5 families that were split with the recent WWE releases

WWE has staged several mass talent releases over the past two years as the company appears to be thinning out its roster.

Vince McMahon's company has claimed that many of these releases are down to budget cuts, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to operate out of the Performance Center and postpone all of their tours.

Whilst it's been well documented that several couples have been split as a result of these cuts, there are also several family members who have been torn apart in the wake of the announcements.

The following list looks at just five wrestling families that were affected by the recent budget cuts.

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#5. Former WWE Superstar William Regal and his son Charlie Dempsey

William Regal has been part of WWE for more than two decades, most recently as the General Manager of NXT. The British star seemingly wasn't part of the company's plans following the revamp and his release was announced earlier this week.

Many fans may not be aware that during his time in the company, Regal has been able to keep an eye on his son, who has recently made a splash on NXT UK. Charlie Dempsey made his debut as part of the brand last year and has become a popular star.

Charlie was expected to make the move over to NXT and work alongside his father when he still occupied the General Manager position, but it appears that this is no longer an option.

Dempsey, whose real name is Bailey Matthews, started his career in 2018 and has since been recognized after just three years on the independent circuit in the UK.

The star isn't the only second-generation wrestler on the NXT UK brand, since Xia Brookside has also made a name for herself over the past year, and is the daughter of WWE coach Robbie Brookside.

It's unclear what the future holds for Dempsey in NXT or if any of the plans for the star have changed now that his father is no longer seen as part of the company.

#4. Former WWE Champion Bray Wyatt and his brother Bo Dallas

Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas have both been released from WWE over the past few years, with Dallas first departing the company in April 2021.

Bray Wyatt's brother had been missing from TV for more than two years and it was unclear what plans the company had for Dallas. His release didn't come as a huge shock, since there were several other high-profile wrestlers released at the same time.

Dallas was released a year after the original April budget cuts in 2020, which came as a huge surprise, but the company has since continued to make major adjustments to its roster.

For several months, the two brothers were split as Bray Wyatt continued to appear on TV as The Fiend. The former champion was surprisingly released from WWE at the end of July, just three months after Dallas. This came after his father and sister had also been released from the company much earlier in the pandemic.

In 2019, four members of the Rotunda family worked on-screen and backstage, now the whole family have all been let go following budget cuts. The duo's sister Mika and father Mike were also victims of the recent releases, which took place behind the scenes.

#2. Former WWE Superstar Ariya Daivari and his brother Shawn

Ariya Daivari made a name for himself on WWE's 205 Live brand after it was established following the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016.

It was well-known when Ariya made his debut, that he was the brother of Shawn Daivari, who became famous for his alliance with The Great Khali. Shawn was initially released from the company in 2007, almost a decade before his brother was able to make a mark.

Ariya was released from the company along with several other NXT and 205 Live stars in June 2021.

Shawn is still working backstage for WWE as a producer, a role that he has continued in over the past few months following his brother's release. The star was brought back to the company just weeks before Ariya's departure.

The former 205 Live star has since been able to move forward with his own career since making his debut for AEW back in November. Ariya appeared on an episode of AEW Rampage where he lost his match to Dante Martin.

Daivari also made his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he appeared for the promotion back in September as part of their New Japan Showdown shows alongside Lio Rush.

#2. Former WWE Superstar Nia Jax and Roman Reigns

Whilst former WWE Superstar Nia Jax and Roman Reigns are not technically related by blood, the two stars are considered to both be members of the Anoa'i family.

The likes of Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa, Naomi, Tamina, and even Simone Johnson are all members of the Anoa'i family. They have all remained in WWE since Nia Jax was recently released from the company.

Jax is a former Women's Champion and many fans believed that it was her links to The Rock that was the reason why she was pushed so hard by the creative team.

The former star signed for the company back in 2014 and has had a successful run on NXT, RAW, and SmackDown. Jax was released from the company on November 4th, something that she went on to announce on Instagram.

The former champion noted that she was on a break from the company at the time. She added that she was handed the news after asking to extend her leave.

Since her departure, Jax has hinted at retirement from the business and revealed that she's currently spending time on her farm. Roman Reigns remains an instrumental part of the company and is the reigning Universal Champion.

#1. WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair and his daughter Charlotte Flair

Ric Flair is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer, who has been in and out of the company in recent years as his daughter Charlotte has climbed through the ranks.

Charlotte is a former 13-time Women's Champion and was part of a storyline with her father and Lacey Evans at the beginning of 2021. Evans' real-life pregnancy meant the company was forced to end the story prematurely, and The Flairs then wrapped it up in a backstage segment.

This was the last time The Nature Boy was seen on WWE TV and was released by the company in August. Charlotte has remained an integral member of the women's division, whilst Flair has created his own podcast.

He has been able to work through some of the issues he had with the company by airing his grievances publicly. It's also been made clear by Ric that he never wants to return to the company in the future.

There has also been a tease that Flair could be heading to AEW as Charlotte's fiance Andrade El Idolo currently wrestles for the company. Andrade has hinted that he would love to work alongside Flair, should the opportunity arise.