WWE is undergoing sweeping changes behind the scenes, which has led to several superstars being released from their contracts.
Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque took over complete creative control after Vince McMahon’s removal from WWE programming late in 2023.
In the months since Levesque took over programming, the company has witnessed a boom in popularity and a noticeable rise in quality.
It was never more apparent than WrestleMania 40 when Levesque put on a show that many wrestling fans labeled the “best in years.”
However, with the addition of Levesque and the subtraction of McMahon, the roster has witnessed an overhaul of sorts.
The first batch of cuts came back in September 2023, around the same time Levesque ascended to the top of the totem pole behind the scenes.
That somber time saw over 100 onscreen and backstage talents released from their WWE contracts, including a few household names in the wrestling world.
Of those releases late last year, former world champion Dolph Ziggler was easily the most well-known of the bunch after spending nearly 20 years with the WWE.
Along with Ziggler, former tag team champion Matt Riddle, and one-time top prospect, Lacey Evans were both let go by the company ahead of the new year.
In April and May 2024, confirmation of a slew of other competitors getting released came. Here is every superstar released by WWE so far this year.
Every WWE superstar released in 2024
Jinder Mahal
Like Ziggler, Jinder Mahal’s release came as a stunner not only to wrestling fans but also to some of the superstars on the roster.
After a slow start to his WWE career, Mahal found a home with the ‘3MB’ faction, although it often painted him in a less-than-flattering light.
As such, Mahal was released on June 12, 2014. He floated around Indie promotions in the meantime, fine-tuning his body and preparing for another run with the WWE.
Nearly two years after the company parted ways with Mahal, it decided to re-sign him. Not only that, but WWE also wanted to push him to the top of the mountain.
Mahal became WWE champion, the first of Indian descent to hold the prestigious honor. However, the momentum as a main event player was short-lived.
After a brief run with the United States Championship, Mahal stepped away from the ring and began managing the Indian duo of Indus Sher.
Now, for a second time, WWE is moving on from Mahal. He received his pink slip, alongside Indus Sher, on April 19, 2024.
Indus Sher
As mentioned, Indus Sher, a team consisting of Veer Mahaan and Sanga, were released from their WWE contracts.
The duo’s final match together was a loss during a qualifier match vs The Awesome Truth for the Undisputed Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 40.
Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler
Rather than outright releasing Jerry Lawler, WWE let his contract expire early in 2024, ending a 32-year tenure with the company.
Lawler began his time with the WWE as an in-ring talent before taking over as a play-by-play commentator and forming the legendary broadcast duo with Jim Ross.
However, the 74-year-old has been off WWE programming since suffering a stroke in February 2023. He is expected to retire from professional wrestling altogether.
Xia Li
Xia Li became the first Chinese woman to compete in the WWE after appearing in the 2017 and 2018 Mae Young Classic tournaments.
Thank you @wwe Thank you @TripleH Thank you #WWEunivers pic.twitter.com/mxijCaHNGB
— Xia Lee (@XiaWWE) April 20, 2024
Li was a fixture on NXT, the developmental brand for WWE, but when the time came for Creative to push her on the main roster, they were unable to do so effectively.
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Following a brief package against Becky Lynch in 2023, Li was mostly absent from WWE programming for the rest of the year and into 2024.
She’s since been released by the promotion, with her final televised match coming in a battle royal ahead of the Elimination Chamber PLE in February.
Gable Steveson
Gable Steveson entered the WWE with as much fanfare as any prospect in the past decade.
As an Olympic gold medalist, Steveson possessed the wrestling pedigree, a picturesque frame, and youth that had him on a fast track to being a championship-caliber superstar.
Alas, when Steveson debuted vs Baron Corbin, fans roasted his in-ring ability — or lack thereof. The former collegiate star looked out of depth in the squared circle.
WWE tried to push him one last time, but it fell flat. He was recently released, ending a run that never quite materialized the way anyone expected.
Cameron Grimes
Cameron Grimes had everything going for him in NXT, having a Million Dollar Championship and NXT North American Championship reign under his belt before moving to the main roster.
Unfortunately, Grimes was unable to build on his entertaining character. He was left the butt of the joke in several “squash matches” after moving to SmackDown.
In a shocking move, WWE is abandoning its push for Grimes; instead, he will search elsewhere for his next big break in the professional wrestling world.
Xyon Quinn
Xyon Quinn, although with the company for six years, never made his mark in the WWE.
He started as a highly-heralded prospect working with his real-life name, Daniel Vidot. However, even after rebranding to the Quinn persona, the 34-year-old found minimal success.
The last match he had in the WWE came in a short bout vs Bron Breakker on Friday Night SmackDown, which saw Quinn get beaten to a pulp.
Von Wagner
The son of former WWE superstar ‘Beau Beverly’ couldn’t get his feet under him, as Von Wagner’s onscreen character came off as generic.
A second-generation wrestler with the company’s backing seemed like the perfect recipe for Wagner, whose first match was for the NXT Championship.
Alas, the momentum died out, and after feuding with Bron Breakker, it became clear which superstar WWE wanted to build around.
Now, Wagner hits professional wrestling free agency, hoping to get more onscreen time and in-ring action at his next stop.
Drew Gulak
During his title run, Drew Gulak was once the face of 205 Live and considered the best cruiserweight in the entire WWE.
But Gulak’s time in the company ended unceremoniously after WWE kept him off programming amid accusations by Ronda Rousey of “inappropriate touching.”
Along with Wagner, Quinn, and other NXT regulars, the developmental brand also released ten more superstars from their roster.
Those names include:•Boa•Darrell Mason•Vlad Pavlenko•Ezekiel Balogun•Kiyah Saint•Emma Diaz•Valentina Feroz•Keyshawn Leflore•Trey Bearhill•Julian Baldi
There tend to be two instances of cuts per year for the WWE, so we will continue monitoring the situation as 2024 continues.
Check back for the latest news on professional wrestling releases, but in the meantime, check out our ranking of WWE Championship belt designs.
