10 wrestlers who were unfortunately released by WWE

WWE is always looking to sign new wrestlers, and while some new wrestlers join their roster, some have to leave to make way for new talent. WWE released dozens of talent in 2016, and this year WWE released Simon Gotch, Jack Swagger and Jim Johnston. While a majority of their releases seem logical, some wrestlers have gone on to prove Vince McMahon & Co. don’t always get it right.

Many superstars made their name after being released from WWE, leading to a big upturn for themselves and their employers causing WWE to regret their decision. While some return to the company for a second run, there are some that want nothing to do with WWE.

This is my list of ten wrestlers WWE should have never released. Voice your opinions in the comment section below and let me know who should have been included in this list.

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#10 Cody Rhodes

Cody’s release from WWE wasn’t shocking, to say the least. In fact, I was hoping he would ask for his release. Rhodes was one of the best looking and talented guys on the WWE roster, but instead of recognizing his talents, WWE creative decided to cover him in the paint and have him tp talk in riddles. WWE treated him like a joke for the latter part of his WWE career.

We all knew just how talented Cody Rhodes is, and I just wish WWE saw the same in him. You could tell he wasn’t happy with his role in the company. Since his release from WWE, Cody went on to become “The American Nightmare”, joining Bullet Club and even becoming the ROH World Champion. The former WWE Intercontinental Champion is now one of the hottest names in the professional wrestling.

All this should definitely make WWE regret the way they treated him which prompted him to ask for his release.

#9 Mr.Kennedy

Mr. Kennedy was poised to become the top star in WWE. He had all the tools required to become the next big thing in WWE: the looks, the mic skills, and the in-ring skills. He also had the best ring entrance at that time. Debuting on SmackDown in 2005, he soon went on to defeat the blue brand’s tops stars within a span of few months.

The amount of confidence WWE had in him is evident from the fact he was involved in feuds with the likes of Batista, the Undertaker and Bobby Lashley. These feuds only boosted his stock even further. Kennedy had his WrestleMania moment at WrestleMania 23 when he won the Money in the Bank briefcase. Everyone believed he was going to become the next World Champion, but that was not to be.

He lost the briefcase to Edge on Smackdown. It was later discovered that he had suffered a massive hematoma. Following that, he was suspended for a wellness policy violation. After his return, he was no longer the same. He was involved in some pretty stale mid-card feuds, but he never reached those heights again. It was alleged that he dropped Orton on his bad shoulder during a match. After the match, Orton blew a gasket, calling Kennedy unsafe, prompting his release from the company days later.

This is a real pity because WWE invested a lot in him, and he was released just because of one botched move. He should’ve been given a second chance. He then went to TNA and rebranded himself as Mr.Anderson where he became one of their biggest stars winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in the process.

WWE could’ve really done a lot with him given his talent and potential. This is someone WWE should’ve given a second chance because he could’ve been a huge pay-per-view draw for WWE.

#8 Gail Kim

Gail was one the best women’s wrestlers on the roster at that time. She was athletic, and she could hold her own on the mic. She made her WWE debut in outstanding fashion by winning the Women’s Title in her first match with the company. She had a three year run with the company and was released as a cost-cutting measure. Following her release, she made a jump to TNA which seemed to be the trend at that time.

After some breathtaking performances for TNA, she resigned with WWE. However, her second run with the company wasn’t as good. She failed to ascend to the same levels as before despite her experience. Gail has repeatedly stated that she was not happy with the direction in which women’s division was heading in, and she parted ways with the company once again.

This is a real shame because Gail could’ve played a huge part in the divas revolution, and she could’ve had some awesome matches with the likes of Paige, Sasha Banks and even Charlotte Flair. WWE should’ve invested a little more time and effort into her.

#7 Slate Randall

For those of you who don’t know, Slate Randall, better known as Eli Drake in TNA, actually signed with WWE to be a part of NXT in 2013. Despite his 11 year experience prior to signing with WWE, he failed to capture the attention of the WWE management. He had a few untelevised matches and was released only after a year with the company.

This was a real shame considering the fact that he is now of the biggest stars in TNA. He has shown that he has the physical appearance, mic skills, and gimmick that could’ve made him a World Champion in WWE.

Needless to say, WWE failed to recognize a real main event calibre talent once again, and considering the roster WWE has now, Slate Randall would’ve fit perfectly with the current WWE ecosystem.

#6 Kaval/Low Ki

Kaval is one of the guys who didn’t get the push he deserved due to Vince McMahon’s obsession with larger athletes. Kaval, a.k.a Low Ki, is a perfect example of size doesn’t matter. He was explosive in the ring and could combine aerial manoeuvres with painful submissions. he won season 2 of NXT. Despite that, Kaval never got the World Title shot he deserved, but instead, had to settle for an Intercontinental Championship match against then-champion Dolph Ziggler.

He lost that match to Ziggler. Kaval spent most of his tenure with the company on the losing side. He barely won any matches and was always booked to lose which made him lose a bit of credibility. His talent was wasted in WWE before he was finally let go. He could’ve played a much bigger role in WWE, and could’ve worked well with guys like Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, and even Seth Rollins. He was an incredibly skilled worker and deserved a chance to succeed in WWE. Had he been booked more accurately, he could’ve had a successful career in WWE.

#5 CJ Parker

CJ Parker, a.k.a. Juice Robinson, signed with WWE as part of NXT in 2012, but he was mainly used as jobber who constantly lost to guys like Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin. However, since his release from WWE in 2015, Parker joined NJPW and rebranded himself as Juice Robinson. He has since made a big name for himself among wrestling fans and has even held his own against the promotion’s top stars.

Robinson’s success in NJPW shows just how much a wrestler can improve if the promotion has faith in him. Had WWE given him the opportunity, he could have been a great mid-card wrestler who could’ve had impressive feuds with The Miz and Sami Zayn. Needless to say, WWE should have invested a little more effort into his development.

#4 Derrick Bateman

Derrick Bateman’s time in WWE was a complete waste. He joined as a competitor in season three of NXT but accomplished nothing during his time in NXT. In May 2013, WWE decided to let him go.

Three months later, Derrick Bateman, just like previous WWE superstars, joined TNA. This is where we got to see him shine, and as Ethan Carter III, his career finally took off. He portrayed the role of Dixie Carter’s nephew, an entitled heel, EC3 won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on two occasions making him Impact Wrestling’s franchise player in the process.

Apart from his insane in-ring skills, he is also extremely good on the microphone, and he would have made an excellent fit for WWE’s current roster. I bet Vince McMahon probably regret releasing him after seeing just how much he has accomplished. EC3 would have played a perfect in WWE had he been given a fair chance, but I guess we may never get to witness that happen. But never say never, right?

#3 Austin Airies

WWE missed a golden opportunity with Austin Aries. When WWE signed him to a developmental contract in 2016, the wrestling world was set abuzz. Everyone was excited to see the former TNA World Champion set foot in WWE. He seemed like a perfect fit for WWE style of programming. His wrestling style was quite similar to Daniel Bryan, and he could hold his own on the mic.

Airies made a huge name for himself in TNA involving himself in classic feuds with the likes of Bobby Roode, James Storm, and Low Ki. Airies was the man who introduced Option C which is what led him to first TNA World Heavyweight Championship. ‘The Greatest Man That Ever Lived’ was second to none when it came to putting on a stellar performance in the ring, and no one could compare to his intensity on the mic.

You would think that with his impressive resume, he would have been pushed to the top in WWE as soon as he arrived. That isn’t what happened as WWE relegated him to doing commentary, and competing in the Cruiserweight Championship in a losing effort against Neville. It was clear that he wasn’t pleased with his position within the company, and requested his release.

Airies’ tale in WWE was similar to Kaval and Daniel Bryan’s who were held back by Vince McMahon due to their small stature, but this time, WWE missed a great opportunity that could have led to some amazing storylines and feuds.

#2 CM Punk

CM Punk was one of the biggest names in wrestling back in 2011. Following his infamous “pipe bomb” in 2011, he became the most controversial superstar in the world. During his tenure with the WWE, Punk won the World Heavyweight Championship three times and the WWE Championship two times. His second WWE Championship reign lasted 434 days.

Even during his title reign, ‘The Straight Edge Superstar’ played second fiddle to John Cena who always seemed to have the main event spot just because he was John Cena. This hurt his credibility as champion, and he was clearly not happy with how he was booked as champion.He was also forced to wrestle with a staph infection.

All this led him to walk out of the WWE in 2014. ‘The Voice of the Voiceless’ was clearly not being treated with respect, so he decided to take some much deserved time off. Following his ugly departure from WWE, he appeared on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast where he revealed that WWE fired him on his wedding day, and that’s when he decided he would never return to WWE again.

I think we all agree WWE went a little too far by firing the former World Champion on his wedding day, a move they would soon regret because every Monday Night RAW episode would be filled with “CM Punk” chants. Punk definitely had some amazing in-ring skills and promo work was second to none. If he decided to return to wrestling, then I hope he goes to NJPW instead of WWE.

#1 Kenny Omega

Kenny Omega signed with WWE’s Deep South Wrestling developmental territory in 2006, but his stay with the company was brief. He was not a fan of the training methods of Bob Holly and Bill DeMott, and he requested his release.

WWE couldn’t have predicted Omega’s meteoric rise back then because it took him a while to reach his peak. ‘The Cleaner’ is now the biggest name in professional wrestling and is the best wrestler in the world at the moment. WWE surely regret allowing a future megastar to slip through their fingers.

It’s a good thing Omega decided to leave because he would have failed in WWE’s rigid developmental system. Needless to say, this was one big opportunity missed by WWE.

WWE offered him a contract in 2016 which he refused, but there are rumours that Omega will make his way to WWE when in contract with NJPW expires in 2018. This is just one of those times when WWE failed to recognize a wrestler's true potential.