wrestling / News

Serena Deeb, Ace Steel, Kendo Kashin, & More Released, Smiley Not Cut, WWE Confirms Releases of Rusev, Zack Ryder, Maria & Mike Kanellis, Kurt Angle & Many More

April 15, 2020 | Posted by Joseph Lee
Serena Deeb Mae Young Classic

UPDATE 10: PWInsider has updated their report to note that Kendo Kashin, the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Kendo Kashin who signed with WWE last August 2019 as a Coach, has also been released.

In addition as a correction, Norman Smiley does not appear to have been released, or at least it has not been announced. Kassius Ohno took to Twitter to note that the account professing to be Smiley was a fake.

Kendo Kashin (coach)
Serena Deeb (Performance Center coach)
Chris Guy (Performance Center coach)
MJ Jenkins
Josiah Wiliams
Jerry Soto (announcer)
Deonna Purrazzo
Aleksandar Jaksic
Andrea Listenberger (writer)
Rusev
No Way Jose
Zack Ryder
Maria Kanellis
Mike Kanellis
Rowan
Sarah Logan
Mike Chioda (referee)
Primo
Epico
Billy Kidman (producer)
Pat Buck (producer)
Shawn Daivari (producer)
Scott Armstrong (producer)
Sarah Stock (producer)
Heath Slater
Kurt Angle (producer)
Shane Helms (producer)
Dave Finlay (producer)
Lance Storm (producer)
Mike Rotunda (producer)
Aiden English
Eric Young
Drake Maverick
Curt Hawkins
Karl Anderson
Luke Gallows
EC3
Lio Rush

UPDATE 9: WWE has cut two more Performance Center coaches as part of its list of releases done on Wednesday. PWInsider reports that Serena Deeb and Chris Guy, aka Ace Steel, were cut today.

Guy was signed back in October of last year, while Deeb has been working at the Performance Center since February of 2018.

Serena Deeb (Performance Center coach)
Chris Guy (Performance Center coach)
MJ Jenkins
Josiah Wiliams
Jerry Soto (announcer)
Deonna Purrazzo
Aleksandar Jaksic
Andrea Listenberger (writer)
Rusev
No Way Jose
Zack Ryder
Maria Kanellis
Mike Kanellis
Rowan
Sarah Logan
Mike Chioda (referee)
Primo
Epico
Billy Kidman (producer)
Pat Buck (producer)
Shawn Daivari (producer)
Scott Armstrong (producer)
Sarah Stock (producer)
Heath Slater
Kurt Angle (producer)
Shane Helms (producer)
Dave Finlay (producer)
Lance Storm (producer)
Mike Rotunda (producer)
Aiden English
Eric Young
Drake Maverick
Curt Hawkins
Karl Anderson
Luke Gallows
EC3
Lio Rush

UPDATE 8: A few more names have been added to the list of releases and furloughs from WWE today in MJ Jenkins, Norman Smiley, Josiah Williams and Jerry Soto. Jenkins, Smiley, and Williams all confirmed their releases while Soto, a Spanish-language announcer for the company, said he had been furloughed.

Jenkins has been with WWE since summer of 2018 after appearing in the Mae Young Classic, and was on the NXT roster. Smiley has been working as a coach at the WWE Performance Center. Williams was an on-air talent for the company.


https://twitter.com/TheNormanSmiley/status/1250551846411927552

UPDATE 7: Some more names are just emerging from the WWE NXT brand for today’s growing list of cuts. First up, NXT women’s wrestler Deonna Purrazzo confirmed her release on her Twitter account.

She wrote, “The people closest to me know this is something I’ve been struggling with wanting for the better part of the last year. Happy to say I gave this journey my best and MORE excited for the future!”

Also gone from NXT is Aleksandar Jaksic. He had recently been teaming with Tehuti Miles. He commented on the news on Twitter as well, writing, “Sometimes Life Does Not Seem Real. & No Matter How Hard You Work, It Sometimes Is Not Enough. MY WWE FAMILY „Until one of our lights is forever extinguished, our dance will never end. GOODBYE, @WWENXT.”

Here is the current updated list of all of today’s WWE releases, including the latest NXT names:

Deonna Purrazzo
Aleksandar Jaksic
Andrea Listenberger (writer)
Rusev
No Way Jose
Zack Ryder
Maria Kanellis
Mike Kanellis
Rowan
Sarah Logan
Mike Chioda (referee)
Primo
Epico
Billy Kidman (producer)
Pat Buck (producer)
Shawn Daivari (producer)
Scott Armstrong (producer)
Sarah Stock (producer)
Heath Slater
Kurt Angle (producer)
Shane Helms (producer)
Dave Finlay (producer)
Lance Storm (producer)
Mike Rotunda (producer)
Aiden English
Eric Young
Drake Maverick
Curt Hawkins
Karl Anderson
Luke Gallows
EC3
Lio Rush

UPDATE 6: WWE has confirmed that Rusev has also been released today. Rusev tweeted about the news minutes ago.

Here is the current updated list of all of today’s WWE releases:

Andrea Listenberger (writer)
Rusev
No Way Jose
Zack Ryder
Maria Kanellis
Mike Kanellis
Rowan
Sarah Logan
Mike Chioda (referee)
Primo
Epico
Billy Kidman (producer)
Pat Buck (producer)
Shawn Daivari (producer)
Scott Armstrong (producer)
Sarah Stock (producer)
Heath Slater
Kurt Angle (producer)
Shane Helms (producer)
Dave Finlay (producer)
Lance Storm (producer)
Mike Rotunda (producer)
Aiden English
Eric Young
Drake Maverick
Curt Hawkins
Karl Anderson
Luke Gallows
EC3
Lio Rush

UPDATE 5: WWE has confirmed that No Way Jose and Zack Ryder have both also been released today, wishing them well in their future endeavors.

UPDATE 4: The list of released names by WWE today continues to grow. Mike Kanellis (aka Mike Bennett) and Maria Kanellis have also been added to the list.

Previously, Mike Kanellis announced in October 2019 that he had actually requested his release from WWE. He had signed a new multi-year contract. He briefly had a storyline on Raw last summer where his wife, Maria Kanellis, turned on him and revealed she was pregnant and that Mike was not the real father.

UPDATE 3: The unfortunate stream of releases continues today as WWE has confirmed the releases of Rowan, Sarah Logan, Mike Chioda, Primo, and Epico. WWE wished them well in their future endeavors.

The updated list of all of today’s releases now stands at:

UPDATE 2: And the names on the list have continued to grow. Former Smackdown tag team champion Heath Slater, aka Heath Miller, has also been released and wished well in his future endeavors by WWE. Additionally, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has been released. Kurt Angle retired from his in-ring career last year at WrestleMania 35. He’s been working for full-time as a producer since that time.

Also added to the list of released names is Aiden English (aka Matthew Reholdt).

UPDATE: The releases keep coming, as Eric Young has been added to the list of names release. WWE updated their announcement, which you can find here, and Young’s name is listed among them. We’ll keep you updated as more releases are expected.

Original: As we previously reported, WWE has plans to cut several wrestlers and employees as a result of financial hardship due to the Coronavirus pandemic. They’ve made good on that threat by releasing the following wrestlers: Lio Rush, Luke Gallows, Curt Hawkins, EC3, Karl Anderson and Drake Maverick. It should be noted that Maverick was listed for the Cruiserweight title tournament that begins on tonight’s NXT. It remains to be seen who his replacement will be, if any. We’ll continue to update when most talents are let go.

WWE wrote:

WWE has come to terms on the release of Drake Maverick (James Curtin), Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers), Karl Anderson (Chad Allegra), Luke Gallows (Drew Hankinson), EC3 (Michael Hutter) and Lio Rush (Lionel Green). We wish them all the best in their future endeavors

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