4 WWE world champions released and 3 whose contracts expired since Brock Lesar's last match

#1 Bray Wyatt - Released by WWE

Bray Wyatt's Fiend gimmick was loved by the WWE Universe

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.

"It will be like Godzilla vs. King Kong."@WWEBrayWyatt talks to @TheWilderThings about The Fiend vs. @BraunStrowman at @SummerSlam and #WWEThunderdome! pic.twitter.com/4TqrEjDxmL

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) August 20, 2020

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.

You can’t kill it pic.twitter.com/Bi13czn5Zs

— Windham (@WWEBrayWyatt) August 9, 2021