Predicting What's Next for WWE's Roster Cuts From AEW and TNA to Retirement
The annual tradition of WWE releasing talent post-WrestleMania continued this past Friday with 22 wrestlers across the company's rosters suddenly forced to look elsewhere to continue their professional wrestling careers.
Thankfully, the industry has options for them, with All Elite Wrestling and TNA serving as landing spots for some of the most recognizable stars. The independents will offer opportunities to build a name and reputation for others.
What option fits each of the top stars and their futures? Find out in this preview.
Quick Hits
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Potential landing spots for some of the talent released Friday include:
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega
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Aleister Black has already been down the AEW route, and, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, there is not an abundance of talent fighting for him to come back.
That would seemingly eliminate the possibility of the former NXT champion and his wife, Zelina Vega, returning to the second-most prominent promotion in wrestling.
The question from there is whether they would want to test the independent scene, and at this point in their careers, one would have to question whether they would want to go through the grind of it.
Assuming the answer is "no," the best option for Black and Vega would be TNA, where they can immediately be top-tier stars. They can maintain their connection on screen, terrorize top stars and compete for the men's and women's titles, becoming the main event attractions they were prevented from evolving into in WWE.
Black, 40, could also realize his story's fullest potential as the evil, manipulative heel who convinces others to give into their dark sides. Vega could do the same in the Knockouts division, becoming an overarching figure in the company.
That the 35-year-old has previous experience in the promotion, albeit 13 years ago, only helps fuel the idea that it could be a viable landing spot for the pair.
Motor City Machine Guns
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There is a very real chance that Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin end up back in TNA, where they rose to prominence and became pro wrestling royalty.
While that would be a return welcomed with open arms, it would be more of the same for a duo that has already proved itself at the highest levels in the promotion.
Instead, the former tag team champions must go to AEW and wrestle as many of the dream matches as they can against the best teams in the company.
A rekindled rivalry with The Young Bucks (formerly Generation Me in TNA) is a must. Squaring off with FTR would only further cement the AEW tag division as the best in the industry, and a match with Adam Copeland and Christian Cage would be an enormous occurrence for longtime wrestling fans.
The options are plentiful, the matches are must-see, and the chance for Sabin and Shelley to rebuild their momentum after a mediocre run in WWE is of the utmost importance.
They must sign with AEW, give the audience the dream matches they yearn for, and remind everyone why they are one of the best tag teams of all time.
Zoey Stark
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If there is any released talent who would benefit most from an indie run, it is Zoey Stark.
A WWE lifer to this point in her career, the 32-year-old has battled through injuries and other professional setbacks and is now ready to get back into the ring.
Immensely athletic and someone who has worked incredibly hard to develop into one of the bright young talents in the industry, Stark would benefit from hitting the indies, learning different styles and pacing than she did in WWE, and giving the wrestling industry a look at her fully realized potential.
Following in the footsteps of someone like Shotzi, taking as many bookings as she can and further developing herself would be huge for Stark if she wishes to continue in the pro wrestling industry.
Given the flashes of brilliance she displayed in WWE, one can only hope that is the case.
The Wyatt Sicks
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After an unforgettable debut, it became apparent rather quickly that Triple H and WWE Creative had no idea what to do with The Wyatt Sicks and how to present the group in a way that stayed true to the tone of the show while remaining loyal to the characters they had put in place.
Unfortunately, that meant an underwhelming feud with The MFTs and a limping conclusion to their WWE run.
Luckily, if there is one promotion that tends to do well with the supernatural, it is TNA. Look no further than the ongoing storyline involving Rosemary, Allie and Co.
Dexter Lumis has previous history with TNA as Sam Shaw, while Joe Gacy, Erick Rowan and Bo Dallas would likely all thrive there, especially if the promotion programmed them against The System in a battle of factions.
The only exception may be Nikki Cross, who is one of two or three women who should have the opportunity to work wherever she wants, thanks to her in-ring talent and proven track record of making anything she does better.
Alba Fyre
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A talented technician and one of the most dominant champions in WWE history, the former NXT UK women's champion was greatly misused during her main roster run with the company.
Fyre, better known to long-time fans as Kay Lee Ray, now has the chance to rejuvenate her career and remind the wrestling world who she is.
A perfect addition to the AEW women's division, the 33-year-old would have some absolute bangers with the likes of Thekla, Jamie Hayter, Alex Windsor, Willow Nightingale, and Mercedes Mone, among others.
More so than nearly any other star released Friday, she has the chance to immediately start rebuilding her reputation in AEW, a talent that fits perfectly into the company and what it is attempting to do with its women's division.
Kairi Sane
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The Pirate Princess was the biggest name on Friday's released list, which was a total shock considering her place at the heart of an ongoing rivalry between Iyo Sky and Asuka.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported: "There was heavy frustration to her being cut before any real payoff to the story was made. She's expected to land in literally any company that she wants to."
The story was months in the making and it was suddenly and inexplicably dropped due to the release of a competitor who, if social media is any indication, was a beloved member of the roster.
While it would be easy to point to AEW or TNA as landing spots, or even the indies, a return to Japan and a potential high-profile spot in the Stardom promotion, where the 37-year-old initially rose to prominence, feels as likely as any.
In fact, returning there and helping rebuild that company into the game-changer it once was feels like as likely an option as any and one that Sane would likely jump at.
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