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WWE took the unprecedented step of releasing over 20 Superstars and employees in April 2020 as a cost-cutting measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rusev, Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows and Heath Slater were among the most notable Superstars who received their release, while several producers were also furloughed.
As we have seen in recent weeks, two ‘fired’ WWE Superstars have already returned to our screens – one of them even rejected a managerial role on SmackDown – and it has been reported this week that a producer is also back with the company.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at three fired/furloughed WWE employees who have already made their returns, as well as two who could potentially follow in the near future.
#5 Returned to WWE: Drake Maverick
Technically, Drake Maverick never actually left WWE. The former 205 Live General Manager was released by the company in April 2020 but he remained on weekly television as a participant in the NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament.
Maverick turned out to be one of the most popular Superstars on NXT after he posted an emotional video on social media of his reaction to WWE firing him. This led to Triple H turning the real-life situation into a storyline on NXT, with Maverick needing to win the Cruiserweight Championship to keep his job.
Despite losing the tournament final against El Hijo Del Fantasma (aka Santos Escobar), Triple H decided to rehire Maverick – both in storyline and in real life – and the NXT founder explained in a media call that the Superstar earned a new contract with his performances.
“When the release happened, he wasn’t involved in anything but it just happened the way it did, during the process of this tournament, he captured people’s hearts and their imagination and he earned that spot. It was already out there so you either ignore it or you turn it into something. We turned it into something based on him and his performances.” [H/T SEScoops]
Some fans and former Superstars, including Lio Rush, have hit out at WWE for turning Maverick’s situation into a storyline when other released Superstars are struggling with the “real trauma” of losing their jobs.
#4 Could return to WWE: Sarah Logan
It came as a surprise when the likes of Rusev and Kurt Angle were let go by WWE in April, but did anybody really think Sarah Logan would also be part of the list?
The former Riott Squad member suffered a defeat against Shayna Baszler on RAW just two days before her departure was announced, while it felt like her storyline with Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan was far from over.
Logan's release was made even more unexpected by the fact that she is married to fellow RAW Superstar Erik, and it had been teased for several months that she could potentially join The Viking Raiders on WWE programming.
Although Logan is no longer listed as a current Superstar on WWE’s official website, it was reported by Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp in April that she could return after “numerous people loudly went to bat for her”.
“Speculation among the locker room is that Sarah Logan is expected to be back with the company in some capacity in the near future, if she isn't already. As with the case with anyone getting fired, there will be plenty of unhappy people, but we've heard numerous people loudly went to bat for her. She's married to Erik of the Viking Raiders, who is on WWE's Raw brand.”
As of the time of writing, Logan has not yet returned to WWE television.
#3 Returned to WWE: Pat Buck
In August 2019, WrestlePro owner and former Ohio Valley Wrestling talent Pat Buck joined WWE as a backstage producer after previously working as a guest coach at the Performance Center.
Eight months later, he took to social media to provide an update on his future after he was furloughed by WWE.
“I don’t really know what my future holds, but I’m excited for it. I got to work with some of the greatest minds in our industry, and the Chairman himself [Vince McMahon] directly. I was able to contribute, create, argue, teach, and do all sorts of wonderful things at the highest tier of my profession. And once we get back to normal, that’ll start again or I’ll be doing something else in wrestling.”
Now, just two months on, normality has already resumed for Pat Buck, who is reportedly working in his WWE backstage producer role again.
PW Insider’s Mike Johnson reported this week that the 35-year-old worked on the RAW and SmackDown shows that were recorded in Orlando, Florida on Monday.
It is currently unknown whether any of the other producers will return to their roles in the near future.
#2 Could return to WWE: Shane Helms
Shane Helms (aka former WWE Superstar The Hurricane) returned to the company as a backstage producer in January 2019. However, like Pat Buck, the two-time WWE Tag Team Champion was furloughed in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Helms explained that there is a possibility that he could return to his producer role in the future.
"I believe there is and they told me there was [a possibility], so we’ll just have to see until it actually happens. That’s my hope and I did some good things with them while I was there."
Helms went on to reveal that he came up with the idea for the ‘Winner Takes All’ stipulation in the main event of WrestleMania 35, which saw Becky Lynch defeat RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair to become “Becky 2 Belts”.
WWE originally planned for the three women to battle for Rousey’s RAW Women’s Championship, with Asuka defending the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 35 against the winner of a Fatal 4-Way match between Carmella, Mandy Rose Naomi and Sonya Deville.
Following Helms’ suggestion, Flair defeated Asuka for the SmackDown Women’s Championship on an episode of SmackDown, leading to the ‘Winner Takes All’ stipulation.
#1 Returned to WWE: Kurt Angle
Despite being the most high-profile name in WWE’s list of releases, Kurt Angle has appeared more on WWE programming in the last nine weeks than he had in several months leading up to his departure.
The WWE Hall of Famer began working as a producer after he retired from in-ring competition following his defeat against Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35 in April 2019.
While several WWE producers were furloughed in April, Angle’s name was included on the list of fired Superstars alongside the likes of Rusev and Heath Slater.
Interestingly, after he was brought back to WWE television to referee the Fight Pit match between Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher on NXT, Angle revealed that he was offered an on-screen role to manage Riddle on SmackDown.
“WWE offered me a job to manage Matt Riddle. Unfortunately, I turned it down. I just have so much going with my business, Physically Fit Nutrition, and I need to make sure it succeeds before I do anything else.” [H/T Sports Illustrated]
It is probably a good job that the retired Angle turned down the role, as Riddle has since said that he would have wanted to attack the Olympic Gold medallist if they worked alongside each other.
