Only a handful of wrestlers get to remain contracted to WWE for over 10 years. The shelf life of an average wrestler in WWE is roughly just three years; wrestling experts attribute many reasons to it, with constant exposure and the creative having nothing for them being the two of the biggest ones. Thus, we see tens of wrestlers leaving and joining WWE yearly.

Most wrestlers WWE releases, including Damien Sandow and Sin Cara, go on to prove they were right to axe them by having little impact on the indie circuit, whereas a few make them regret their decision by improving their competitors. The following list looks at 10 wrestlers who the WWE chairman Vince McMahon must regret releasing.

Additionally, he must believe some of his current workers offer little to nothing to his company. While it’s also possible that his writing team is responsible for some of them being useless, the blame almost always falls on the wrestlers. Some wrestlers, in contrast, are simply just not good enough to be employed by the biggest wrestling promotion in the world today, no matter how good the creative handles them. We will also be looking at 10 wrestlers Vince must be itching to release. With the emergence now of promotions like New Japan, AAA and other promotions around the world, wrestlers have more and more options than they had a few years ago. We've seen reports of how WWE was concerned about Cody Rhodes trying to book Madison Square Garden and how concerned the WWE was over the historic All In event. At this point, it seems Vince is just keeping certain wrestlers because he doesn't want the competition getting more talent.

20 Regrets Losing: Kenny Omega

GREG GALLINGER / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

No one could have ever foreseen Kenny Omega transforming into the global star he’s today when WWE allowed him to leave their developmental territory Deep South Wrestling in mid-2000s.

The IWGP Heavyweight Champion left the company citing differences with trainers, including Bill DeMott, Jody Hamilton and Hardcore Holly about 12 years ago.

He has since proved a wrestler doesn’t need to have wrestled for WWE to be regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world. Given WWE’s frequent attempts at bringing him back, one assumes Vince McMahon already regrets losing him to NJPW.

19 Would Release: Mandy Rose

via sherdogforums.com

WWE writers don’t seem to have major plans for Mandy Rose now. Since her main-roster debut, she’s been used as Paige’s sidekick, Goldust’s partner in Mixed Match Challenge and one-half of a jobber tag-team on SmackDown Live. Her tag-team partner Sonya Deville is a valuable asset to the company, as she represents an underrepresented demographic in WWE.

Rose, meanwhile, only looks an archetypal diva from the late ‘00s. She also isn’t known to be an excellent talker. With the company now looking to take their women’s division in a different direction, Vince must think she’s a square peg in a round hole.

18 Regrets Losing: Cody

via youtube.com

No one expected Cody to blow up as he did following his WWE release, especially after looking like a joke during his final WWE days. Like most ex-WWE guys, he received numerous indie bookings shortly after the release but, unlike the most of them, he utilised them excellently to prove he’s there to stay and not just for easy paydays. Impact Wrestling, ROH Wrestling, NWA and NJPW all duly positioned him at or near the top of the card, thus making him one of the hottest commodities in wrestling today. While Vince McMahon must now regret losing Cody, he must be salivating at the prospect of bringing back Cody Rhodes one day.

17 Would Release: Rusev

via wwe.com

Part of the reason Rusev is still around now is likely because of Lana, as Vince has always valued Lana as a performer, however, Rusev never seems to get the respect he deserves. Rusev was billed as unstoppable a few years ago, but since his WrestleMania 31 loss to John Cena, he's toiled away in the midcard, with the occasional appearance in the main event.

Rusev got more popular than any could've imagined with his Rusev Day gimmick, which was originally meant to be a joke.

There have been several reports of Rusev having wanted out of his contract before, but sure enough, he's still around, despite WWE seemingly having no big plans for him.

16 Regrets Losing: Jimmy Jacobs

via youtube.com

Recent reports suggest WWE’s creative team comprises of just a little fewer than 100 writers, so it’s stupid to single out one or two as the reason a show is good or bad. However, many reliable insiders and journalists often stated Jimmy Jacobs was the man behind many multi-layered stories WWE put out during his time there. Now it can't be a coincidence that the quality of Impact Wrestling programming has also improved in leaps and bounds since his signing. While Vince McMahon probably doesn't care about the public’s perception of Impact Wrestling, he must regret losing one of the best minds on his creative team to them.

15 Would Release: Dolph Ziggler

via wwe.com

It's surreal to think that Ziggler has been in the WWE for over 10 years, and almost 15 if you count his time in developmental. With the company having been so hesitant on strapping the rocket to him for so long, conventional wisdom would've suggested Ziggler would have left for greener pastures by now. That, or Vince would've just released him. But, Ziggler was recently re-signed to a new contract, which would likely take him to the end of his in-ring career.

Reports surfaced that one of the primary reasons Ziggler was re-signed was because of Cody Rhodes's All In show, which would've most certainly featured Ziggler were he available. Ziggler got a goodwill IC title reign, but now will most likely fade back to the lower midcard.

14 Regrets Losing: Rey Mysterio

via pinterest.com

Rey Mysterio is one of those rare superstars who was liked by both casuals and hardcore fans. The kids wanted to be like him while the adults wanted to be enthralled by him every week. For Vince McMahon, he was two top wrestlers combined in one: a luchador and a Latin sensation.

He has since failed to replace him, with his projects Sin Cara, Alberto Del Rio and Kalisto all failing to have half as much impact as he did.

He must regret seeing him put on great matches for other promotions, including Lucha Underground, NJPW and AAA.

13 Would Release: Bayley

via wwe.com

Bayley has been one of the many NXT stars who have been badly used since being moved up to the main roster. Yes, Bayley got a title reign in early 2017, but since losing to Alexa Bliss at Extreme Rules, her position on the card has dwindled and it's clear Vince doesn't see her as the top star she was in NXT. Her planned feud with Sasha Banks was nixed earlier this year and she seems to have no direction. WWE  boasts about its deep women's division and part of the reason Bayley's still around is WWE wanting to load their division as much as possible, even if Vince doesn't really value certain performers.

12 Regrets Losing: Alberto Del Rio

via pwmania.com

Triple H and Stephanie McMahon must be happy to not be dealing with Alberto Del Rio, who worked in WWE in two separate stints. Vince McMahon, a big fan of his work, however, according to reliable reports, and tried to bring him back to WWE at least once.

While the common consensus is his departure has helped his company in more ways than one, the boss seems to miss him be average inside a WWE ring.

It must have infuriated him to no extent to see him wrestle for Impact Wrestling and Defiant Wrestling, among other indie promotions.

11 Would Release: The Colons

via wwe.com

The Colons are easily one of the most talented tag-teams in wrestling today. For some reason, though, they haven’t been able to get over with the WWE audience. WWE has given them numerous gimmicks to no success. Contrary to common belief, Vince McMahon never gets in the way of one of his employees getting better deals elsewhere; he must know that they’d probably have more success in a company like Impact Wrestling, Lucha Underground, NJPW or even their family-run World Wrestling Council back in their homeland of Puerto Rico. One expects him to future-endeavor them once their contracts expire.

10 Regrets Losing: Austin Aries

via wwe.com

When WWE refused to give Austin Aries his much-deserved shot at a main roster run, he left for Impact Wrestling. He has since remained a big name not just in Impact Wrestling but on the indie circuit. He’s had most indie promotions investing heavily in him, even putting their top championship titles on him.

While Vince McMahon must be happy to see him have a fantastic post-WWE career, he must also regret losing him to Impact Wrestling.

The one-time WWE Champion must be irate seeing A Double’s being central to the company’s resurgence of late.

9 Would Release: Dana Brooke

If a botch (see: Titus Worldslide) is the biggest moment in a faction’s history, you know they’ve bombed big-time. Titus Worldwide have failed to get over with the main-roster crowd despite their undoubted talent, leaving its members directionless. While Titus O’Neil will likely remain a WWE employee for at least a couple more years thanks to his philanthropic history, one wrestler will feel Vince McMahon’s wrath for their collective failure the most: Dana Brooke.

She must top his list of women to fire, as most women on the main roster, including Alicia Fox and Mickie James, add more value to his product than her.

8 Regrets Losing: Wade Barrett

via pinterest.com

Had WWE known they would start a UK division, Vince McMahon would have never released Wade Barrett. He must know that the former League of Nations wrestler would put so many eyes on the product even if he were just an authority figure. While losing him itself must hurt, what must make him regret his decision to release him must be seeing him help the British indie scene not just thrive but also provide solid competition to WWE in the United Kingdom.

He now works as a commentator and executive for World of Sport Wrestling, a company that reportedly has the potential to kick-start a mini Monday Night War in England thanks to its being on ITV.

7 Would Release: Apollo Crews

via wwe.com

Apollo Crews had the NXT fans thinking he had what it took to become an Intercontinental Champion or United States Champion one day. However, WWE called him up to the main roster when he was still relatively green.

Despite his strength, athleticism and looks, he’s proved to be a bust.

Part of the problem was Apollo being moved to the main roster long before he was ready. Yes, he has the in-ring skills, but he had no gimmick in NXT and his gimmick now is essentially being Titus O'Neil's sidekick. Vince McMahon won’t mind releasing him once his contract expires if he doesn’t give him reasons not to in the coming days.

6 Regrets Losing: Scarlett Bordeaux

via pinterest.com

Scarlett Bordeaux only wrestled for WWE as a Sasha Banks fan in a squash match against Nia Jax. They were likely never going to offer her a full-time contract with WWE, but what should hurt the billionaire must be seeing her make a gimmick that his company failed to make successful actually click. WWE didn’t know what they’re doing with Eva Marie or Emma, but Impact Wrestling have managed to create a fantastic character using her good looks. Vince must hate seeing a wrestling promotion that’s not his do with a wrestler he had at his disposal what his writers were incapable of doing.

5 Would Release: Cesaro

via pinterest.com

Cesaro would instantly be booked as a top star in any promotion he would go to. While his promos have always been his Achilles heel, fans love him and appreciate his in-ring work. They also seem to connect with him, despite his promo skills being inferior. Vince has never seen much appeal in Cesaro, which is evidenced by him continuously alternating between the singles midcard and being paired up with a random wrestler in a tag team.

Cesaro would be a hot commodity on the indies, and Vince must be aware of this by now, which is likely why Cesaro has remained under WWE contract.

4 Regrets Losing: The Young Bucks

via twitter.com

The Young Bucks, much like Scarlett Bordeaux, never had a proper run with WWE. They’ve only made one-off appearances as enhancement talents during their rookie years.

In recent years, though, they’ve transformed into big superstars.

In fact, they’re probably two of the ten most influential wrestlers on the planet today, and nothing attests to it as much as their selling 10,000 tickets for their 'All In' show in a matter of minutes does. Vince McMahon likes great wrestling minds, and he must detest not just losing them to NJPW, ROH Wrestling and the wrestlers themselves but also knowing that his not caring about them was a key factor behind them proving there’s life outside WWE.

3 Would Release: Sin Cara

Andres Acosta El Paso Herald-Post

Sin Cara was doomed from the beginning. After much excitement, the wrestler who originally played Sin Cara, Mistico, proved unprofessional and botchy. At one point, the character even became a meme.

The character has now been revived by the wrestler who used to play Hunico, but it’s safe to say there’s no future for him.

On SmackDown Live, he’s hardly ever featured and, with talented luchadors like Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado finding TV time hard to come by, it’s safe to say Sin Cara’s time in WWE is almost over. It’s only a matter of time before Vince McMahon fully gives up and releases Sin Cara.

2 Regrets Losing: CM Punk

via usatoday.com

Any promoter would be unhappy to see the back of a wrestler who effectively brought back fans who’d given up on the product. Vince McMahon mustn’t be an exception. What must be more frustrating than seeing him no longer create magic in his ring must be seeing him help UFC gain the attention of the wrestling fan base.

With his competing in the octagon, wrestling fans who never gave MMA a chance watched his UFC fights. Those who only had a passing interest in UFC bought the PPV. Vince hates seeing his competitor grow and knowing a wrestler whom he released unceremoniously is aiding it in its growth must make him furious.

1 Would Release: Zack Ryder

via wwe.com

Zack Ryder is a curious case. He’s had many title reigns. He’s been in exciting story-lines. He got over with the internet wrestling fan base during a period they actively hated everything about WWE. WWE initially didn’t reward him but they’ve put numerous titles on him and even gave him a WrestleMania moment by making him win the Intercontinental Championship in a superb ladder match.

Despite all this, he now languishes in the undercard, making appearances only when Kurt Angle needs to break up fights. Vince McMahon should probably want to release the creator of the Internet Championship to free up wages.