Looking Back At The 80 WWE Wrestlers Released In 2021

2021 was a rough year for WWE wrestlers. During the course of the year, there were multiple days of mass layoffs of both wrestlers and people working backstage at the company. These releases ranged from people training at the Performance Center to NXT superstars to people on both Raw and Smackdown. At times, it felt like no one was safe, even big name stars like Bray Wyatt. Most of these releases were because of "budget cuts" for the company.

Throughout 2021, there were 80s wrestler releases, with some even coming in late December. On December 9, Jeff Hardy was released by WWE, days after an incident at a house show. However, this wasn't a "budget cut" release, which is one of the few that happened in 2021. Sources have confirmed to GameSpot that Hardy has been released.

WWE's budget cuts releases happened for a seventh time on November 19. Eight more superstars were released from their contracts. This was reported by Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful. Many of the former WWE wrestlers confirmed this on Twitter, including Tegan Nox, John Morrison, and Drake Maverick--who made an inspiring video about his career. Below, you'll find a list of everyone released this year, which now stands at 79 wrestlers.

The last batch of releases came on November 4. WWE released 18 wrestlers because of reported "budget cuts," which was, once again, first reported by Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful. It's been a wild year for the company, which is boasting record profits and releasing talent left and right. Additionally, the company has released plenty of other people from within the company. The latest group of wrestlers released includes names like Keith Lee, Mia Yim, Nia Jax, and Lince Dorado.

Additionally, wrestlers have been exiting the company by letting their contracts run out. Both Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole have gone from WWE to AEW this year, by not resigning with WWE. 2021 will be a landmark year in the history of professional wrestling, no matter how this plays out.

On August 6, WWE released numerous NXT superstars, a little more than a month from the last block of 205 Live and NXT ones. This brings the count to 54 releases of wrestlers from WWE in 2021, which includes big names like Bray Wyatt, Ric Flair, Bronson Reed, Mercedes Martinez, and more.

There have been numerous days this year where batches of wrestlers were released. On June 25, WWE released 205 Live and NXT stars, like Tyler Breese, Tony Nese, and Fandango. Reasons for these releases are rarely given and WWE typically wishes them the best on their "future endeavors."

There were also mass releases on May 20 and June 2. The latter saw one of the company's top superstars, Braun Strowman, get "future endeavored" along with Aleister Black--who was in the middle of a huge push. Both of these were quite head-scratching moments.

While this is a bummer to the average fan--seeing your favorite wrestler no longer working with WWE--there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. This is temporary. 2020 saw numerous layoffs from WWE as well, and many of those wrestlers found success outside of the company. And quite a few have already made a splash in promotions like Impact, AEW, ROH, NJPW, and more.

Below, you'll find all the WWE wrestler releases throughout 2021, including a few stand-alone moments where a superstar requested his or her release. What you won't find here are releases from backstage, including referees, production, etc or those who just let their contracts run out. We're focusing this list entirely on wrestlers. Additionally, some of these wrestlers have moved on to other companies, and that's noted as well.

Jump ahead to release dates:

• April 15
• May 20
• June 2
• June 25
• August 6
• November 4
• November 19

Released: January

Started with WWE: October 2014--first match as Lars Sullivan in May 2017 (NXT).

Released: February

Started with WWE: February 9, 1999.

Paul Wight now works with AEW.

Released: February 4

Started with WWE: June 12, 2014 (NXT)

Steve Cutler now works on Impact wrestling as Steve Maclin.

Released: March 21

Started with WWE: November 19, 2015 (NXT)

Andrade now works on AEW as Andrade El Idolo.

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: April 13, 2015 (NXT)

Kay now works on Impact wrestling as Jessie McKay as part of the tag team The Inspiration.

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: April 13, 2015 (NXT)

Royce now works on Impact wrestling as Cassie Lee as part of the tag team The Inspiration.

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: May 20, 2015 (NXT)

NXT rehired Samoa Joe shortly after.

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: May 26, 2013 (NXT)

Kalisto now works at AEW as Samuray del Sol.

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: August 2003 (OVW), October 10, 2005-November 2013 (WWE), 2016-2021 (WWE).

James now works at NWA and Impact wrestling.

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: August 3, 2018 (NXT)

Green now works at Impact wrestling.

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: 2013--made TV debut on July 1, 2015 (NXT)

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: 2008 (FCW), June 20, 2012 (NXT)

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: August 2012

Released: April 15

Started with WWE: June 2013 (NXT)

Released: May 20

Started with WWE: January 2018

Devi appeared in the 2017 Mae Young Classic.

Released: May 20

Started with WWE: May 7, 2018 (NXT)

Although Duke is no longer a wrestler with WWE, she still appears with BRE Start on UpUpDownDown.

Released: May 20

Started with WWE: April 12, 2016 (NXT)

Released: May 20

Started with WWE: October 7, 2020 (NXT)

Story returned to Impact wrestling as Brandi Lauren.

Released: May 20

Started with WWE: April 2019 (NXT)

Judge now works at MLW as E. J. Nduka.

Released: May 20

Started with WWE: 2015 (NXT)

Released: May 20

Started with WWE: May 3, 2017--as Velveteen Dream--in NXT. However, Patrick Clark--who plays Dream--had been with NXT since late 2015.

Additionally, Clark appeared on Season 6 of Tough Enough.

Released: June 2

Started with WWE: August 24, 2015 (WWE)

Previous to his first appearance on Raw, Strowman had played one of Adam Rose's "Rosebuds" and had a couple of dark matches at NXT live events and on WWE Main Event.

Scherr appeared on EC3's PPV Free the Narrative.

Released: June 2

Started with WWE: June 2013 (NXT)

Released: June 2

Started with WWE: March 17, 2013 (NXT)

Murphy now wrestles at NJPW as Buddy Matthews.

Released: June 2

Started with WWE: June 2016 (NXT)

Black now wrestles in AEW as Malakai Black.

Released: June 2

Started with WWE: January 13, 2017 (NXT)

Riott now wrestles in AEW as Ruby Soho.

Released: June 2

Started with WWE: August 2019 (NXT)

Prior to her NXT stint, Garrett had appeared in the Mae Young Classic and as enhancement talent on NXT.

Garrett now wrestles in AEW.

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: 2006 (Deep South Wrestling)

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: 2010 (FCW)

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: 2016 (205 Live)

While not signed yet, Nese has appeared on AEW television.

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: 2013

Daivari is now with NJPW.

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: August 2, 2020

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: 2016

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: 2016

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: October 2020

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: 2015

Ruas now wrestles with AEW as Tiger Ruas.

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: May 7, 2018

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: June 2016

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: June 2016

Martel is now with AEW as part of the tag team 2.0.

Released: June 25

Started with WWE: January 22, 2019

Parker is now with AEW as part of the tag team 2.0.

Released: July 31

Started with WWE: February 2009 (FCW)

Released: August 2

Started current run with WWE: 2012

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: June 23, 2017 (NXT)

Fish is now with AEW.

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: January 2019 (NXT)

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: 2018 (NXT)

Atlas is with ROH.

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: May 2021 (205 Live)

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: May 2014 (NXT)

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: October 2020 (NXT)

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: 2019 (NXT)

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: December 2020 (NXT)

Rust is now with ROH.

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: January 2020 (NXT)

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: January 2021 (NXT)

Hale wrestled one match in AEW since his release.

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: April 2020 (NXT)

Released: August 6

Started with WWE: January 2020 (NXT)

Martinez is now with Impact wrestling.

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: May 2019 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: September 2015 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: 2013

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: February 2021 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: 2016

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: Had a run 2006-11, resigned in 2020

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: September 2015 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: 2017 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: February 2020 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: August 2019 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: May 2018 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: September 2018 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: 2014 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: September 2015 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: 2014 (NXT/One of Adam Rose's Rosebuds)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: March 2021 (NXT)

Released: November 4

Started with WWE: 2021 (NXT)

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: December 2018

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: October 2017 (205 Live)

Maverick was originally released on April 15, 2020 due to budget cuts, but was brought back on.

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: April 17, 2019 (NXT)

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: May 29, 2017

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: Original run: 2002 (Tough Enough/OVW)

Current run: 2019 (Smackdown)

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: February 2016

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: April 2017

Released: November 19

Started with WWE: January 2020

Released: December 9

Most recent run of WWE started: April 2, 2017.