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WWE superstars typically benefit from the exposure they receive as members of a global brand. This recognition can help build their careers, as it enables superstars to easily move from one promotion to another. It also allows them to try their hands in other fields and make it big in the entertainment industry.
Major WWE stars like The Rock, John Cena, and Batista have landed movie contracts that have pulled them away from the wrestling ring. Mickie James and Mick Foley are some other names who thrived away from WWE.
There are many names in the industry that left WWE during their prime. Several of them signed with a different promotion. Others tried their hands at something different.
While these moves worked out for a number of the superstars involved, others floundered after they left WWE.
Here's a look at what 10 WWE Superstars who left the company in their prime are doing today.
#10 'The Beast' Brock Lesnar left WWE in 2004
Superstars like Brock Lesnar aren’t born every day. His unique abilities have helped him become a huge force in the wrestling world. Lesnar joined WWE in 2000, and he debuted on WWE RAW in 2002.
It didn’t take him long to become the youngest WWE Champion of all time. Lesnar won the WWE Championship two more times. But he decided to leave the company in 2004 and surprised everyone in the process. Lesnar wanted to pursue a career in the National Football League (NFL), so he chased that dream instead. At the time, Lesnar explained the move in an interview with ESPN:
"I think Vince thought I'd change my mind and come back. But it wasn't going to happen. I was at the top of my game in wrestling, I was a three-time champion, I had pretty good coin in my pocket. What was stopping me? A set of nuts. You either nut up or you don't. So I did."
Lesnar also appeared for some Japanese wrestling promotions during his time away from WWE. He went on to become a top star in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Lesnar rejoined WWE in 2012 after an eight-year absence. Since his return, he has won the WWE Championship twice. He has also held the WWE Universal Championship three times in his second tenure with the company.
Since his match at WWE WrestleMania 36 in 2020, Lesnar has been away from the WWE ring once again. His future is unclear, as he hasn't signed a new contract with the promotion yet.
#9 Neville walked away from WWE in 2018 and restarted his career as PAC
Former NXT Champion Neville was a prominent star in WWE as soon he arrived on the main roster. He was given a good spot in the mid-card, where he locked horns with some of the company's best competitors. In late 2016, "The Man That Gravity Forgot" turned heel. He won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship a few months later in 2017.
Despite this success, Neville was unhappy with the booking for an episode of WWE RAW. There, he was scheduled to lose to Enzo Amore. He then walked out of the show and went on a hiatus. Neville soon revealed that it wasn't just his looming loss to Amore that convinced him to walk out. He was generally dissatisfied with his booking with WWE. On his Instagram, he shined some light on the situation:
“It wasn’t really Enzo why I left, I don’t hate the lad. He was just annoying backstage and putting the title on him was bad, especially beating me, I was worth more than being jobbed out to jobbers, that’s why I left.”
In January 2018, WWE froze Neville’s contract. He remained under contract until August 2018. Then, he went on to join Dragon Gate, and he later signed with All Elite Wrestling. Under the name PAC, he has become an outstanding star with AEW.
After a brief hiatus, he returned to the promotion in November this year. He immediately entered a buzzworthy rivalry with Eddie Kingston.
#8 Beth Phoenix retired from WWE at the age of 32
Beth Phoenix entered WWE in 2004. Back then, female superstars were referred to as Divas. Phoenix's passion and hard work stood out right away. Plus, her athleticism and her wrestling skills were unparalleled. "The Glamazon" won the WWE Women’s Championship three times in her career. She also won the WWE Divas Champion once.
While she was a major name in the women’s division, she decided to hang up her boots in 2012 soon after her first Divas Championship reign. Beth was only 32 at the time of her retirement. She looked to start a family with Edge. This goal influenced her decision to take time away from the ring.
In 2019, she discussed her departure in an interview on Prime Time with Sean Mooney. Phoenix stated that she was also frustrated with the company. Her unhappiness stemmed from the continual misusage of the women's division. "I'd try hard to change things but, at some point, I just got frustrated," said Phoenix.
Since then, she’s returned to the ring for a few matches in WWE. Now, she's a regular member of the broadcast team for WWE NXT. In a WWE YouTube video, Phoenix reflected on her move to commentary:
"Fortunately, the audience has been really forgiving in watching me learn and grow in this role as a commentator, and I look forward to seeing what the future brings because I just get really excited to watch the product. So I'm so excited to be a part of NXT and I can't wait to see what comes next."
#7 Rey Mysterio ended his 13-year tenure with WWE in 2015
In 2002, Rey Mysterio signed with WWE, and he was immediately considered one of the company's most athletic superstars. Mysterio defied the odds, and a few laws of gravity, to become one of the biggest babyfaces the company had ever featured. Of course, he first rose to fame in WCW. There, he had some legendary matches with Eddie Guerrero.
Mysterio competed for WWE until 2014. He was a regular presence on WWE TV, and he became of the company's most decorated superstars. Still, he decided to take some time off to heal a wrist injury. He explained this absence on a recent appearance on Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia:
“You know I needed to take a break. I needed to rest. I needed to be around my family and just pick up on a lot of things that I had missed out on over the years. Just being on the road and traveling and dedicating so much time to this sport that I kinda pushed my family aside. And don’t get me wrong, my wife has always been very supportive of what I do and my kids as well. But when your kids are young, they don’t understand why dad has to leave every week.”
"The Master of the 619" was reportedly looking to leave WWE at this time. Eventually, his 13-year tenure with the company ended in 2015. Mysterio went on to compete for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.
For a while, he competed for AAA, Lucha Underground, and several independent promotions. But Mysterio re-signed with WWE in 2018. He appeared at that year's WWE Royal Rumble. He fully returned in October 2018, and he has since regained his presence as one of the company's top stars. He's currently working alongside his son, Dominik on WWE SmackDown.
#6 Batista stepped away from WWE in 2010
Batista signed his first WWE contract back in 2000. He later got his big break in 2003 as a member of Evolution. His partnership with Ric Flair and Triple H proved to be quite fruitful. Batista, along with Randy Orton, quickly made an unforgettable impact in WWE.
While Batista won the WWE Championship twice, and the World Heavyweight Championship four times in his career, he decided to leave the company in 2010. At the time, he was one of WWE's most acclaimed superstars. But "The Animal" did not get the same level of respect as John Cena. This disparity led to him to depart the company. He explained the decision on MLW Radio's Writers Room:
"Basically, kind of mirror images of each other on our respective shows, but I'm getting afforded a lot less opportunities and that didn't sit well with me and I wasn't okay with that. I wasn't content with that. And so, when they said no, I wasn't going to be afforded those opportunities, I said, 'well, I'm going to leave then' and that was kind of it."
Batista has become a successful actor in Hollywood, as he was a breakout star in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy." "The Animal" has since come back to WWE twice for short stints. He finally retired after a match against Triple H at WWE WrestleMania 35 after a heated feud with his mentor.
#5 Former WWE superstar Dean Ambrose is now AEW's Jon Moxley
Dean Ambrose, or Jon Moxley, is arguably one of the biggest Superstars who left WWE during his prime. He became a major player as a member of The Shield, a legendary trio. After The Shield broke up in 2014, Ambrose went on a solo run and got into some major rivalries.
While Ambrose won a few titles, he reportedly did not like the way he was booked in 2018 and 2019. Ambrose did not renew his WWE contract after it expired in April 2019, and he left the company for AEW.
Ambrose spoke about the downfall of his time with WWE during an appearance on Talk Is Jericho. He revealed that it was a promo during his rivalry with Seth Rollins that convinced him to leave WWE.
“If this is what you want on your show, I’m the best man for the job, because like I always do when you throw me these crazy curve balls, I pull this stuff off if I can. So I’m gonna do what I always do and I’m gonna give this my absolute best effort to make this good. If anybody can it’s me.”
Moxley is a huge star with AEW, and he has also competed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW.) He was brave enough to walk away from WWE during his prime. This gamble clearly paid off. Moxley enjoyed a successful run as the AEW World Champion. His reign recently ended in an incredible match with Kenny Omega.
#4 The Rock left WWE in 2004
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson debuted in 1996. But it took him some time to fine-tune his gimmick and persona. But once he hit his stride, he quickly became an absolute superstar in WWE. By 1998, The Rock won the WWE Championship for the first time. Just two years into his time on the main roster, WWE knew it had hit the jackpot. The company even decided to name the Rock Bottom: In Your House PPV after him.
While many people on this list left the company because they were finding it hard to become successful, The Rock decided to leave WWE in 2004 for the opposite reason.
After his performance in "The Scorpion King", Johnson became a wildly popular acting star. The heftier paychecks and softer schedules of the acting world made The Rock question why he’d put his body on the line for WWE. So when his contract expired in 2004, Johnson focused on his acting career.
By the time he left the company, Johnson was already a 7-time WWE Champion. Naturally, WWE kept a working partnership with him for the years to come. Fans have seen The Rock make sporadic appearances and even compete in a few matches since his departure.
Johnson's success outside of WWE is truly remarkable. He's the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, and he's also part of the XFL's new ownership group.
#3 CM Punk left WWE in 2013
While many big names shocked the WWE Universe by leaving the company in their prime, CM Punk's departure remains infamous. After he conquered ECW, Punk became the WWE World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in 2008 by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract.
After he became a 5-time world champion, Punk left the company in 2014. He did not appear for the tapings he was advertised for. It was soon revealed that "The Best in the World" had legitimately walked out of the company. He was strongly displeased with several things related to the company. He gave an explosive interview about his exit on Colt Cabana's "The Art of Wrestling" podcast.
Punk tried his hands at MMA following his departure from WWE, but he struggled to find success there. He ventured into the writing world, and he's also beginning an acting career.
Punk later revealed to PWTorch that he felt good being retired at the age of 35:
"It feels good. It's a lot easier when you hook up with organizations like the Cubs and being friends with some of the team members. It isn't hard to support their charities. Plus I get to do fun stuff like bowl and paint chairs and play whiffle ball with Bill Murray. It was super fun and for a great cause. You've got athletes and actresses and musicians and all kinds of people painting chairs. I'm super happy to be a part of it."
Punk eventually worked with WWE again as a member of the WWE Backstage team. Many fans have hoped he'll show up in AEW someday, but his future is in his hands.
#2 AJ Lee left WWE soon after CM Punk
AJ Lee signed with WWE in 2009, and she went on to participate in the third season of WWE NXT. She was paired up with several top superstars during her run on the main roster.
Lee also won the WWE Divas Championship a total of three times during her WWE career. She married fellow WWE superstar CM Punk in 2014, so she was in a tough spot after he decided to walk away from the company.
Though Lee could have left WWE and competed elsewhere, she initially remained a WWE superstar. Eventually, she decided to leave WWE in 2015. She retired from the ring so that she could heal from some injuries.
In her memoir Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules, AJ revealed how she "felt caught in the middle" between Punk and WWE following his exit from the company.
Since she left WWE, Mendez has found success as a best-selling author and an advocate of mental heath awareness.
#1 “Stone Cold” Steve Austin left WWE in 2003
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin rapidly rose to fame after his WWE debut in 1995. After he tried his hand at a few gimmicks, he struck gold with the Stone Cold character. With this persona, he became a WWE icon.
Austin had some legendary rivalries in WWE. His outspoken nature made him a favorite star among the WWE Universe. His feuds with Vince McMahon, The Rock, and Triple H helped turn WWE into the global empire it is today.
But injuries quickly derailed Austin's career. The three-time Royal Rumble winner and 6-time world champion was forced to retire when he was only 38. After he broke his neck in a match against Owen Hart in 1997, he was never quite the same.
After his retirement, he landed some acting roles in Hollywood. Austin has hosted his popular podcast, "The Steve Austin Show." He has also appeared in several shows and movies, like "The Expendables." WWE still calls on Austin whenever they need a big star to make an appearance. Plus, he hosts "The Broken Skull Sessions" show on WWE Network.
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