Who Got Fired From WWE?

We’re taking a look at some of the most famous wrestlers who got fired from WWE. From Hulk Hogan to CM Punk, find out who didn’t make the cut.

WWE Firing History

WWE has a long and complicated firing history. Some of the most well-known WWE Superstars have been fired from the company for various reasons. Sometimes it’s because they violate the WWE’s wellness policy, while other times it’s because they commit a crime. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous WWE firings.

Hornswoggle

Hornswoggle was one of the most surprising WWE firings in recent years. He had been with the company for over a decade, and was a fan favorite thanks to his appearances on WWE programming, as well as his work with Make-A-Wish Foundation.

However, in May of 2016, it was reported that Hornswoggle had been released by WWE. The reasons for his firing have never been made clear, but it was speculated at the time that it may have been due to cost cutting measures.

Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio was released by WWE on February 26, 2015. He had signed a two-year contract with the company in 2013, but opted to leave WWE early.

The decision to fire Mysterio was reportedly a mutual one, as the luchador was reportedly unhappy with his position in WWE. He was said to be displeased with the creative direction of his character, as well as the company’s treatment of his family.

Paige

On April 19, 2019, Paige was fired from WWE after she violated the company’s wellness policy for the third time. This led to a lot of speculation about her future, and whether or not she would be able to continue wrestling.

WWE Rehiring History

WWE has a long and complicated history when it comes to firing and rehiring wrestlers. Sometimes it’s due to backstage politics, other times it’s because WWE simply doesn’t have room for certain wrestlers on their roster. Here’s a look at some of the most notable firings and rehirings in WWE history.

The Rock

In 2002, The Rock was fired from WWE after refusing to job to Brock Lesnar. He was brought back in early 2003 and remained with the company until 2004, when he left to pursue a career in Hollywood. He has since made occasional appearances for WWE, most recently at WrestleMania 32 in 2016.

Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar is an American professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and former college football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is also the current WWE Universal Champion in his first reign.

Lesnar began his mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2007, as a heavyweight fighter for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Most of his fights in the UFC were successful, and he held the UFC Heavyweight Championship from 2008 to 2010. He vacated the title when he left MMA to return to WWE full-time. Lesnar returned to MMA in 2016, when he defeated Mark Hunt at UFC 200; however, following several controversial drug test failures surrounding this bout, Lesnar was suspended from competition by both UFC and USADA for one year. He last competed at UFC 226 in July 2018.

Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle was let go from WWE in 2006 due to his issues with painkillers and alcohol. He made a return to the company in 2017.

Why WWE Fires and Rehires

WWE is a company that is known for its backstage politics. There have been many times where WWE has fired a wrestler, only to bring them back a few years later. So, why does WWE do this?

Contract negotiations

One of the big reasons behind WWE firing and rehiring wrestlers is contract negotiations. It’s no secret that WWE likes to keep a tight leash on their superstars with contracts that are heavily biased in their favor. This often leads to wrestlers seeking greener pastures when their current deals expire.

However, WWE is well aware of this and will often try to re-sign wrestlers to new deals before their old ones expire in order to prevent them from leaving. This is where things can get tricky, as WWE will sometimes lowball wrestlers in order to keep them from leaving.

This was the case with AJ Styles, who was reportedly offered a new contract that was far below his market value. Styles eventually decided to leave WWE and go back to Impact Wrestling (then known as TNA). He would eventually return to WWE several years later, but only after he had established himself as one of the top stars in the world outside of WWE.

Another example is CM Punk, who infamously walked out on WWE in early 2014 after he was told he would have to lose to John Cena at WrestleMania 30. Punk’s contract expired shortly after he left and WWE refused to re-sign him, choosing instead to blackball him from the industry entirely.

It wasn’t until 2018 that Punk finally broke his silence on the situation and revealed that he had been offered a new contract by WWE before he left. However, the contract was for less money than he was currently making and Punk felt disrespected by the offer. He has since made it clear that he has no interest in ever returning to WWE.

Creative differences

Creative differences are one of the most common explanations for why WWE fires and rehires wrestlers. This catchall term is usually used when the company and the talent can’t see eye to eye on how the wrestler should be used or what direction their character should be going in. Booker T, for example, was let go by WWE in 2007 due to creative differences after he suggested that his G.I. Bro character be given a more serious tone.

Poor behavior outside the ring

While WWE has a reputation for being family friendly, the company has had its share of controversies. Some WWE Superstars have been fired for poor behavior outside the ring.drug use, DUI arrests, and social media gaffes have all resulted in termination from WWE.

In 2007, Jeff Hardy was arrested for DUI after driving his car into a tree. He was not injured in the accident, but he was released by WWE shortly afterwards.

In 2011, CM Punk was fired from WWE after he made derogatory comments about WWE Owner Vince McMahon on Twitter.

In 2014, Kyle Edwards was released from WWE after he was arrested for DUI.