How many times have we heard Vince McMahon say “You’re fired!” on television? Too many to count but we’re pretty sure somebody has a compilation video on YouTube. The wrestling industry is a brutal business when it comes to the turnover rate of employment. Wrestlers, writers, producers and backstage crew are constantly coming and going, not just in the WWE but every major promotion you can think of.

As the number one wrestling company in the world, the WWE has a ton of employees and most aren’t safe from getting the almighty ax from the overlord, McMahon. Every year, the WWE is guaranteed to release several Superstars. Some of these wrestlers are really good at what they do but got in trouble while others were just terrible at the job. Sometimes, our favorite Superstars decide to leave the WWE instead.

Where they go next is usually on the minds of all fans. Do they go straight to the indies, try to sign with a company overseas, or do they just leave the industry? This list has eight wrestlers that have left the WWE but still work in the industry today and eight wrestlers that have left the industry for the foreseeable future. An interesting take away from this list is many wrestlers who only performed for the WWE, end up not pursuing work with other promotions. Enjoy.

16 Summer Rae - Left

Summer Rae would make her wrestling debut in late 2011 after a three-year career in the Legends Football League. Her only time in the wrestling business came under the WWE umbrella, so it’s not a surprise that she hasn’t continued wrestling outside the company when she was released in October of 2017. Maybe she’s on a long vacation and will take another crack at the business but we doubt it.

Rae may have been a viable wrestler but she never really impressed anyone. If she does return, a promotion is probably hiring her for name recognition and overall appeal rather than her in-ring skills. Her last match was a tag team contest in the summer of 2016. If she hasn’t booked any dates by now, we doubt she ever will.

15 Ryback - Stayed

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The Big Guy did a lot of work after leaving the WWE in August of 2016. He worked for promotions such as PCW, BTW, and WrestlePro - he even had some events named after his “Feed Me More” slogan. However, Ryback hasn’t been as active in 2018 as he was in 2016 through 2017. Maybe he’s taking a break or maybe he’s contemplating leaving the business altogether.

It’s a bit of a surprise someone of his size and experience hasn’t worked for a few of the top promotions outside of the WWE. Like many wrestlers that left the WWE, Ryback cited a lack of a push, pay and creative differences as reasons for wanting to leave the company. At 36 years old, Ryback still has a lot of years left in the business.

14 Enzo Amore - Left

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Enzo may have had the gift of jab but no one can hear the jab if he’s not booking indie dates. If you been living in a mine base on planet Mars and don’t get to read the funny papers, you may not have known Enzo got in some big trouble earlier this year. Enzo was accused of assault in 2017. He wouldn’t tell WWE about his troubles, which ended up being a bad move.

On the night of WWE’s 25th Raw anniversary show, the company was fielding questions about Enzo instead of the special event. This infuriated WWE so much, they stripped Enzo of his Cruiserweight Title and released him. Enzo hasn’t been booked for an indie event since, but we’re sure he’ll pop up somewhere eventually.

13 Cody - Stayed

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Anyone else marked out when Cody dyed his hair bleach blond? We know his father, Dusty Rhodes, was smiling in the heavens when Cody debuted the new look at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 12. The grandson of a plumber would spend his entire wrestling career in the WWE before he asked to be released in 2016. He attributed a lack of direction, creative differences, and a lack of a push to the top as reasons for leaving the WWE Universe.

Some fans may have been disappointed when he left but it seems like it was the right move for Cody. In 2018, he’s one fire and is in an intense feud with one of the best wrestlers on the planet, Kenny Omega. Everyone on the indie scene has praised his work ethic and fans can’t wait for a show he’s co-hosting with the Bullet Club in September, called All-In.

12 Cameron - Left

Remember those WWE Diva Search competitions the company used to hold before the women’s revolution? In 2011, Cameron would participate in one and the WWE decided to give her a developmental contract following a Tough Enough stint. She would work down in Florida Championship Wrestling and within the year, she was making her big league debut as one-half of The Funkadactyls.

After several years on the main roster, WWE would send her back down to participate in NXT. This was a clear sign that her career with the WWE was coming to an end. After two months of inactivity, Cameron would be released by the WWE in 2016. She hasn’t participated in any wrestling promotions since the release and we believe she has moved on from the business for a career in reality television and film.

11 Austin Aries - Stayed

If you’re a huge fan of Impact, then you shouldn’t be surprised to see Aries on the list. The high flying athlete signed with the WWE in January of 2016 and would be advertised on WWE’s NXT. For the majority of the year, he would be involved in entertaining feuds but an injury to his orbital socket knocked him out of competition.

He would return but as a member of the 205 Live brand. Aries did well but felt a bit disrespected he, and the Cruiserweights, would be seen on the pre-shows of Pay-Per-Views. Aries asked for his release in July of 2017 and after his 90-day non-compete agreement expired, he would make a surprise return to Impact Wrestling and various indie promotions.

10 Alex Riley - Left

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Anyone else watched Netflix’s G.L.O.W series and spotted Alex Riley? He may have wrestled in a television show, however, Riley hasn’t stepped back into a professional ring since being released by the WWE in 2016. He would make his WWE debut after signing a developmental contract in 2007. After three years in the minor league, Riley would get his big break in 2010. As a sidekick of The Miz, Riley was involved in the match between John Cena and The Miz at WrestleMania XXVII.

You may have heard the rumors about Cena burying Riley for unknown reasons, which allegedly derailed any advancement in the WWE. Maybe Cena really did bury Riley and it made him want to leave the business for good after being released. Today, Riley is trying to break into Hollywood as an actor and stuntman.

9 Jack Swagger - Stayed

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We, the people, don’t always get what we want when it comes to the WWE. Jack Swagger also realized he doesn’t always get what he wants as a wrestler in the WWE Universe. After eleven years in the WWE, Swagger would be officially released in 2017. It didn’t take long for him to get back into the squared circle. He would work for many indie promotions such as Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore and 5 Star Live.

He recently made headlines when he signed and performed for Lucha Underground earlier this year. He’s been a very busy man and has also set his sights in the world of MMA. In November of last year, Swagger announced that he signed a deal with Bellator MMA and will be debuting in the heavyweight division in 2018.

8 Eva Marie - Left

A stunning lady that make a lot of heads turn, Eva Marie would have been a huge star in the WWE if it wasn’t for the women’s revolution. If she made her debut during the Attitude Era, there is no doubt she would be as famous as Sable. Wrestling purists are glad she was released in the 2017 but can you blame them? She’s beautiful but her wrestling and mic skills were terrible.

Marie would sign a developmental contract with the WWE in 2013 and would quickly join E! and WWE’s Total Divas series. She even admitted on the show that the WWE was a stepping stone to greater things. Fast track four years later and the company kicked her to the curb. If you’re a Marie fan, don’t worry, she’ll find work showing off her curves for years to come, just not in a ring.

7 Joey Mercury - Stayed

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If you didn’t know, Joey Mercury is tearing it up on the indie circuit. The experienced wrestler looks shredded at the age of 38 and has worked his tail off since leaving the WWE in early 2017. By the end of his tenure with the company, Mercury was more of a personality talent than a wrestler. Since leaving, Mercury is doing very well.

He’s elevating MCW Pro Wrestling and has been a fixture on Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion. People love Joey, and the guy has had a lot of ups and downs. It would be awesome if Joey could return as a seasoned veteran for WWE’s 205 Live brand. If that doesn’t happen, you’re going to have to catch him on some indie show on the east coast.

6 Damien Sandow - Left

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Aaron Stevens or better known as Sandow in the WWE has worked in the ring when he left the WWE in 2016, however, he hasn’t worked a match since January of 2017. It’s been over a year since he suited up for a match so it’s safe to say the guy is semi-retired for now. What can we say about his career? Maybe the most underappreciated wrestler during his time in the WWE?

Sandow had the fans eating out of the palm of his hand several times during his career in the WWE. For some reason or another, the company would never push him to the top. He would remain a sidekick or jobber with a comedic side. The intellectual savior of the masses is just 35 years old and has a lot of time left to return to the squared circle. Maybe his former partner, Cody Rhodes, can go “All-In” on him.

5 James Ellsworth - Stayed

The WWE Universe has a funny way of making dreams come true. James Ellsworth, your average man, lived out his dream as a WWE Superstar when Vince McMahon would give him a one year contract in 2016. He had worked with the company before, as one of Adam Rose’s “Rosebuds,” and an enhancement talent in a match with Braun Strowman but wouldn’t become a household name until he was involved in a program with A.J. Styles and Dean Ambrose.

He would spend most of his tenure as the awkward manager of Carmella before being released in 2017. Today, Ellsworth is milking his fame by wrestling with several indie shows. He’s been booked on shows hosted by WOW, SWF, and Bar Wrestling. You can even catch him in a match with Nick Aldis for the NWA World Heavyweight Title on the popular promotion, Championship Wrestling From Hollywood.

4 Rich Swann - Left

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Sometimes. all you have to do is impress one person and you’ll have an invitation to try out for the WWE. At an Evolve event, Swann got the attention of rapper Wale, who sent out a tweet about how well Swann performed. Mark Henry saw the tweet and got Swann a tryout with the WWE. Swann crushed the tryout and WWE would sign him in 2015. After a year in NXT, Swann would be a participant in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. He would be a mainstay in the 205 Live division until legal troubles would end his tenure with the company in 2018.

Swann would be charged with battery and kidnapping/false imprisonment of his wife. The case was dismissed, however, it still left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Swann originally was booked for indie events in 2018, however, he canceled and has decided to get away from the business for the foreseeable future.

3 Emma - Stayed

Going by Tenille Dashwood, Emma was trained by none other than Lance Storm before signing with the WWE in 2011. She would spend several years down in their developmental system before making her big league debut in 2014. She would have a small feud with Summer Rae before returning back to NXT for more training.

She would once again come back up to the big league in 2016 but never made a strong impact. The final button that seemed to end the working relationship between Emma and the WWE was the creative failure of Emmalina, a gimmick with the aim at being similar to Sable. The beautiful blonde would be released in the fall of 2017 and would make her Ring of Honor debut in just recently.

2 Chris Atkins - Left

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It’s coming up on the one year anniversary of Chris Atkins being released by the WWE. Since Atkins was released by the company, the former NXT trainee hasn’t worked one match in that time span. He would be signed by the WWE in 2015 after impressing scouts at a WWE tryout. During his entire time with the brand, Atkins was only seen on television a few times. He spent most of his career working non-televised events. His last match was against Oney Lorcan in April of 2017.

So where has Atkins been? As we mentioned in the intro, many wrestlers that have spent their entire wrestling career with the WWE have ended up pursuing a career away from the indie stage.

1 Darren Young - Stayed

Young would begin his career in the WWE between 2005 and 2006 as an enhancement talent in dark matches before signing a full-time developmental contract in 2009. He would become a member of the inaugural season of NXT, with his mentor being none other than CM Punk. It didn’t take long before Young made his big league debut as a member of Nexus in 2010.

Fast track to 2017, Young was involved in a partnership with legendary wrestler Bob Backlund. Apparently, Backlund tried to “Make Darren Young Great Again,” but it failed badly. The WWE would officially release Young but he didn’t go back too quickly. It was announced in early March that Young would compete in the awesome six-man tag tournament, King of Trios, in the promotion Chikara.