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WWE recently made headlines when they released a number of employees across the board in the company. April was the first time in several years that WWE had made wholesale changes to their roster since the company has spent the last few years building brands like NXT, NXT UK, and 205 Live.
This doesn't mean that WWE hasn't released stars in the past few years, the releases have just been much fewer and far between.
Back in 2019, WWE made a handful of releases for some interesting reasons and many of these stars have since gone on to debut for other promotions. It seems that things are ever-changing in the wrestling world and the rise of AEW has helped a number of former WWE stars following their release.
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#5. Tye Dillinger
Tye Dillinger was known as The Perfect 10 throughout his time in NXT and on the main roster. The nickname became so popular that WWE even allowed the star to make his Royal Rumble debut at number 10, which became the highlight of his main roster career.
Dillinger headed to the main roster in April 2017 and told Edge and Christian on their Podcast of Awesomeness that he dreaded going to work for around six months and decided to ask for his release before he listened to a new offer of a contract.
"I was dreading it. I was back there going, 'Please respond; please make noise; please cheer.' I was pleading, not to the audience, but whoever would hear me. I was praying, essentially, that they would still acknowledge that I existed. I was spiralling. Instead of enjoying the two days I had off, I was dreading the third day when I'd have to leave already. It was time to go. I was probably late in leaving, actually."
"I just said to Talent Relations at the time that I needed to go and they said, 'Well, we're about to offer you a pretty substantial raise'. Now, I am by no means a millionaire, I'm not even close. I've been very lucky. I have everything I could possibly need and I wouldn't have that without WWE. But for me, personally, it wasn't about the money, so I didn't even let him get the offer out of his mouth. Later I found out what it was, a couple of weeks later, but I just said, "It wouldn't change anything tomorrow morning when I wake up — I'm still going to feel the same way that I do right now and the way I've felt for the last six months."
Dillinger was granted his WWE release in February 2019, before he sat out his 90-day no-compete clause and went on to join AEW. Dillinger is now known as Shawn Spears.
#4. Luke Harper
Former WWE Superstar Luke Harper made a name for himself as part of The Wyatt Family back in 2013, before going on to become an Intercontinental Champion and then one half of The Bludgeon Brothers, alongside Erick Rowan.
Harper was a talented star but WWE had some issues finding a place for him creatively following Erick Rowan's injury in the summer of 2018.
Harper headed back to NXT before revealing on his Twitter page that he had asked for his release. It didn't help that Rowan had returned to WWE TV at this point, and was put into a storyline with Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns whilst Harper remained on the sidelines.
Initially, WWE denied Harper's request, and kept him with the company whilst also not using him on WWE TV, but finally in December last year, Harper was released along with The Ascension and Sin Cara.
Harper has since sat out his no-compete clause and made his shock debut in All Elite Wrestling when he was unveiled as The Exalted One behind The Dark Order. Harper is currently performing for AEW under the ring name Mr. Brodie Lee.
#3. TJ Perkins
TJ Perkins won the Cruiserweight Classic back in 2016 and went on to help WWE launch 205 Live the following year. Perkins's name was later renamed to TJP and was primarily used on 205 Live, until the beginning of 2019 when he became another name on the list of WWE releases.
There were rumors that his tattoos were the reason that the company decided to terminate his contract, but Perkins set the record straight on Social Media when he made it clear that the release was more of a creative decision from WWE.
“Thought about it several times but no I never believe in quitting. For months the mutual goal was to find a way for me to accomplish my goals on a bigger platform. Tuesday was the same. But inevitably that doesn’t fit into what they want to do. I’m only a cog in a big machine.”
Perkins has since retained his TJP name and made the move over to Impact Wrestling whilst also being able to work his Indy dates and make several appearances at New Japan Pro Wrestling.
#2. Rhyno
Rhyno was a shock returnee when WWE announced the brand split back in 2016 and he later went on to become one half of the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Champions alongside Heath Slater.
The duo was later put in a match against each other to save their jobs with WWE but it was Slater who came out on top. Rhyno was taken off WWE TV following the match. His final WWE appearance came a number of months later as part of the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 35.
Rhyno then revealed that he was looking to leave WWE when his contract expired on July 17th, but went on to make an appearance at Impact Wrestling on July 7th at Slammiversary. WWE reportedly didn't have an issue with this.
Rhyno has since changed his ring name to Rhino and made a return to Impact Wrestling where he teamed with fellow former WWE star Rob Van Dam in their hint for the Impact World Tag Team Championships. RVD turned heel on Rhyno at the end of the match and cost the duo the Championships.
#1. Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose became one of the biggest stars in WWE throughout his time in The Shield. But whilst Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns flourished following the group's demise, Ambrose was never given a storyline to get his teeth into.
It was thought that his heel turn at the end of 2018 would be the game-changer for Ambrose. But, the star admitted that some of the promos he was given at that time were the reason why he decided not to re-sign with WWE when his contract expired.
It was announced months ahead of his contract expiry date that Ambrose had opted not to re-sign when his contract expired in May. This meant that The Lunatic Fringe wasn't part of WrestleMania 35 and was given a WWE exit as part of a Network show called The Shield's Final Chapter.
Ambrose shocked the wrestling world when he made his debut as Jon Moxley at Double or Nothing just weeks later. Given the fact that his contract had already expired, Ambrose didn't have to sit out a no-compete clause.
At present, Moxley is the current AEW World Champion as well as the reigning IWGP United States Champion after winning the Championship during his stint with New Japan Pro Wrestling earlier in the year.
