Billie Kay and Mickie James released (+ others)

[mim731]

Has to be WWE not wanting to medically clear Joe, or seeing him as a commentator going forward. 

In all honesty there's no-one listed so far, Joe aside, who was a massive star in WWE that won't do better/well outside WWE so it's probably a good thing in the grand scheme of things, hopefully. 

I would have liked to see an Iiconics reunion in WWE but I can see them doing great stuff in AEW or Impact. 

Edit - missed Mickie James on that list, she'll be a great fit for NWA if she goes that way. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by mim731

[The King Of Swing]

9 minutes ago, Yakashi said:

But citing budget cuts as the reason when you’re constantly announcing record profits seems a bit trolly.

Video game publishers have been doing this for years, WWE are just behind the times as usual. 

Activision are particularly bad for it.

Someone might correct me on this but isn't it about impressing share holders? 

[DavidB6937]

3 minutes ago, The King Of Swing said:

Someone might correct me on this but isn't it about impressing share holders? 

If you take out the emotional viewpoint, which WWE obviously couldn't care less about, then it's absolutely down to how the figures look on paper. Even if they're making loads they'll always be looking at ways to cut the outgoings etc. It's a harsh way of doing business for sure but yeah it's not an unusual one.

[BomberPat]

Billie Kay was a shock - she wasn't exactly main eventing, but she was on TV a lot and they seemed high on her character at least as recently as the Royal Rumble, and she wrestled at Wrestlemania. Made no sense to break up the Iiconics so soon after creating Women's Tag Titles, it's a "tag" division with only one or two actual tag teams in it, which is awful even by WWE standards. Those two could easily make a fortune taking indie bookings under the Iiconics gimmick, and I could see them being fantastic together in Impact - though I wonder if the Shawn Spears connection will more likely net them a gig with AEW.

Mickie James is less surprising, simply because she was seemingly strong-armed into retirement and into a half-arsed "legends" role when she clearly wants to keep wrestling. There will be plenty of places that would take her, and while she could probably add something in a player-coach/producer role in AEW, I think a return to Impact or maybe the NWA (though I haven't seen anything since the relaunch) would be worthwhile, and both would allow for the occasional AEW appearance if needed anyway.

Bo Dallas is unsurprising - he's been off TV for years, after all. At least it will shut up the Fiend nutters. Now that I've said that, watch him start doing his own shit Fiend gimmick on the indies.

Chelsea Green seems like someone they were high on once upon a time, though can't say I'm particularly familiar with her work. Impact for her, I reckon.

Kalisto's an odd one, coming so close to a statement from Nick Khan that they wanted to do more in Mexico and appeal more to Mexican audiences. Not that anyone will particularly notice he's gone, and frankly I'll be amazed if the other Lucha House Party guys, and a bunch of the 24/7 Title crew, will be let go before this is all said and done. I could see AEW bringing him in, but not sure he'd have that much to offer - he's someone I can see milking the "super-show" type indies rather than committing to one or two companies.

Wesley Blake and Tucker both feel like afterthoughts, but both victims of teams being broken up with no sense for what to do with either guy. 

Samoa Joe is bonkers, though. I can only assume he either requested his release, or that they have no intention to use him as a wrestler any more and couldn't justify his salary as an announcer. Considering he was a coach/trainer/producer for NXT and the Performance Center, you'd think he would have a job for life there, which is why I'm leaning toward thinking that this is more a mutual arrangement than some of the others. There's pretty much nowhere I wouldn't be excited to see him wrestle now, in a post-Covid world - the independents have changed so much since he was last on the market, there's a whole world of fresh matches available for them, and of everyone on this list he's the one that would deservedly get a monster pop for walking into AEW.

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

Joe is the one I’m most gutted about, especially considering he called both nights of Mania just last weekend, was expecting him to be alongside Cole on SD tomorrow 

Chelsea will likely go back to Impact to be alongside Cardona, Peyton maybe to be the Pinnacle’s valet in AEW or her and Billie reunite there and Mickie maybe back to Impact or Aldis gets her a shot with NWA

Bo, Kalisto, Tucker and Blake are no real losses really 

[Mr Kennedy]

 

[HarmonicGenerator]

Proper shame about Joe being cut, I assumed the commentary job was a decision to wind him down from in-ring stuff and give WWE a way to keep him around forever, and he was good at it too. For somebody who I never thought would make it to WWE, he had a decent run - he was a key part of NXT at its peak, had a decent showing in a Royal Rumble, held a couple of titles, got on the card of a WrestleMania, main evented PPVs with Lesnar.

I know we shouldn’t want everyone who gets released from WWE to end up in AEW but I want Joe there. They should grab the Iiconics too, but only as a duo.

[mim731]

4 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

Bo Dallas is unsurprising - he's been off TV for years, after all. At least it will shut up the Fiend nutters. Now that I've said that, watch him start doing his own shit Fiend gimmick on the indies.

Supposedly, Bo Dallas has been studying real estate and getting ready for a career outside the business for a while, so his release might have been a mutual one. 

[DCW]

Has to be Joe wanted to wrestle again and they weren't having it. Kay was naturally funny but WWE naturally aren't, so that was never going to work. Peyton probably did herself no favours with that crap 'shoot' promo a while back and besides having a nice bottom (but then again don't they all) is no real loss.

I don't know Green, Tucker or Blake & Bo did well to remain employed for so long.

[CL Punk]

They let Samoa Joe go.

Damn.

This annoys me.

[d-d-d-dAz]

CM Punk turning up in AEW just became a million per cent likely.

Providing he can still go, Joe is obviously ending up there and he seems like the only person in the world Punk can not only stand, but actively enjoys being around.

[I Bent My Wookie]

6 minutes ago, Mr Kennedy said:

 

Waiting for the internet to assume they're going to open a promotion (or buy ROH) in 3...2...1

[Nick James]

Chelsea Green was never long for WWE. From wearing Cody shirts on Instagram, to refusing to let WWE trademark her name, along with the injuries, a release or request for was inevitable. 

Out of that list, other than Joe, she is the one AEW should be trying to sign.

[d-d-d-dAz]

If Bo Dallas doesn’t end up wrestling somewhere with the nickname ‘Fiendish’ then the industry has lost its mind.

[TheBurningRed]

Can definitely see Peyton, Billie and Chelsea Green going to impact. 

Would love to see Kalisto go and thrive somewhere. I really enjoyed him in PWG and EVOLVE before he got signed. Now they need to let Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado go. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by TheBurningRed