Tony Chimel Released From WWE Among Other Staff Members

PWInsider reports that WWE released several staff members on Friday, including longtime ring announcer Tony Chimel. The other releases, believed to be around 10-15 people, were mainly logistical and behind-the-scenes staff in Stamford.

Chimel had been working for WWE since 1999, where he was the first announcer for Smackdown. He went to ECW in 2007 after Justin Roberts took over, before returning to Smackdown later on. He’s also known for his exaggerated introduction of Edge as the Rated-R Superstar.

He had seen been working behind-the-scenes as a production manager and overseeing the ring crew.

Another release was Derek Casselman, who was the director of Venue Merchandise and Remote Operations for WWE and have worked there since 1993. He was said to be “well-liked by many.”