'%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)
One of the big pieces of news from WWE this week was that former NXT and RAW Tag Team Champions, the Authors of Pain, had been released from their contracts. We now have an update on why AOP may have been released.
Sportskeeda's Tom Colohue just gave us an update on the situation with AOP and why WWE may have decided to release them. Tom said that original plans for AOP were for them to return ahead of SummerSlam and feud with Street Profits. He said that this didn't happen because the duo suffered a setback right as they were due to be cleared and this may have led WWE to give up on AOP and release them.
AOP were due to return sometime around SummerSlam and feud with the Street Profits. I mentioned it before SummerSlam that this was likely to happen and this was when they were expected to come through. However, they suffered a setback right before they were cleared, to my knowledge. It may be another injury but I was only told it was a setback and the WWE cut their losses and gave up on them.
Dave Meltzer also recently reported that there were big plans for the Authors of Pain in WWE before their release. He said that both Paul Heyman and Triple H were big fans of the team.
On another interesting note, Paul Ellering recently revealed in an interview that he was due to return to WWE this year, possibly to manage Akam and Rezar. However, Paul Ellering's return to WWE was nixed after the COVID-19 crisis hit. Ellering managed AOP during their time in NXT and was also the legendary manager of the Legion of Doom.
What's next for AOP?
Akam and Rezar have a ton of potential and it will be interesting to see which promotion snaps them up. They are believed to have a 90-day no-compete clause after their release from WWE. Authors of Pain would definitely be a good fit in AEW's tag team division.
If any quotes are used from this article, please add an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
