'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
There was a time when WWE would make budget cuts to their roster every year and officially announce the Superstars who had been released. The company would publish their names on their website and Twitter page as well as wishing the stars luck in their future endeavors.
Of course, in recent years there have been so many releases coming out of the company that WWE hasn't been able to officially announce all of them, or has opted to quietly allow several Superstars to depart instead.
These Superstars are the ones that the WWE Universe doesn't notice have been released until several weeks later, or when the stars themselves confirm that they have left the company.
The following list looks at just five former WWE stars who have been quietly released from the company in recent years.
#5 Former WWE star Lars Sullivan
Lars Sullivan was billed as WWE's next big monster during his time in NXT and when he was booked well, Sullivan proved that he could be a force to be reckoned with.
It was only when The Freak was moved up to the main roster back in 2018 that his career began to unravel. Sullivan no-showed his debut before it was later revealed that the former NXT star was struggling with anxiety and had been sent home by the company.
A few months later Sullivan suffered a knee injury that would keep him sidelined for more than a year. When he returned as part of the WWE Draft show, he was moved over to SmackDown.
It was clear that the company didn't know what to do with Sullivan upon his return. Merely weeks later he once again disappeared from TV before requesting his WWE release when it was revealed that he was struggling with anxiety once again.
Sullivan didn't return to WWE following a shirtless interview with Michael Cole and earlier this week reports emerged that he had been released from his WWE contract.
Sullivan himself revealed that he had been quietly released by the company last month, making him the first release of 2021. He was then followed by Steve Culter, after it was announced by WWE that the former Forgotten Sons star was fired from WWE earlier today.
#4 Former WWE star Taynara Conti
Taynara Conti didn't have a background in wrestling when she was signed by WWE back in 2016. However, the Brazilian Olympian had already shown that she had what it takes to compete with her background in Jiu-Jitsu.
Conti made history when she was part of the Women's WrestleMania Battle Royal back in 2018, becoming the first Brazilian female to compete at the biggest show of the year for WWE.
Conti later returned to NXT and showed signs of improvement in the ring throughout her time in the Black and Yellow brand. In early 2020, there were rumors that Conti had been released by WWE, something that the Brazilian star went on to mock by wearing a shirt that said "released" when she returned to live events.
Interestingly, a few months later she was released by WWE as part of the company's COVID-19 budget cuts but her name wasn't one that was publically announced.
Instead, Conti was forced to announce that she had been released by WWE on her own Twitter page.
#3 Former WWE star Cain Velasquez
Cain Velasquez was a surprise addition to the WWE roster on the night that SmackDown made their move over to FOX back in 2019. Velasquez was already known to several WWE fans after being the man to defeat Brock Lesnar during his time in UFC.
The two men went on to have a brief feud. It led to a wrestling match in Saudi Arabia which Lesnar was able to win quite convincingly.
Velasquez was signed to a multi-year deal with the company at the time but when budget cuts were made as part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the former UFC star was one of the names released.
WWE didn't announce Velasquez's release publically. Instead, the news came from Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer.
“It was a multi-year deal, and just like everybody else, they signed him to a giant deal, and now that they’re cutting back, one of the things in those deals is that they got the right to cut people. So people who thought that they signed multi-year contracts for high dollar figures, this is how it goes.”
Velasquez wasn't part of the initial budget cuts on April 15. Instead, his release came a few days later.
#2 Former WWE star Richie Steamboat
Many members of the WWE Universe won't be aware of the fact that Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat's son Richie was once part of WWE's Performance Center for almost four years until his subsequent WWE release in 2013.
The former star was initially signed to FCW back in 2009 and later became part of the NXT brand when the company was completely revamped. Steamboat was training alongside his father who is currently part of the NXT set up as a trainer until he suffered a back injury.
Steamboat suffered the injury in early 2013 and it was reported to have marked the end of his wrestling career at the time, but the company wanted several months to see how the injury progressed. WWE were then given little choice but to quietly release the former star from his contract later in the year.
Back in April 2015, his father, WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat, announced that due to the injury and recent surgeries, his son wouldn't be able to wrestle again.
#1 Former WWE Champion CM Punk
It has been an interesting seven years since CM Punk walked away from WWE and was subsequently fired by the company for a breach of contract. The former World champion walked away from the company following the 2014 Royal Rumble, but was later suspended for two months before being fired on his wedding day.
Given the media attention that Punk's exit created, WWE didn't announce his departure. Instead, it was the man himself who took to Twitter to announce that he had finally parted ways with the company.
Punk later went on to explain his issues with WWE as part of his famous but controversial podcast with Colt Cabana later that year. There, the self-proclaimed "Best in the World" was able to set the record straight regarding his departure from WWE.
In the years that have followed, Punk has failed to make his return but has remained open to having a conversation if the company wants him to return in the future.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
