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A few hours ago, Mustafa Ali announced via Twitter that he had requested his release from WWE.
In his post, Ali stated that he has "a message that is much bigger than his dreams in professional wrestling," disclosing that he would not be capable of delivering it while working in Vince McMahon's company.
The former leader of Retribution is not the first superstar to publicly request his release on Twitter. A few other wrestlers have preceded him in the past few years. Some of them later joined All Elite Wrestling.
You can watch the video above or continue reading below about the five superstars who requested their release on Twitter:
#5. Former WWE Superstar Mike Bennett
Mike Bennett (FKA Mike Kanellis) joined WWE in April 2017 and made his debut a few months later at Money in the Bank alongside his wife, Maria. Over the next two years, Bennett struggled in Vince McMahon's company. Nevertheless, the 36-year-old and his wife signed a new 5-year deal in June 2019.
Four months after signing the new contract, Bennett surprisingly announced via Twitter that he had requested his release:
"Today I asked for my release from WWE. (...) I’ve been with the company for almost 3 years and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity. However it is time for me to move on. (...) I re-signed with the company back in June because I thought it was what was best for my family, and maybe from a financial standpoint it was. But I quickly realized that bringing my work frustrations and misery home with me, is not good for my family and I no longer want my daughter to constantly see me come home defeated, sad and angry," he wrote.
Despite this, the company turned down Bennett's request. Hence, the former 24/7 Champion continued to work in WWE until April 2020, when Vince McMahon's company released him from his contract due to pandemic-related budget cuts.
After competing in different promotions on the independent circuit over the past few years, he recently returned to IMPACT Wrestling.
#4. Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Luke Harper
Luke Harper (AKA Brodie Lee) competed for several years on the independent circuit before joining WWE in 2012. He spent nearly seven years in Vince McMahon's company, during which he won the Intercontinental Championship, the NXT Tag Team Titles, and the SmackDown Tag Team Championships twice.
On April 19, 2019, Harper posted an official statement on his Twitter account, announcing that he had requested his release:
"As of this evening, I have requested a release (...) The past 6 years have been a simply, amazing journey around the world and back with lifelong friends and family. I am proud of it all and proud to say I shared the ring with my co workers. The decision, as difficult as it was, feels right for myself and WWE," he wrote.
According to reports, Vince McMahon himself turned down the former Intercontinental Champion's request. Hence, Harper continued to work for the company for a few more months. However, Vince McMahon's company released him from his contract in December 2019.
Nearly three months after his departure, Harper joined All Elite Wrestling. He competed in Tony Khan's company for several months before he tragically passed away in December 2020.
#3. Former WWE Superstar Sin Cara
Sin Cara signed with WWE in early 2010. He spent nearly nine years in the company before requesting his release.
The Mexican wrestler competed for the last time in Vince McMahon's company in November 2019, when he lost to Drew McIntyre on Monday Night RAW. A few days later, he posted an official statement written in Spanish on Twitter announcing that he had requested his release.
"Last night, after praying and considering it a lot, thinking about my children and their future, I made one of the most difficult but sensible decisions that I have had to make in my professional wrestling career; I have asked for my release from WWE," he wrote
In his statement, the former NXT Tag Team Champion stated that he was grateful that the company had given him an opportunity. However, he disclosed that he believed that it underutilized him.
In December 2019, Vince McMahon's company officially granted Sin Cara his release. Since his departure, the Mexican wrestler has changed his name to Cinta de Oro and has competed in different promotions. He is currently active on the independent circuit in the United States and Mexico.
#2. Former WWE United States Champion Andrade
Andrade joined WWE in 2015 and spent several years in the company, during which he won the NXT Championship and the United States Title. In October 2020, the Mexican wrestler competed in his last match in WWE when he lost to Angel Garza on Monday Night RAW.
Five months later, rumors started spreading that the former United States Champion had requested his release. Andrade then took to Twitter to confirm these rumors:
"The rumors are true and I don’t know what the future holds but I want to make my dreams come true. Thank you for giving me so much support these last days," he wrote.
The company officially announced the release of Andrade on March 21, 2021. Three months later, he made his AEW debut. He has since become a regular competitor in Tony Khan's company. However, he has only competed in 14 matches so far.
Although Andrade had left Vince McMahon's company, his fiancée, Charlotte Flair, is still an active competitor on SmackDown. She currently holds the SmackDown Women's Championship.
According to reports, the former NXT Champion would now like his fiancée to join him in AEW, where they can work together.
#1. Former WWE Superstar Shawn Spears
Shawn Spears (FKA Tye Dillinger) first joined WWE in 2006. Nonetheless, the company released him three years later. After spending a few years on the independent circuit, the 40-year-old returned to Vince McMahon's company in 2013.
Spears competed for four years on NXT before making his debut on SmackDown in 2017. However, he struggled to get any screen time on the main roster. Hence, he requested his release nearly two years later.
On February 19, 2019, Spears posted an official statement on his Twitter account, announcing that he had requested his release from Vince McMahon's company:
"This evening, I requested my release (...) In the past 5 and a half years with them, I have seen and done some wonderful things (...) I feel at this time this decision, as extremely difficult as it was, is what is best for myself and WWE," he wrote.
Three days later, the company granted Spears his release. Later that same year, he made his AEW debut. He has since become a regular competitor in Tony Khan's company.
Spears is currently on an eight-match winning streak. On the latest episode of AEW Rampage, he defeated Andrew Everett.
