5 Former WWE Superstars you may not know were released in 2022

The retirement of Vince McMahon back in the summer has meant that there haven't been as many releases in WWE this year as compared to previous years.

Budget cuts have come thick and fast for WWE over the past few years, but interestingly, there have been fewer cuts this year. However, several stars were quietly released, and many fans may have missed their departure.

The following list looks at just five former superstars you may not know were released in 2022.

#5. Ariya Daivari

Many members of the WWE Universe will remember Ariya Daivari as the younger brother of Shawn Daivari. He initially made a mark in the company as part of the Cruiserweight Division. Daivari was released from the company in June 2021 but was interestingly one of the stars re-signed as a backstage producer in April 2022.

Just three months into working as a backstage producer, Daivari was released after completing his probationary period. He has since made the move over to AEW and was able to work for both WWE and AEW in the same week he was released.

#4. Ace Steel

Ace Steel recently made headlines after allegedly being part of the backstage altercation in AEW, including The Young Bucks and CM Punk. The star was there to defend Punk following his comments in the All Out media scrum and reportedly bit Kenny Omega as part of the brawl.

Many fans may be unaware that before his stint in AEW, Steel worked for WWE for several years. He was furloughed by the company as a coach at the Performance Center in April 2020 before making his return a few months later. It was then announced in January 2022 that Steel had been released from his contract.

#3. Paige

Paige left WWE in the summer and has since made her way over to AEW, where she is known as Saraya. Her contract expired, and she walked away from WWE in July before signing a three-year deal with All Elite Wrestling.

Following her move to AEW, her brother Zak Zodiac defended her recent promo on Dynamite and confirmed that she was actually released by the company. It wasn't Paige's decision to walk away; instead, it was WWE that didn't want to re-sign her. If they had, she would have happily remained part of the company even after they underwent a change at the helm, per Zac.

#2. Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel

Curtis Axel is a third-generation superstar who was initially released by the company in April 2020. This release ended his 13-year run, and he then went on to work for a construction company before being re-signed in April 2022.

Much like Ariya Daivari, Axel was re-signed as a backstage producer and worked from April to August when he was released for a second time. Axel was spotted on an episode of Monday Night RAW back in May when he helped split up a brawl between Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins, where fans realized he had been re-signed.

#1. Shane McMahon

One of the most surprising releases of 2022 was Shane McMahon. The last time McMahon was seen was when he was part of the annual Men's Royal Rumble Match. It was later revealed that there had been several issues backstage as part of the show, and the company "quietly" let McMahon go following the event.

McMahon hasn't appeared on screen in the months that have followed, despite his father announcing his retirement and his sister Stephanie taking over as Co-CEO of the company. Triple H became head of creative in that time, but interestingly, Shane McMahon hasn't returned to be part of the new regime.

Do you know of any other stars who were quietly released this year? Have your say in the comments section below.