5 fallouts from the recent wave of WWE releases

#1 Despite talent, WWE will only push certain stars

Cesaro and Roman Reigns

When it comes to WWE and every other wrestling promotion, talent and/or potential will ultimately get a performer in the door. WWE has coined the term "sports entertainment" rather than referring to itself as professional wrestling. That rubs some people the wrong way, but there's a reason why the company has been around for over 70 years.

Once WCW folded and WWE had little competition, Vince McMahon's company was seen as the end game for most aspiring pro wrestlers. Someone like Brock Lesnar, however, was an amateur wrestling champion and was scouted for pro wrestling.

That scouting tactic ultimately turned into looking at athletes in several other sports. With the advent of NXT and the Performance Center, the way WWE evaluated talent has also changed.

Wrestling promotions used to traditionally focus on developing younger performers. Having a solid in-ring game is enough for a wrestler to get over with smaller companies on the independent scene. Once the new millennium started, however, that whole mindset changed.

WWE always had a developmental territory like Deep South Wrestling or OVW. With NXT, however, athletes from all walks of professional sports are encouraged to try out.

The company currently has former football players (Roman Reigns, Baron Corbin) and powerlifters (Big E, Mandy Rose, Bianca Belair) on the roster. WWE also has MMA fighters (Brock Lesnar, Shayna Baszler, Ronda Rousey) and other high-level athletes under its umbrella.

"I PROMISE YOU, you won't be laughing then!"@BiancaBelairWWE wants @itsBayleyWWE at WWE #HIAC! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Li8R0ukVEh

— WWE (@WWE) June 5, 2021

Coming from a wrestling family too helps a wrestler get signed to WWE and it often leads to pushes.

The simple point is that despite loads of in-ring talent, WWE ultimately chooses which performers it wants to push. While his early pushes were polarizing, the recent work of Roman Reigns is among the best in the business. Dominik Mysterio has proven to be just as talented in the ring as his father.

"Our whole family is watching. Get the job done, and bring me the titles when it's over." - #UniversalChampion @WWERomanReigns to @WWEUsos #SmackDown @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/A6thNrKkUk

— WWE (@WWE) June 6, 2021

Aleister Black had all the makings of a future World Champion but never got the consistent backing of management. Andrade, despite his limited English, was always solid in the ring. Being solid in the ring might work for AEW or NJPW, but for WWE, a lot of other factors play into which stars get pushed.