Written By Kimmy Sokol
Almost three months to the day from the last WWE releases, here we are once again. WWE did their quarterly earnings call and revealed that they made $256 million for this quarter. However, this did not stop them from making 18 releases on Thursday November 4, due to budget cuts. The rumor floating around all year is WWE planning to sell the company. With them releasing more talent it’s hard to believe that is not the end goal for WWE. Regardless this is not the end for these superstars’ dreams of becoming successful wrestlers. With multiple different companies to go to, let’s predict where all of these superstars will end up!
Frankie Monet: As someone who was just signed six months ago this was a little shocking. Monet had only six matches under the NXT brand, but she is no stranger to the independent and international scene. Monet also known as Taya Valkyrie has competed all around the world (Impact, Lucha Underground, AAA) and is someone that can fit into any promotion. “LA WERA LOCA” definitely has an elite ring to it … Valkyrie will help elevate the women’s division in AEW tremendously.
Ember Moon: After an unfortunate injury in 2019 it was questionable if Moon was able to return to in-ring competition. In 2020 Moon returned to NXT and was able to capture the NXT Women’s tag team championships with Shotzi Blackheart. However, when Black got called up to the main roster Moon stayed in NXT and was not able to get much momentum. The former NXT Women’s champion also can fit into any promotion. I believe the eclipse will soon be making an “Impact,” on one of the most diverse and best women’s divisions in wrestling today.
Jessi Kamea: If you are keeping track, every person who has been a part of the Robert Stone brand has been released, except for Robert Stone. Some say cursed, I say lack of opportunity but regardless. Kamea was not able to do much during her time in NXT. She spent most of her time in tag team competition either teaming with Aaliyah or Monet. Kamea — an athlete for the majority of her life — is not someone I see continuing in wrestle but sticking in the athletic world possibly in volleyball which she was doing before WWE.
Katrina Cortez: Cortez has mostly been featured on 205 Live which airs Fridays after Smackdown. Although it seemed as if she was gaining momentum, WWE released her before she was doing anything within NXT. I see Cortez sticking with the Lucha Libre style and going to AAA. She can help elevate the women’s division they are trying to revamp.
Jeet Rama: Given WWE trying to bring more Indian superstars to their company to make it more diverse this came as a shock. Rama was only shown three times on TV! At the Superstar Spectacle (WWE’s Indian special they ran earlier this year), on an episode of 205 live and most recently losing to Solo Sikoa on NXT 2.0. Sadly, he lost all of those matches. I see Rama returning to India and continuing wrestling as he is a former 10-time Kushti amateur wrestling champion.
Oney Lorcan: It is everyone’s favorite Twitter ALL CAPS user! Oney Lorcan is best known for his tag team with Danny Burch who is currently MIA right now from NXT TV. The former NXT Tag Team Champion — who has already resumed his independent persona Biff Busick — would fit best in MLW. MLW is starting to get a lot more publicity due to high profile shows, the addition of Will Ospreay (albeit for one show right now), their working relationship with All Japan Pro Wrestling, and the start of their women’s division. I think Lorcan would make a great fit.
Trey Baxter: As someone else who just signed with the company Baxter was just getting his start. He was being shown supporting his girlfriend fellow NXT superstar, Cora Jade. Baxter has already been announced he’s returning home to GCW — under his”All Heart” Blake Christian moniker — in early December after his 30 days no-compete clause. Baxter will probably roam around the independent circuit for a little bit before finding his footing in Impact and New Japan Strong where he had made a couple of appearances prior to going to NXT.
Zayda Ramier: If you are seeing a trend here of people who were signed in February of this year and getting released now you are on the right track. Ramier did not get much TV time either as she was put in very short matches and lost unless getting a shocking win against Toni Storm. Ramier is certainly talented as she was trained by WWE Hall of Famer Booker T. Ramier could make a big statement at Mission Pro, the wrestling company Thunder Rosa helps run or can help MLW elevate the women’s division they are trying to start.
Scarlett & Karrion Kross: The fact these two are on this list baffles me. The most over characters in NXT are now released and able to bring their talents elsewhere, smart move WWE. Maybe Adam Cole was right, they did all these things to make Kross special for him to not back it up. Anyway, these two given the fact they are engaged in real life are going to be a packaged deal like they were on the main roster. I think Scarlett and Kross go to AEW to join the House of Black in the craziest dark faction we have seen in a while.
B-Fab: The fact Hit Row just debuted on Smackdown makes this release so shocking. We have only seen B-Fab in two matches while in NXT, but she had all the star power to make it far in WWE. Only being a wrestler for a short amount of time I can see her floating on the independent scene before finding her fitting in a much bigger company — if she is going to continue wrestling.
Gran Metalik: When Kalisto was released earlier this year it was only a matter of time before we stopped chanting Lucha! Lucha! Lucha!. When it comes to the remaining members of the Lucha House Party, is it interesting because I do not believe they will be sticking together. Metalik asked for his release earlier this year and it was finally granted Thursday. I believe Metalik returns to Japan to give the Japanese fan base more Lucha-style wrestling as well as making his return to Mexico.
Lince Dorado: Dorado, also a former member of the Lucha House Party was also released. Dorado floated around on the independent circuit before he signed to WWE, unlike Metalik who spent the time in Japan and Mexico. Dorado has established himself as more of a name I believe he will be soon making an “Impact” to make a bigger splash on the wrestling scene.
Harry Smith: The former two-time WWE tag team champion and multi-time New Japan and NOAH tag champion never made it on TV since resigning with the company in August. He was only featured in one dark match and was slowly forgotten about until the releases came out Thursday. After inducting his father in the Hall of Fame class of 2020 you would expect WWE to do more. I believe he goes back to Japan and wrestles…something WWE never let him do in his second run with the company.
Nia Jax: There are many rumours about this release. Whether it be about her not being vaccinated or just for the standard budget cuts this is interesting. No one usually gets released from the Samoan Dynasty, which Jax is a part of. I do not see Jax returning to the squared circle due to her reputation (at least online) of in-ring safety and I can not picture her fitting into any other wrestling company besides the WWE.
Eva Marie: Six months after her return to WWE, she gets released. Many WWE fans were not happy that WWE re-signed Eva Marie given her lack of experience and poor match quality over her previous stints with WWE. I do not see Eva Marie returning to the ring because she has a movie career (under the Rock’s agent) and is currently the main role in an upcoming movie that has yet to be named.
Keith Lee & Mia Yim: No, I don’t know how these two got on this list either. Mia Yim did not even get to debut on the main roster under her real name (remember she was Reckoning in Retribution). Keith Lee did not even get close to bask in the glory of his potential. Since these two are engaged in real life I am going to assume they will remain a package deal and get signed to the same company. Given what these two can do in the business any wrestling company will be lucky to have them. However, a new gold and black wrestling company awaits them in AEW. Yim can help elevate the women’s division and have multiple dream matches, where Lee can dominate the world title scene.
As many wrestlers say, the beauty of getting released in the wrestling business now is the number of options everyone has to go. Many wrestlers have been able to become successful outside of WWE and prove they did not need WWE to make their dreams come true. Regardless of what happens all 18 of these superstars will prove that WWE was wrong in releasing them.
