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Earlier in the year, WWE released a host of Superstars from their contracts amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as the WWE Universe had to bid goodbye to some of their favorite names.
Since then, some of the released Superstars have appeared for other wrestling promotions, while a few of them have been trying out various other ventures apart from professional wrestling, at least for the time being.
In the aftermath of their release, some of the former WWE Superstars released their own customized promo videos in order to hype up their return to the Pro Wrestling circuit. While some of the Superstars from this list have made their return under other wrestling promotions, some of the recently released WWE stars are yet to make their comeback.
However, their customized promo videos have certainly hyped up their return, almost in a similar manner. Jon Moxley FKA Dean Ambrose announced the return of his Moxley moniker by releasing an incredible promo right after his departure from WWE.
In this article, I've listed 5 former WWE Superstars who released incredible customized promo videos right after they were let-go by WWE, as part of the company's recent departures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
#5. Chris Hero
Chris Hero FKA Kassius Ohno was re-signed by WWE in 2016, as he was brought back for his second stint in WWE. Ohno got-off to quite a solid start on NXT, however, he was mostly used as a "gatekeeper" for the black-and-yellow brand.
Being the wrestling genius he is, the WWE Universe certainly wasn't too impressed with Ohno's role in the company and wanted to see him compete at the highest level in NXT. That never happened and after a below-par run in NXT UK, Ohno was let-go for the second time by WWE.
Following his departure from WWE, Kassius Ohno released a promo via his Twitter, announcing the return of Chris Hero and by the looks of it, this time, there is no turning back for the veteran Independent wrestler.
#4. Heath Slater
Heath Slater's WWE departure certainly caught a major portion of the WWE Universe by surprise, given the fact how popular Slater was during his time in the company.
Nevertheless, following the culmination of Slater's 14-year run with WWE, fans were excited to see what was next in store for the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Champion. And for his return, Slater released an incredible clip in order to hype it up.
In the promo, Slater spoke about how his dream was always to make it to WWE but he failed to achieve the amount of success he was hoping for. The man who was formerly known as 'The One Man Band' ended the promo by claiming that he was going to make better choices regarding his career.
Here is Heath Slater's promo video which he released on his Instagram handle:
Following his WWE release, Slater did make a surprise appearance on WWE RAW, as he was part of a small 3MB reunion with WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre. And at Slammiversary 2020, Heath Slater made his debut for IMPACT Wrestling.
#3. No Way Jose
No Way Jose is one of the few names from this list who is yet to compete on a big stage after his release from WWE. The former WWE Superstar was quite popular within the WWE Universe and thanks to his happy-go-round gimmick, Jose established himself as a popular name on NXT.
However, on the main roster, it was a totally different ball game, and No Way Jose was mostly used as an enhancement talent. In April, he was eventually released by WWE and since then, the former NXT sensation hasn't really competed on the pro wrestling circuit.
Jose, however, did recently release a new promo of his where he teased a major change in his gimmick. By the looks of it, the former WWE Superstar is now all set to drop is "happy-go-round" gimmick and also revealed his new in-ring name, Levy Valenz.
Here is the clip posted by No Way Jose AKA Levy Valenz:
As noted, in the promo, Valenz claims that he isn't relying on authority anymore and will not let his value be based on comments, likes, and other factors. Valenz also promised in his promo that he will control his narrative.
#2. Karl Anderson
Former WWE Superstars Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have recently been the talk of the town after the duo officially signed with IMPACT Wrestling. Having headlined Night 1 of WrestleMania 36 along with AJ Styles and The Undertaker, it seemed like The Good Brothers would stick around for a while with WWE. However, that wasn't the case to be.
In the aftermath of their release though, many fans believed that Anderson and Gallows would re-sign with New Japan Pro Wrestling and go back to the Bullet Club. And while they are currently signed to IMPACT Wrestling, the former option still remains as a possibility.
Anderson, especially, has been teasing a move back to NJPW and right after his WWE release, the Bullet Club OG released a promo where he teased the return of 'The Machine Gun' Karl Anderson.
Check out the promo for yourself:
The Good Brothers have made quite the noise in the IMPACT Zone after making their official debut at Slammiversary, as well. However, it could be only a matter of time before we witness both Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows back in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
#1. EC3
Ever since his release from WWE, EC3 has released several top-notch promos and has even teased the possibility of switching up his character. The former WWE Superstar will go down as one of the biggest missed opportunities in WWE, given the fact how talented Ethan Carter III is both inside the ring and on the microphone.
EC3 has released a host of incredible promos since his departure from WWE and even teased the possibility of joining All Elite Wrestling. However, at the recently concluded Slammiversary pay-per-view, EC3 ended the show by marking his return to his old stomping grounds at the IMPACT Zone.
One of EC3's latest promos, which was rather a 7-minute clip, saw him release his first post-WWE match which took place in an underground arena and almost had a Fight Club vibe to it. EC3 also revealed a potential new finishing maneuver when he made quick work of 'The Fodder' via the Cobra Clutch Crossface.
Since then, EC3 has marked his return to the IMPACT Zone and the former IMPACT World Champion has teased the possibility of showcasing a completely whole different side of his.
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
