00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most talented professional
00:11wrestlers that got axed from a company or promotion.
00:1910. Bray Wyatt
00:21The wound still feels fresh with regards to the untimely death of Wyndham Rotunda,
00:26aka Bray Wyatt, back in 2023. This is what makes his firing from WWE back in 2021 so confusing,
00:44especially given his fan-favorite status and well-established track record of moving merchandise.
00:51Still, the Bray Wyatt character's history wasn't perfect, as evidenced by his feud with Randy
00:56Orton. But fans seem to always be both forgiving and ready for whatever ideas Wyatt had for the
01:07future. Unfortunately, Wyatt was let go from the WWE in a budget-motivated decision, although some
01:13fans have surmised that his salary and creative contractual control also influenced this controversial
01:20move.
01:249. Mr. Perfect Kurt Hennig
01:27The Plane Ride From Hell is an infamous tale that's gone down into the annals of pro-wrestling
01:32lore and history. It was during this return flight from the United Kingdom where Mr. Perfect Kurt
01:38Hennig engaged in a mid-air altercation with Brock Lesnar.
01:42Next thing I know, Brock is chasing Kurt like a full sprint.
01:47After an argument about which performers retained the best amateur wrestling background, things
01:52got physical between the two.
01:54And then they hit the emergency door. This was a big boom. Everyone jumped up.
02:02It was a plane ride that felt like total chaos from the take-off all the way to the final descent.
02:07Hennig paid the price afterward, receiving his walking papers for his role in the incident.
02:178. Paul London
02:19It's a misconception that the infamous smiling incident involving Paul London contributed to
02:25his firing from the WWE in 2008.
02:28wrestling historians have agreed, however, that it probably didn't help.
02:38London's tenure with the company was already on thin ice, thanks to alleged backstage unhappiness
02:43with the high-flyers' penchant for comedy spots.
02:46Still, the image of London's beaming smile during the death of Mr. McMahon's storyline remains
02:56one that's indelibly etched in his time at the company.
02:59It overshadows that London's tag team with Brian Kendrick made history as the longest reigning
03:05WWE tag team champions prior to the New Day taking that honor in 2016.
03:09That's not to be confused with the World Tag Team Championship record, which was held by
03:14Demolition.
03:237. Matt Hardy
03:25One of the most interesting aspects of pro wrestling hirings and firings is how many of these competitors
03:31take time to work on their craft, reinventing themselves and their careers.
03:35The firing of Matt Hardy from the WWE back in 2005 arrived hot on the heels of a real-life
03:42love triangle between Hardy, Lita and Edge.
03:49The lines were blurred in the ring with Hardy and Lita's very messy breakup and fans seemed
03:54smarter than ever as to what was going on behind the scenes.
03:58The company would eventually rehire Hardy to ignite a personal feud with Edge, although it
04:03would be the Rated-R Superstar that would eventually come out on top.
04:07Pun intended.
04:07This is not fair!
04:09It's not fair to any of you!
04:116.
04:12Samoa Joe
04:13Wrestling fans don't need to worry about Samoa Joe.
04:16This former WWE tough guy is doing just fine for himself, co-starring in the Peacock streaming
04:22series Twisted Metal while also enjoying a continued pro wrestling career in AEW.
04:37Joe has also worked within the latter's Ring of Honor branding.
04:40Previously, he was let go by the WWE not once, but twice, between 2021 and 2022.
04:52A troubled history of injuries was a factor in this decision, along with budgetary concerns
04:57that came up in the aftermath of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
05:01Additionally, Joe's association with Triple H's previous control over the NXT brand reportedly
05:07didn't align with the 2.0 branding that the company implemented back in September of 2021.
05:195.
05:20Drew McIntyre It could be argued that the difficult circumstances
05:23surrounding Drew McIntyre's 2014 firing from the WWE helped the future Scottish warrior in
05:29ways he couldn't have possibly imagined.
05:39McIntyre's status as a comedy wrestler within the 3MB faction feels totally foreign to the
05:44competitors' rough and dominant in-ring style of today.
05:51The aftermath of his firing allowed for McIntyre to increase his physicality in the ring, while
05:56a return to the independent circuit allowed him to polish his skills.
06:01His return to the WWE feels like night and day, with his stock being significantly increased
06:06as a main event player.
06:114.
06:15Swift Strickland The great budget cuts of 2021 left a lot of talent
06:21out in the cold after their time in WWE.
06:24The entire Hit Row stable was excised from the company's ledger sheets during this era,
06:29including Swift Strickland.
06:37This may have been one of the most misguided firings in recent history, as Swift's potential
06:42was clear as day.
06:44Thankfully, he eventually found his way to AEW, where he became a historic main event star as
06:54the company's first-ever African-American world champion.
06:58WWE's return to professional wrestling under the AEW banner may have been a history-making
07:11event, but it could be argued that his current run back in the WWE has been somewhat smoother
07:16sailing.
07:21That's because Punk's tenure with Tony Khan's company was marred by personal backstage altercations,
07:27online bickering, and an unceremonious firing back in September of 2023.
07:36Punk's issues with Jack Perry at AEW's All In event in London led to the company firing
07:42him with cause.
07:43And the whole affair seemed acrimonious from Jump Street.
07:46It was a sad and tumultuous end to an AEW run that could have gone a lot better for both
07:52parties.
07:532.
07:55Shawn Michaels
07:56Obviously, the Shawn Michaels that was fired from the WWE then WWF back in 1987 wasn't the
08:03same Shawn Michaels that would enter the pro-wrestling history books.
08:14This was still the era of Michaels' tag-team partnership with Marty Jannetty as the Rockers,
08:20with both men being fired after being caught in a real-life bar fight.
08:24Michaels would eventually make amends and was rehired by the company a year later.
08:33The rest, as they say, is history, with Shawn Michaels becoming Mr. WrestleMania and one
08:39of the greatest professional wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots.
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09:051.
09:06Bryan Danielson
09:07The Nexus certainly made an auspicious debut in the WWE, entering into a feud with John
09:13Cena and demolishing all in their path.
09:21It was during one of these ring-destroying fiascos that Bryan Danielson, then known as Daniel Bryan,
09:26got himself into some hot water with the company.
09:29The visual of Bryan choking former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts with his tie was deemed
09:35too violent for the company's PG-rated era, and he was fired in the aftermath.
09:39Of course, what happened next was Bryan's eventual Cinderella story and the Yes movement, which
09:49went down as one of the most popular storylines in modern WWE history.
09:54Still, it's interesting to see where it started versus where it ended.
10:06Were you shocked by any of these releases when they occurred?
10:08Share your thoughts in those comments below.
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