WWE's 2021 Releases
Every year, WWE releases wrestlers for a variety of reasons. In 2021, many layoffs happened on April 15, seeing fan favorite wrestlers exit the company like The IIconics and Samoa Joe. Reasons for these releases are rarely given and WWE typically wishes them the best on their "future endeavors." WWE fans saw more 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. 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. We're focusing this list entirely on wrestlers.
Lars Sullivan
Released: January Started with WWE: October 2014--first match as Lars Sullivan in May 2017 (NXT).
The Big Show
Released: February Started with WWE: February 9, 1999. Paul Wight now works with AEW.
Steve Cutler
Released: February 4 Started with WWE: June 12, 2014 (NXT)
Andrade
Released: March 21 Started with WWE: November 19, 2015 (NXT) Andrade asked for his release.
Billie Kay
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: April 13, 2015 (NXT)
Peyton Royce
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: April 13, 2015 (NXT)
Samoa Joe
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: May 20, 2015 (NXT)
Kalisto
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: May 26, 2013 (NXT)
Mickie James
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: August 2003 (OVW), October 10, 2005-November 2013 (WWE), 2016-2021 (WWE).
Chelsea Green
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: August 3, 2018 (NXT) Green also appeared on an episode of Raw in 2014 and on Tough Enough Season 6 as a contestant.
Tucker
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: 2013--made TV debut on July 1, 2015 (NXT)
Bo Dallas
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: 2008 (FCW), June 20, 2012 (NXT)
Wesley Blake
Released: April 15 Started with WWE: June 2013 (NXT)
Kavita Devi
Released: May 20 Started with WWE: January 2018 Devi appeared in the 2017 Mae Young Classic.
Jessamyn Duke
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.
Vanessa Borne
Released: May 20 Started with WWE: April 12, 2016 (NXT)
Skyler Story
Released: May 20 Started with WWE: October 7, 2020 (NXT) Prior to the official announcement of her signing, Skyler had appeared on an NXT taping in May 2018.
Ezra Judge
Released: May 20 Started with WWE: April 2019 (NXT)
Alexander Wolfe
Released: May 20 Started with WWE: 2015 (NXT)
Velveteen Dream
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.
Braun Strowman
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.
Lana
Released: June 2 Started with WWE: June 2013 (NXT)
Buddy Murphy
Released: June 2 Started with WWE: March 17, 2013 (NXT)
Aleister Black
Released: June 2 Started with WWE: June 2016 (NXT)
Ruby Riott
Released: June 2 Started with WWE: January 13, 2017 (NXT)
Santana Garrett
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.
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