WWE Releases Might Be Good News for Some

The recent WWE releases include some superstars who could benefit from being able to work elsewhere, including Cody Rhodes, Adam Rose and Damien Sandow.

When Diamond Dallas Page was still in the WWE in 2002, his positive philosophy gimmick included the catchphrase “it’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing.” While it was meant with some subtle sarcasm back then, that line could be used in a truthful tone for some of the talents who have been among the WWE releases in 2016.

Every year around this time, there is always a list of WWE releases that are primarily composed of superstars that are needed in the company. There’s no hiding that the WWE has quite the influx of talent and while many superstars have thrived in this new ear of WWE, many have fizzled out or got lost in the match card shuffle – each superstar having a combination of reasons ranging from contract disputes, television time and poor booking by the WWE creative team.

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A recent WWE release in Cody Rhodes is one of the best examples of how a talent needed to break away from the company to find success by his own without being placed under a gimmick that has come across as more of a ripoff from his brother. The man who has recently performed as Stardust apparently had asked to go back to being himself, but the character remained, according to online reports.

While the WWE is enforcing their contractual rules to prevent Rhodes from making an immediate debut with other promotions, one would assume he isn’t going to have trouble finding work in Japan, Mexico or another U.S. promotion – all of which will provide him a chance to have creative control. He definitely made a big impact with pretty much any character he had – whether he was dashing or hiding his face with a mask after a face injury.

This opportunity is also available to Raymond Leppan, who has been on television as Adam Rose. After his release was announced on WWE.com Monday morning, there’s a good chance he can garner some interest working internationally. Maybe a career revival can take place if he can work for a company like Ring of Honor, or maybe with Lucha Underground.

If Leppan does return to wrestling on television, he may have more success if he returns to something similar to the Leo Kruger gimmick of being the sadistic and strategic hunter that had plenty of intrigue in Florida Championship Wrestling that transitioned into NXT.

There are a number of talents that can take their release from WWE as a good thing after spending years of barely having any presence on television. Maybe one superstar who has the most to gain from the release is Damien Sandow. Like Rhodes, Sandow was able to adjust after falling from Money in the Bank winner to a stunt double for the Miz. He took the ball – no matter how tattered and worn it was – and ran with it beautifully. One can hope that he can get plenty of work overseas in Japan and receive the respect someone of his talents deserves.

For those who worry they may struggle to find work, think about how some stars like Luke Gallows left the WWE unceremoniously and found huge success with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Maybe these three or any of the other recently released talents can return to WWE with some of the success they have not been able to gain under WWE.

While they were given pink slips by WWE, their releases aren’t bad things – they’re good things.

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