5 current WWE Superstars who were almost fired

We’ve seen plenty of WWE storylines over the years where somebody has almost been fired as part of a match stipulation, with the most recent example being Clash of Champions 2017 when Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn’s careers were on the line.

However, did you know that, in reality, there have also been multiple occasions where current WWE performers were almost released by the company?

In this article, we select five Superstars and look at how close they were to being added to the dreaded “future endeavoured” list by WWE.

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#5 Zack Ryder

Zack Ryder's greatest moment came at WrestleMania 32

Zack Ryder has had more major ups and major downs than most WWE Superstars during his 10 years with the company.

The former Hype Bro has won the United States, Intercontinental and Tag Team titles in WWE, but he has also had periods during his career when he’s become a serial loser or, even worse, not featured on television for multiple months at a time.

He revealed in a SmackDown Live fallout video in January 2018 that he was once told that he was on a list to be “future endeavoured” and thought he was going to lose his dream job in WWE.

Ryder added: “I’ve been afraid to pick up the phone because I thought I’d be next. I’m still here, I don’t know why except I don’t give up. I don’t quit, I just try to better myself each and every day.”

#4 Baron Corbin

Baron Corbin's Money In The Bank reign didn't last long

One of the most shocking moments since the 2016 brand split came when Baron Corbin unsuccessfully tried to cash in his Money In The Bank contract against Jinder Mahal on SmackDown Live in August 2017.

“The Lone Wolf” seemed certain to win the WWE Championship and rumours at the time suggested that his stint with the Money In The Bank contract came to such an abrupt end because WWE was unhappy with his use of social media.

Dave Meltzer, of the Wrestling Observer, said that Corbin "would have been fired" if Vince McMahon wasn't such a big fan of his, while it was later widely reported that the decision to have him lose the MITB contract was because he spoke out of line to WWE medical director Dr. Joseph Maroon in a meeting about concussions.

#3 Alexa Bliss

Alexa Bliss is a four-time champion on the main roster

Considering she never competed in a match at an NXT TakeOver event, Alexa Bliss has far exceeded expectations since her call-up to the main roster in July 2016.

However, she recalled during an interview on The Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast in 2017 that things could have worked out very differently had she not adjusted so well to becoming a heel during her time in NXT.

Alexa’s original character was a smiling babyface who, in her own words, “wasn’t believable”, so the NXT decision-makers paired her with villainous tag team Wesley Blake & Buddy Murphy in May 2015.

She said the heel turn was a “sink or swim moment” and that, after struggling in her role as a babyface, she probably would have been fired if she didn’t succeed as a heel.

#2 Lio Rush

Lio Rush's tweet about Emma upset a lot of people

It was widely reported in late 2017 that NXT Superstar Lio Rush was close to being fired after he made an ill-judged comment on social media about Emma’s release from WWE.

On the same day that the Australian, who had recently lost to Asuka, was confirmed to be gone from the company, Rush tweeted “I guess these are the things that happen when you’re not TRULY ready for Asuka”.

Several WWE Superstars, including Bray Wyatt, Jack Gallagher, Peyton Royce and Dash Wilder, publicly criticised Rush, while he later removed references to WWE and NXT from his social media profiles.

He has since reappeared on NXT television, losing to Lars Sullivan in January 2018, and there has even been talk that he could receive a swift call-up to the main roster to join the cruiserweight division on 205 Live.

#1 John Cena

John Cena is one of WWE's greatest-ever Superstars

Not many WWE Superstars have had a more memorable debut than John Cena. The 16-time World champion was an inexperienced rookie when he made his first in-ring appearance in June 2002, answering an open challenge to face Kurt Angle on an episode of SmackDown.

However, after the initial buzz of his debut, Cena’s storylines soured in the subsequent months and it was thought that he was called up too soon from OVW, WWE’s developmental system at the time.

Cena revealed to the Soscia Network in 2012 that nobody in the company liked him when he first started, adding: “I know Vince McMahon won't admit this, but he wanted me fired, Triple H wanted me fired, everybody hated me. They just wouldn't give me a forum to showcase my talents.”

The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer said in 2017 that WWE would have released Cena had Stephanie McMahon not taken a liking to him.