On Friday, the WWE announced the release of eight superstars and performers, some of them former champions.
The release doesn’t provide much detail, although some of the names were to be expected.
“WWE has come to terms on the release of WWE Superstars Damien Sandow, King Barrett, Santino Marella, Cameron, Hornswoggle, Alex Riley, El Torito and Zeb Colter as of today, Friday, May 6, 2016. WWE wishes them the best in all of their future endeavors.”
Barrett won the King of the Ring tournament in 2015 after losing his Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match at WrestleMania 31. During his WWE career, he was a five-time Intercontinental champion. He responded to the news with a statement via Twitter acknowledging rumors that he had already planned to end his time with the company but was doing so a “few weeks early.”
More recently, Barrett was a member of the League of Nations but was removed from the group after WrestleMania 32.
Sandow was a one-time tag-team champion with The Miz as Damien Mizdow. He also won a Money in the Bank contract in 2013 but was one of just two men to ever cash in unsuccessfully.
Colter most recently appeared as Alberto Del Rio’s manager for his return at Hell in a Cell to beat John Cena for the United States title, but like many of the roster members released, he had not been seen on WWE programming for some time.
