Shortly before SmackDown went in the air yesterday evening, we learned of another round of WWE releases. As always, there were some expected departures and a fair few surprises; many fans have also expressed unhappiness with these mass layoffs.
After all, it wasn't that long ago that WWE was touting record revenue figures from WrestleMania, so it's not as if the company has to cut costs to save money. Still, this is the norm in the wrestling business, and each of these Superstars has the chance to find great success elsewhere.
As a reminder, here's the full list of WWE releases:
- Braun Strowman
- Cora Jade
- Shayna Baszler
- Dakota Kai
- Kayden Carter
- Katana Chance
- Gigi Dolin
- Eddy Thorpe
- Riley Osborne
- Jakara Jackson
- Wolfgang
- Mark Coffey
- Joe Coffey
While Strowman is no longer as agile as he once was, he's recently been involved in a key storyline and a feud with current United States Champion Jacob Fatu. Cora Jade, who was a favourite of CM Punk's, also looked set to be a top star after getting involved with Bayley and Roxanne Perez's rivalry (which ended abruptly for reasons which remain unclear).
As for Kai, it became clear during the Women's Intercontinental Championship Tournament that fans were behind her; instead, the title was put on Lyra Valkyria, who, even in the midst of a feud with Becky Lynch, is receiving a lukewarm response from fans.
Some of these Superstars could eventually find their way back to WWE, of course, and we wish them all the best. Many are already advertising their services and counting down the days until their respective 90-day non-competes end.
Now, many of these released wrestlers have broken their silence on being released, and you can find a full roundup of reactions below.
Braun Strowman
Cora Jade
Shayna Baszler
Dakota Kai
Gigi Dolan
Eddy Thorpe
Jakara Jackson