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The pandemic has made sure that 2020 will always be a year that is remembered for its negative impact on the world. However, WWE has continued to entertain regularly.
WWE is the largest pro-wrestling promotion in the world, and they usually try to shore up as many wrestlers as possible in their company. However, WWE has suffered losses like every other business because of the pandemic, which is why the company was forced to furlough and release several names back in April.
Thankfully, with the pro-wrestling business seemingly growing in terms of competition, there are plenty of places for them to go and many have landed on their feet.
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Let's look at some of WWE's 2020 releases and find out where are they now.
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#7 Former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion Eric Young
Eric Young came into WWE as a TNA veteran. He was positioned as the leader of the extremely successful stable, Sanity. The group had a lot of success in NXT, but were used horribly on the main roster.
He was put into the singles division soon after Sanity failed, and wandered around the 24/7 title before being released.
After his release, Eric returned to IMPACT Wrestling and was immediately booked like a star. He has held the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship and had an entertaining rivalry with Rich Swann, which was a treat to watch.
He has created some amazing matches for IMPACT Wrestling and showed what an asset he could have been to WWE, had they used him in a better way.
#6 Former WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champion Heath Slater
Heath Slater, the longest-tenured star on the list of WWE releases in 2021, was a true company man through and through.
As Slater was one of the most loyal employees of WWE, fans didn't expect to see him get released. Slater worked several gimmicks in WWE, with his highest point being the Free Agent gimmick in 2016.
After his release, Slater joined IMPACT Wrestling. He brought back the Free Agent gimmick and reunited with his former friend from WWE, Rhyno. He's had a great run with IMPACT Wrestling so far and is featured regularly, unlike in WWE.
#5&4 Former WWE RAW Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers
Releasing The Good Brothers was certainly one of the most controversial and shocking decisions made by WWE. The duo had reportedly signed long-term deals with the company in 2019 after declining offers from AEW, so their release came as a major surprise to the WWE Universe.
The release caused a lot of issues in WWE, with AJ Styles and Paul Heyman reportedly falling out over it.
Gallows and Anderson had a decent run in WWE. They won the Tag Team Championships on several occasions but were often put into underwhelming storylines.
After their release, the two men have run their TalkNShopAMania events, which are parodies of the pro-wrestling business. They have also joined IMPACT Wrestling and currently hold the Tag Team Championships.
#3 Former WWE 24/7 Champion EC3
EC3 is another Superstar that WWE never got the best out of. For some reason, the company decided to keep him silent on the main roster rather than using his strong promo skills.
EC3 came into WWE as a former IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion and had a decent run in NXT. But his main roster run was a total failure and he was part of the WWE releases in April.
Since leaving the company, EC3's career has thrived. He has appeared in IMPACT Wrestling and feuded with Moose, while he has also been involved in Ring of Honor.
#2 Former WWE United States Champion Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder's release came as a shock to the world as he was seen as a real company man. He was a part of WWE for more than a decade.
He won several titles during his long run with WWE and was a good hand for the company in the mid and the lower-card. He is also often credited for making WWE popular on social media and is often referred to as the Internet Champion.
After his release, he got into an incredible physical condition and debuted for AEW. Even though Ryder only signed a short-term deal with AEW, it's clear that big things are expected from him in the future. But at this point, it's unknown whether or not that will be with AEW.
#1 Former WWE United States Champion Rusev
Rusev was the biggest singles star out of all of these WWE releases and was, at one point, one of the most dominant stars in the company. He was undefeated for a year, received a special tank entrance at WrestleMania 31, and is regarded as one of the finest United States Champions in recent history.
His Rusev Day gimmick was one of the most successful babyface gimmicks in recent memory, but it’s a shame that WWE couldn’t capitalize on it.
While his wife Lana remained with WWE, Rusev moved on and focused heavily on Twitch streaming. He has been wrestling as well and debuted earlier this year in AEW as Miro, where he has worked alongside Kip Sabian.
