impact, tna, aew: Samoa Joe & 4 other WWE Superstars released in 2022: where are they now?

Once upon a time, not too long ago, WWE was essentially the only company that aspiring wrestlers could work in to make a good living. But oh, how times have changed. The professional wrestling landscape today is much different than years past, and there are opportunities outside of the company.

WWE has an obligation to its shareholders to maintain a profitable budget. Sometimes, that means that cuts are necessary and superstars are let go. On the other side of the coin, some WWE Superstars get to a point where they feel it's time to move on, and they simply ask to be released.

These are the primary reasons why every year company executives announce a series of releases. Today, we look at some of those who left the company in 2022. Here is our list of five former WWE Superstars who were released in 2022 and where they are now.

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#5 - Former ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness

Former NXT UK commentator Nigel McGuinness

Before signing with WWE in 2016, Nigel McGuinness was a highly respected pro wrestling veteran with over 20 years of experience under his belt. Nigel made a name for himself during his time with Ring of Honor in the early 2000s. During his time with ROH, Nigel held both the ROH Pure Championship and the ROH World Championship.

McGuinness came highly recommended by Michael Cole in late 2016. He worked as a commentator for NXT UK, 205 Live, and NXT while with the company. Nigel was released in October 2022, ending his six-year run with the company.

Since his departure, Nigel has moved on to AEW, where he works as a commentator for AEW Collision and with the ROH brand as well.

#4 - 7 Time WWE Tag Team Champion Cesaro

Before signing with WWE in 2011, Cesaro was already an established star on the independent scene. He was one of the top free agents in the world at the time he came to WWE. Needless to say, there was a lot of hype surrounding the news that he had signed with the company. Unfortunately, "The Swiss Superman" never lived up to the potential many believe he had.

Cesaro joined the main roster and quickly entered contention for the United States title. He went on to capture the U.S. Championship at the 2012 SummerSlam event, defeating Santino Marella to become the new champ. Sadly, things never got much better after that. Cesaro would finish his WWE run primarily as a tag team specialist. Cesaro's contract expired in early 2022, but he was not happy with the details of a possible extension, thus ending his 11-year tenure with the company.

At the 2022 Forbidden Door pay-per-view, Cesaro, now working under Claudio Castagnoli once again, surprised the AEW faithful when he made his debut with the company as the mystery opponent of Zack Sabre Jr. Claudio is still with AEW and is featured as a member of The Blackpool Combat Club. He has also worked for ROH now that AEW is the parent company of the promotion.

#3 - Former NXT Superstar Persia Pirotta

During her time with NXT, Persia Pirotta was best known for her involvement in the storyline featuring Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell. Unfortunately, Pirotta never saw much action beyond that and was released in April of 2022, roughly a year after signing in March of 2021.

Since leaving WWE, Pirotta began working for IMPACT Wrestling, and she has also seen limited time with AEW. She has gone back to working under her real name, Steph De Lander. Steph also works alongside Matt Cardona after the two met during an Australian tour with World Series of Wrestling.

#2 - Former WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe

The Samoan Submission Machine, Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe made his WWE debut when he appeared at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable on May 20, 2015. Joe arrived to let it be known that he was there and that he wanted to get his hands on Kevin Owens' NXT Championship. Joe eventually climbed to the top of the NXT food chain, becoming a three-time NXT Champion before jumping to the main roster in 2017.

Joe enjoyed a pretty successful WWE run. He not only claimed the NXT title three times, but while on the main roster, Joe was a two-time U.S. Champion. Unfortunately, Samoa Joe was released on January 6, 2022, after missing time while battling COVID.

Today, Samoa Joe is back with Ring of Honor, which is where he initially made a name for himself early on in his career. ROH is now owned by AEW, where Joe also competes. He is the current ROH Television Champion as well.

#1 - Former NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose

After WWE Tough Enough Season 6, Mandy Rose finished as the runner-up. Mandy was signed to a five-year contract despite not winning the Tough Enough contest.

During her career, Mandy had her fair share of highs and lows, but she eventually found success as the NXT Women's Champion when she defeated Raquel Gonzalez at the 2021 Halloween Havoc premium live event.

Mandy Rose was released in December of 2022 after "racy photos" were leaked on social media that Mandy had posted on a subscription service. Following her release, Mandy began to focus all her time on her digital media business.

She has a subscription service on FanTime where she posts risque photos and videos. Mandy has mentioned that she has done very well for herself with her business, and that is what she plans to continue to do for the foreseeable future.

Edited by Jacob Terrell