Mustafa Ali had the potential to be a top star in WWE, but the company has dropped the ball on him in a big way. After making an impact in the Cruiserweight Classic and on 205 Live, Ali arrived on SmackDown in 2018...and not much has happened since. Retribution was one of the biggest flops of the ThunderDome era, and we haven't seen the former heel on television since October.
Now, he's requested his release from WWE in a video shared on social media. "I have a message that is much bigger than my dreams in pro wrestling. Despite my best efforts, I will not be able to deliver this message while working with WWE. Therefore, I am requesting my release from WWE."
According to Fightful, Ali's controversial "New America" gimmick was going to move ahead before Vince McMahon decided to pitch a change it's said the WWE Superstar "would never have done."
We're going to assume it probably wasn't overly culturally sensitive based on Vince's past creative decisions, and a "heated argument" reportedly took place between the two. It was then Ali was pulled from television, and after several months at home, it appears he now wants out.
We'll keep you guys updated as this story develops.