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Brock Lesnar is back in WWE to try to dethrone Roman Reigns as WWE Universal Champion. The Beast Incarnate returned to WWE television at last month's SummerSlam pay-per-view to confront The Tribal Chief.
A lot has changed since Brock Lesnar's last match in WWE, which came at WrestleMania 36, in 2020, when he faced Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. The pandemic forced WWE to release a number of their Superstars and backroom personnel, a few of them being former world champions who have even faced Lesnar in the past.
Let's take a look at 4 WWE world champions released and 3 whose contracts expired since Brock Lesar's last match:
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#7 Kurt Angle - Released by WWE
After his retirement match at WrestleMania 35, Kurt Angle worked as a backstage producer in WWE. The Hall of Famer featured on WWE television a few times following his retirement but was primarily working in a backstage capacity.
He was one of the many to be let go last April as part of WWE's COVID-related budget cuts. The company tried to bring him back to manage Matt Riddle on the main roster, but Angle rejected that offer as he wanted to concentrate on his business venture.
He recently revealed that AEW had tried to sign him on a few occasions following his WWE release.
“The first offer, they wanted me to have many matches. The next offer, I think, was three matches, and then one was just an on-camera personality, no wrestling,” said Angle.
Angle last featured on WWE television a month after his release, when he introduced Matt Riddle to the fans on SmackDown. The multi-time world champion hasn't appeared in pro wrestling since then.
#6 Big Show - WWE contract expired
Big Show, who now goes by his real name Paul Wight in AEW, left WWE at the start of the year, bringing to an end his 20-year run with WWE.
Wight left WWE as he was frustrated with the creative direction of his character in the company. The two-time WWE and World Heavyweight Champion bears no grudges against his former boss Vince McMahon and revealed that he left because of a lack of opportunities.
"Here's the thing, Vince actually called me the day it was announced that I signed with AEW, wished me a lot of luck, agreed that I'm a big asset to AEW and thanked me for all the years I worked in WWE. There's no animosity, there's no anger, there's no dirt, so to speak. This just came down to, you know, contract negotiations and opportunities," said Paul Wight.
He debuted on AEW television in February and will be an in-ring performer as well as commentator on AEW's Dark: Elevation YouTube show.
#5 Braun Strowman - Released by WWE
A surprising WWE release last year was that of Braun Strowman. The Monster Among Men seemed to be a "Vince McMahon Guy" and had time and again spoken glowingly about his good relationship with the WWE Chairman.
However, Strowman was released by WWE in June of this year, just over a year after winning the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36. Reports following his departure had stated that his huge salary played a part in him being let go by WWE.
Strowman is still a free agent and hasn't signed with any company yet. He will, though, be in a match against another former WWE star, EC3, in a show billed "Free The Narrative II: The Monster In Us All."
Mark Henry, who recruited Strowman when he was in WWE, had earlier stated that AEW and Strowman were interested in making a deal happen.
In his eight-year run with WWE, Strowman won the Universal Championship once, while also winning the Intercontinental Championship, and RAW Tag Team title.
#4 Mark Henry - WWE contract expired
Mark Henry, like Big Show, left WWE after his contract expired earlier this year. The World's Strongest Man had been a part of WWE since 1996 and chose not to extend his contract earlier this year.
Henry wanted an office role in WWE and was keen on being involved in community programs as well as being part of the creative team.
"And I was like, 'I want to do educational programming, I want to do community involvement, I want to be on the writing staff, I want to be an agent.' He was like, 'Whoa, that's like five jobs.' I said, 'I've been doing all this already for free.' Nobody paid me," said Henry.
Vince McMahon told the WWE legend that he could not offer him what he wanted in WWE. Henry stated that he and McMahon were on good terms when he left the company.
He signed with AEW in May, signing a multi-year deal with the promotion. He is a commentator on AEW's Rampage show, while also being a coach in the company.
#3 Ric Flair - Released by WWE
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair requested his release from WWE in August this year and the company granted it to him.
Flair and WWE didn't see eye-to-eye regarding some business deals, which forced The Nature Boy to ask for his release.
"We just didn't see eye to eye on some business opportunities that I wanted to pursue, so I asked for my release. There has been no animosity and everything has been on friendly terms. It happens sometimes in business; you just don't see eye to eye. But how could I have any animosity towards the company who made me who I am?" said Flair after his release.
Flair spoke to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon after his WWE exit and the two agreed that they will always be on good terms. The Nature Boy also thanked McMahon at NWA's 73rd Anniversary celebrations.
Flair hasn't signed with another company since being released by WWE, but he has appeared at AAA's TripleMania show, as well as the aforementioned NWA show.
#2 Daniel Bryan - WWE contract expired
The latest WWE star to join AEW is Daniel Bryan, who recently debuted at the All Out pay-per-view. The former World Champion, who goes by his real name Bryan Danielson in AEW, let his WWE contract expire earlier this year.
Bryan had been a part of the WrestleMania 37 main event earlier this year, when he faced Edge and Universal Champion Roman Reigns at The Show of Shows. Following his debut at All Out, Bryan stated that it was a difficult decision for him to leave WWE as he loved the people he worked with there and also had a good relationship with Vince McMahon.
"Honestly it was an internal battle the whole time. In my promo, what I said out there, none of that was a promo. I loved where I was working, I did and I loved the people but there was never a moment like, 'Now I know,'" said Danielson.
His last run with WWE lasted 11 years, where he had some memorable moments, including winning the world title at WrestleMania XXX.
#1 Bray Wyatt - Released by WWE
Perhaps the most surprising WWE release over the last year has been that of Bray Wyatt. The Fiend character received acclaim from fans, who thought that it was the best gimmick in WWE for a long time.
Wyatt was let go by WWE in July this year and his release was met with shock and anger from the WWE fanbase. A report following his release had revealed, like Strowman, he too, was released for financial reasons.
Wyatt had been absent from WWE television for a while, with his last appearance coming in April. He was reportedly set to be in a feud with Drew McIntyre and the two were to face off at the SummerSlam pay-per-view.
Wyatt, who had come through the ranks in WWE, was a part of the company for 12 years. He had won the WWE Championship once, while also winning the Universal Championship twice - first winning it from Seth Rollins and then later from Braun Strowman, which was his last title in the company.
