Five wrestlers that have excelled since their WWE release

WWE is the biggest organization in professional wrestling, building revenue in ways that other companies dream of obtaining. As the promotion hits record revenue numbers year after year, it has also leaned on the idea of “budget cuts” to release wrestlers from the roster on a near quarterly basis. Fans detest the announcements but they’ve continued heavily continued since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic. More than one hundred performers and backstage personnel has been released since 2020.

In that time, many have walked away from professional wrestling, going on other career paths. Many are still involved with wrestling and not only are they involved, but they are excelling in ways that escaped them in the WWE. This list looks at five names that have shown their limited or questionable use in WWE was not the fullest reach of their talents. WWE is no longer the “end all, be all” for everyone who wants to be involved with professional wrestling and these individuals are proving that point every day.

Matt Cardona

Remember Zack Ryder? Sure, you remember the two-time WWE Tag Team Champion, and his individual runs as the United States and Intercontinental Champion. When Ryder was released, no one anticipated his transformation into the character that Matt Cardona would become.

Leaning on the fact that Ryder was such a WWE-established gimmick, Cardona took the idea that independent wrestling fans would hate to see him excel. That led to him becoming one of the biggest and most-hated attractions across wrestling, all without establishing himself as a contractor to one organization. He currently holds six championships, including the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, making himself one of the most compelling draws on the indie scene today.

Deonna Purrazzo

When Deonna Purrazzo joined WWE in 2018, she came with experience that many coveted. She’d performed for organizations like Ring of Honor, IMPACT, Shimmer, New Japan, GCW, and plenty of others. Unfortunately, her time in the WWE was exceptionally less than what was expected. Throughout that time, she would appear in 24 matches on WWE television, winning only two of them. When it looked like there was an opportunity for something positive to come for her, being paired with Chelsea Green and Vanessa Borne, all that went away without any full explanation.

Since being released in 2020, Purrazzo’s become one of the best wrestlers in the industry today. IMPACT has rewarded her for her hard work, as she’s won multiple “wrestler of the year” awards. Plus, she’s captured multiple championships along the way including two runs as IMPACT Knockout’s Championship, the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship, and the Ring of Honor Women’s Championship.

Brodie Lee

Brodie Lee’s impact on professional wrestling is still being felt today. He requested his release from the WWE in 2019 and it was eventually granted in December of that year. It was well known that he was going to make the leap to AEW and he did so in March of 2020. As the leader of the Dark Order, he gave that group and the storyline some direction at a time when it needed it the most. His feud with Cody Rhodes was one of the most important during the pandemic and gave fans some of the biggest moments when the promotion was stuck in Daily’s Place.

Unfortunately, Lee stepped away from television in October and that would be the last time fans saw him. His pacing on December 26 shook the industry, causing promotions and stars across company lines to show their respect for their colleague. It was clear that Lee had an impact behind the scenes that many fans would never know, but as his peers shared stories more would know that he was a beloved member of the professional wrestling industry.

Serena Deeb

Serena Deeb’s second run with WWE came to an end in 2020. After her first tenure with the organization as a part of CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society, she was brought back in for the Mae Young Classic. After her elimination, she was signed to the company as a coach for the Performance Center in 2018. She wasn’t leveraged as an on-air talent, instead of teaching the craft to the newer generation that WWE was looking to build. When her release came in April of 2020, Deeb took that opportunity to remind fans just how great she is in the ring.

Now, Deeb is doing some of the best work available in AEW’s women’s division. She’s the next contender to stand across from Thunder Rosa, with the two set to battle at Double or Nothing. She defeated Rosa for her biggest title run to date, as she took the NWA World Women’s Title from her back in 2020. Deeb’s feud with Hikaru Shida will be remembered as one of the best of 2022, putting on excellent, story-driven matches whenever they meet. Deeb’s vaulted herself to the top of the list when it comes to discussing the best women’s wrestlers in the industry today.

FTR

Tag team wrestling is not an important part of professional wrestling in WWE. Even as Team RK-Bro is one of the most over groups in the promotion, it’s more of the same each week. This played a part in FTR leaving the company and heading over to AEW in 2020. Since then, they’ve become not only the best team in professional wrestling but two individuals who’ve shown they have a lot to contribute to the industry.

WWE almost looked to make this group a parody of sorts, even though fans wanted to see them put on the type of excellent matches they did in NXT. That never came on the main roster. Instead, they were put in skits shaving each other’s backs, and potentially meant to wear jester-like outfits. Going to AEW gave FTR the chance to work with the best duos in the industry and show that they belong. A run as AEW champions followed, and now the team holds two titles, the ROH and AAA championships sitting securely around their waists.