TOP 10: Most Surprising WWE Releases

WWE has cut much talent over the years and some have shocked more than others. Here’s a run-down of the top 10 most surprising WWE releases.

WWE has cut many talent over the years but there have been some that have been quite surprising. Some have been released at the peak of their powers, others before they have realised their potential.

This is a countdown of the top 10 most surprising WWE releases.

10. Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle joined WWE in 1999, after winning an Olympic gold medal “with a freakinnnn broken neck” and went on to become one of the best in the business. ANgle seemed to just pick it up from the get go and became an incredible heel, having many memorable feuds.

After many years on the road with WWE, Angle was suffering with injuries and a spiralling addiction to painkillers. WWE released Angle on the basis that he would heal up, get better and then return. However, just a couple of months later, and believing he was already better and ready to go, Angle made his debut for TNA Wrestling.

9. Emma

Emma had been a part of WWE for many years, starting off in FCW in 2011, before moving to NXT and then the main roster with RAW. She was fairly solid in the ring and has the IWC behind her, but she never really picked up any momentum in WWE. In October 2016, return vignettes started to run, revealing that Emma would be transformed into Emmalina (a glamourous character).

These seemed to run forever with no sign of Emmalina until finally, in February 2017, she appeared very briefly to announce the makeover. And that was that. A few months later she was back to heel Emma and in the latter part of the year was released.

Emma did return to WWE in 2022 after a successful time away, competing in the indies, ROH and Impact. She made her return in a match against Ronda Rousey, in which she would lose. But the fans seemed happy to have her back in the women’s division.

However, once again she was released in 2023. Emma makes this list as I feel she had so much potential but was ultimately, wasted.

8. Braun Strowman

Braun was one of many WWE cuts in 2001. What was surprising about this one is that Strowman was headlining WrestleMania Backlash for the title. Also, he had a big match at WrestleMania against Shane McMahon just months earlier. Originally part of the Wyatt family, Stowman was a player in the main event scene and a former Universal champion just a year prior. Yet still WWE dispensed with the monster’s services.

7. Ember Moon

Now known as Athena in ROH, Ember Moon was released by WWE in 2021 after six years with the company. Ember Moon had a decent run as NXT champion in NXT and was brought up to the main roster and feuded with the likes of Bayley. Once again, the potential is clear to see and she has made for a dominant champion in ROH.

6. Aleister Black

Another of the 2021 stars that were released, Aleister Black was one of the more surprising names. It’s no secret that he has some nagging injuries and health issues, however the potential here is enormous and he has since shown up in AEW and leads the House of Black stable. His career in AEW has also been a bit stop/start but he has had some memorable moments and if he can stay healthy then the sky is the limit, as his character work is right up there with the best.

5. Keith Lee

Keith Lee is another who has been dealing with injuries (the severity of which we don’t know) and this has played a part in his career. Lee was sensational in NXT and had many memorable matches but when he was called up to the main roster, he never quite got going. Due to Vince’s booking? Probably. He is incredibly athletic for a guy his size and can do some amazing things in the ring, however, his character work is where he falls short. I do feel if he were booked better in his initial call-up, then he could have been a big player.

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4. Swerve Strickland

As a member of Hit Row in WWE, Swerve Scott (as known in WWE) was just getting started when he was released by WWE. Again, as part of a bunch of 2021 releases, Hit Row were called up to Smackdown and released all with the same month!

Swerve has been lighting it up in AEW and is booked to face Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship at Dynasty. He has gone from strength to strength and has had many memorable feuds, especially with Hangman Page.

When speaking about his career right now, Strickland said the following;

For me, I was in a place where I knew I needed to be. I needed to be in AEW. When I got the phone call to go back, I didn’t even answer it. It was, ‘Nope,'”

3. Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe has had the pleasure of being by WWE – twice! In 2021 he was released, before being brought back the same year. He was then released again in January 2022.

Joe has had a long and storied career, winning many titles but for a long time in WWE, he wasn’t used. In fact, WrestleMania in 2021 he was on commentary in what is now famous for him wearing the wet poncho. Samoa Joe is a beast and can carry a company and be a leader in the locker room. He has shown that recently in AEW and is being booked as the monster heel that he should have been whilst in WWE.

2. Dolph Ziggler

Signed in 2004, Ziggler was another name that was released in the second half of 2021. Dolph was a former world champion with the company, but had many years of, well, just being in the wilderness. I really can’t understand why he wasn’t used more than he was and given some big feuds.

Dolph is incredible in the ring and can make anyone look a million dollars. But opportunities were rare for the showoff and he was released after nearly 20 years in the company.

Dolph has gone on to star in TNA and has gone straight into the main event scene.

1. Bray Wyatt

The late and great Bray Wyatt was shockingly released during the summer of 2021.

Rumours swirled that he was having issues with the creative genius (humour) that is Vince McMahon, but Wyatt never disclosed the reasons behind his release.

Bray was one of the most creative people the wrestling world has seen and created an insane amount of memorable moments.

From his work as leader of the cult-like Wyatt Family and the feud with The Shield, through to his work as The Fiend. His release did come as a huge shock.

Wyatt had some time away from wrestling and in this time he lost some of his best friends, one being former Wyatt Family member – Brodie Lee.

Wyatt did return to WWE at Extreme Rules in 2022 and continued his character work that would lead to the introduction of Uncle Howdy.

Bray passed away in August 2023, of a heart attack, at the age of just 36. The wrestling world was in shock and is still hard to think about to this day, that he is no longer with us.