8 superstars WWE refused to release 

#4 Miro

Miro, known as Rusev during his time in WWE, was booked very strongly when he arrived on the main roster in 2014. He was undefeated for a year, but things started to go downhill for him once he lost the United States Championship to John Cena at WrestleMania 31 the following year.

WWE experimented with a lot of things on him, like putting him in a stable called League Of Nations, pairing him up with Summer Rae in a romantic angle against his wife, Lana, and Dolph Ziggler.

Miro could never look as good again as he did during his early days, and he finally decided to ask WWE for his release when they put him in another romantic angle involving current WWE Champion Bobby Lashley and his wife, Lana.

WWE had Lana divorce Miro to marry Lashley in the storyline, and also added Liv Morgan to the mix as Lana's lover.

Initially, WWE did not grant Miro his release. However, he got his release later when the company decided to make budget cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic by releasing a large amount of talent.

Miro signed with AEW in the fall of 2020, and went on to become a TNT Champion there.