Heath Slater Talks WWE Release, Maria Kanellis on Return, Paige Donates Money

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Slater Discusses WWE Release

Longtime WWE Superstar Heath Slater was one of many who received their release from the company a couple of weeks ago amid the coronavirus pandemic, and he opened up about his departure this week.

Appearing on the Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia podcast (h/t Pro Wrestling Sheet's Ryan Satin), Slater divulged that he was feeling burnt out leading up to his WWE release:

"Yeah, I lost my job ... but I was burnt out, man. Burnt the hell out. I knew it. Family knew it. My coworkers knew it. I was just burned out. Fourteen years; four years developmental, 10 years on the road. To where it's like, you can be promised, you can be told, you can even have it in your hand and ready, and it just changes at the drop of a dime."

Slater noted that he grew frustrated at times because of start-and-stop pushes as well as his belief that his ideas weren't always being heard and taken under consideration.

As a result, Slater suggested that getting released from WWE could be a positive for him moving forward:

"Getting fired; I really believe I needed this. The times are crazy, the times are weird now because you can't go out and make money and all that stuff. But I really believe I needed this to get the fire, get the hunger, focus. I can honestly tell you that, out of the last four to five years, besides me and [Rhyno] winning the tag titles—which was an awesome little run—I have been so burned out and just not even really caring. To where this happened, to where I have to say thank you for lighting that fire for me again."

Slater made his WWE main roster debut in 2010 as part of the Nexus stable, and although that angle didn't last long, Slater stuck around in WWE for many years as a mid-to-low-card talent.

He was a four-time tag team champion and one-time 24/7 champion, but there is little doubt that the biggest highlight of Slater's career came in 2016 when he and Rhyno got over as a thrown-together team and went on to win a tournament to become the first SmackDown tag team champions.

The WWE Universe was firmly behind Slater and Rhyno to the point that they were receiving plenty of television time and chances to develop their characters, but the rug was pulled out from under them before long, and they were never able to recapture the momentum.

Slater was popular because of his underdog character and "I got kids" catchphrase, and although he didn't get a chance to prove what he could do with it, perhaps he can put it to good use on the independent scene once the coronavirus pandemic has ended.

Slater was once part of 3MB with Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal, both of whom were released by WWE at one time. They both returned and became WWE champions, so there may be hope for Slater to follow in their footsteps one day.

Maria Kanellis Doesn't Rule Out WWE Return

Like Slater, Maria Kanellis and her husband, Mike Kanellis, were among those released by WWE as part of wide-ranging budget cuts.

Maria fielded and answered several questions Monday night on Twitter, and one of them related to whether she would ever return to WWE. While Maria wasn't definitive in her answer, she didn't rule out the possibility either.

"Never say never but my main objective in my future is consistency and stability for my children," Kanellis wrote.

Maria was part of Diva Search in 2004 and remained with WWE through 2010 before getting released. She went on to join Ring of Honor, where she met Mike Bennett and eventually married him. They later went to Impact Wrestling together and enjoyed plenty of success before making the leap to WWE.

Mike and Maria arrived in WWE in 2017 to much fanfare, but they never really found their groove and quickly got lost in the shuffle.

Maria had the couple's first child in April 2018 and then gave birth to their second child in February 2020. While Maria was off television, Mike primarily worked on 205 Live in the cruiserweight division.

Following their release, Maria and Mike announced the launch of a podcast called Non-Essential Wrestlers last week, which could help keep them on the minds of wrestling fans even as they wait out the COVID-19 pandemic and mull their next move in wrestling.

While a return to WWE can never be ruled out because of its scope and the amount of money it is able to pay its talent, it is difficult to envision Mike and Maria going back there any time soon given the manner in which they were utilized.

Paige Donates Money to WWE Fans in Need

WWE's Paige sent money to a few fans who have been impacted negatively by the coronavirus pandemic on Monday.

After asking her followers what their "biggest struggle" is during the current crisis, Paige picked a few people and asked for their Venmo, which is a mobile payment service:

Paige later explained why she decided to lend a helping hand:

The 27-year-old Paige is a former Divas champion who works for WWE and is also a regular panelist on WWE Backstage on FS1.

Paige was forced to retire from in-ring competition two years ago because of a neck injury, but she still has a major presence in WWE and has continued to make a good living even after her wrestling career.

During a time when so many people are unable to work and make a steady income, Paige is showing incredible generosity by pitching in financially.

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