar Lopez – independent/unknown

Dorian Mak – independent as Dan Matha, also acting and podcasting

April 10, 2020

Scott Dawson (The Revival) – at AEW as Dax Harwood (FTR)

Dash Wilder (The Revival) – at AEW as Cash Wheeler (FTR)

February 16, 2020

Cathy Kelley – moved into acting

Yifeng/Rocky – independent/unknown

January 2020

Killer Kelly – independent

Jazzy Gabert – independent, started own promotion SIRIUS Sports Entertainment

Catch up on Raw, Smackdown, NXT and all the big WWE action via the WWE Network or BT Sport.

 

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io