WWE's 20 Most Unwarranted and Short-Sighted Wrestler Firings

Like with any other occupation, being fired is a big part of the cutthroat business known as professional wrestling.

Wrestlers are let go or "future endeavored" by the WWE all the time for one reason or another, and often times, these firings leave us shaking our heads.

Maybe it's because we feel like the company gave up on a star too fast, a certain wrestler got the ax for some B.S. reason or someone got released for a minor mistake.

But in all of these situations, most of us are left wondering the same thing: Why the hell did that person get fired?

Here are the WWE's 20 most unwarranted and short-sighted wrestler firings.

Note: This list will not include wrestlers who asked to be released or had an amicable departure from the WWE.

20. Melina (2011)

Melina had developed a bit of a bad reputation backstage in the WWE, and it didn't help her cause when she apparently gave Trish Stratus the cold shoulder around WrestleMania this year.

So, her release earlier this year didn't come as much of a surprise, but I'm not sure I agree with the philosophy that a little temporary heat can get you kicked out of the company.

Melina may not have been highlighted on TV much since returning from injury, but at least she could actually go out there and put on watchable matches.

Her departure, along with those of other Divas like Maryse and Gail Kim, has left gaping holes in the WWE Divas division, and all over what? The fact that Melina got upset when she was passed over in favor of Trish?

Well, I'd be pretty pissed if someone was brought into the company for the biggest pay-per-view of the year while I was left off it, too.

19. Manu (2009)

When Manu made his WWE debut in 2008, he instantly aligned himself with Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes, with all three stars hoping to become permanent members in Randy Orton's "Legacy" faction.

However, a storyline was devised where those wishing to join the Legacy would have to earn their way in. Manu was not able to do so, though, and he was released by the WWE in February 2010.

Orton has gone on record in saying that Manu being kicked out of Legacy and released by the company had a lot to do with his attitude, but one rumor, per Wrestling Newz here, is that Orton didn't think Manu looked good enough to be paired with himself, Rhodes and DiBiase.

No one can confirm that story, but if it's true, that's quite a crappy reason to be fired.

18. Paul London (2008) and Brian Kendrick (2009)

I group Paul London and Brian Kendrick together because they were one of the best tag teams in recent WWE history, yet they both got bit by the WWE's "future endeavors" bug after they were split up during the 2008 Supplemental Draft. 

Much to the surprise of no one, the split didn't do anything for London or Kendrick.

Although Kendrick got re-packaged as "THE Brian Kendrick" and got a decent push that even saw him compete in a WWE Championship match, that didn't last long, and he soon joined London in unemployment.

Another dumb move by WWE.

You don't split up a great tag team unless you have the perfect angle that's going to make one or both men a star.

If you do, it just means that you'll lose out on two of the best high flyers in the business, and maybe one of them will go have a bunch of success with a rival promotion.

17. Carlito (2010)

Carlito was always one of the more talented performers in the WWE, but it was a problem outside of the ring that led to his release last year.

After Carlito reportedly refused to enter rehab for an addiction to painkillers, the company cut ties with the second generation grappler.

What a waste.

I'm not sure how much of what we read is true or how much fault Carlito played in his own release, but "future endeavoring" a wrestler with substance abuse problems isn't the answer.

Getting him help is, especially when he has already proven to be a valuable contributor to the tag team division and the mid-card when his mind's right.

16. Mickie James (2010)

It just seems like the WWE was trying to find a reason to release Mickie James.

PWInsider.com reported at the time of James' firing that being late multiple times during the WWE's tour of Europe was "the straw that broke the camel's back," but it had already been abundantly clear that the company was upset with James.

She had been pursuing outside interests with her country music, and the infamous "Piggy James" angle was meant to poke fun at her weight.

Regardless of whether James was late a couple of times and the incredible hypocrisy of the WWE being upset with her outside interests, the company did not have to humiliate her before releasing her, and in hindsight, they probably shouldn't have gotten rid of her at all when their roster was already so thin on talented Divas. 

15. Hade Vansen (2009)

On the Dec. 12, 2008 edition of Smackdown, a vignette aired promoting the debut of a mysterious character known as Hade Vansen.

Two weeks later, however, the promos stopped, and Vansen's debut—which was supposed to immediately put him in a feud with The Undertaker—was scrapped.

Why? Because Vince McMahon reportedly showed up to the Smackdown taping, saw how small Vansen was (about 5'11") and said there was no way he was going to put that guy on TV.

Vansen was subsequently released on Jan. 9, 2009.

Poor guy didn't even get a chance to show what he could before getting "future endeavored."

14. Mr. Kennedy (2008)

On May 25, 2009, Mr. Kennedy returned from a dislocated shoulder to compete in a 10-man team match on Monday Night Raw.

On May 29, he was released by the WWE. So obviously, something happened here.

Well, the story behind Kennedy's release is that following Kennedy's return match, Randy Orton went and complained to Vince McMahon that Kennedy was dangerous in the ring after he "carelessly" dropped Orton while giving him a suplex.

Being that Orton is one of the WWE's top stars and has tremendous pull backstage, Vince listened, and Kennedy was let go soon thereafter.

Though Kennedy had suffered a number of injuries and it's believed that John Cena complained to management about him as well, perhaps the WWE could have worked with Mr. Kennedy on this rather than letting him go so soon.

After all, he had all the makings of a future main eventer.

13. Harry Smith (2011)

The WWE has got to stop splitting up tag teams too soon.

Nine times out of 10, either one or both of the stars wallows in mid-card or jobber hell before eventually being released, and that's exactly what happened to the Hart Dynasty.

Tyson Kidd is doing next to nothing on Smackdown these days, and Harry "David Hart" Smith was released back in August despite being one of the better pure wrestlers in all of the WWE.

You can't expect a guy to a succeed if you never give him a chance.

Harry Smith knows that better than just about anyone.

12. Dawn Marie (2005)

On July 6, 2005, Dawn Marie was released by the WWE...while pregnant.

Come on, the company had to know that was going to create some legal problems down the road.

11. Chris Masters (2011)

When Chris Masters was released by the WWE for the first time in 2007, he deserved it.

He had failed two wellness tests, and it was clear that he had some sort of problem with substance abuse.

But, when Masters was released for a second time in 2011, it was a load of crap.

"The Masterpiece" had seemingly gotten past his personal demons, and from 2009-2011, you'd be hard-pressed to find a performer who improved more over that span that Masters.

He had gotten 10 times better in the ring and looked poised to be one of the WWE's breakout stars...until he got released.

I'm still not sure why Masters was released, but I do know that I don't get it.

10. Shelton Benjamin (2010)

On April 22, 2010, I just happened to go to WWE.com when I read the shocking news: Along with five others, Shelton Benjamin had been released by the company.

Huh? What? Why?

The WWE held onto a number of talentless hacks, but for some reason, decided to get rid of one of the single most athletic superstars the company has ever seen.

Sure, Benjamin wasn't the most charismatic wrestler or the best mic worker ever, but he more than made up for his struggles in those areas with an in-ring skill set that helped him steal the show whenever he stepped in the squared circle, including a number of awe-inspiring performances in the Money in the Bank matches at WrestleMania.

9. Jim Ross (1994)

You know how the WWE likes to "fire" Jim Ross all the time on TV?

Well, in 1994, the company actually did it in real life. Twice.

In February of that year, Ross was released just two weeks after suffering his first attack of Bell's palsy. How classy.

But that wasn't enough.

When Vince McMahon got into a little trouble with the federal government later that year and was unable to continue announcing, Ross was brought back to the WWE to replace him. Of course, he was then let go again once McMahon got past all of his legal troubles.

Little did they know at the time that they were releasing the best play-by-play man ever, but hey, at least they had enough brains to bring him back again.

8. Muhammad Hassan (2005)

If you don't know the whole story on Muhammad Hassan, then hit up this link because it's a very good, detailed description of the events leading up to his release.

Or you can watch this video.

Essentially, though, Hassan was a victim of horrible timing. His crew's beatdown of The Undertaker aired just hours before the infamous London bombings, and there was national outrage over the WWE's supposed glorification of terrorism.

It wasn't really the WWE's fault because the company did not have enough time to edit the show, and it wasn't Hassan's fault because he was just playing a character on TV. 

But that didn't matter.

UPN, which aired Smackdown at the time, pressured the WWE to get Hassan's character off of TV, and the WWE did so for good by releasing him two months after the incident.

Just a bad situation for all involved. 

7. Lance Cade (2008 and 2010)

In 2008, Lance Cade was getting a decent push as the sidekick of Chris Jericho, but he was suddenly released from his contract in October of that year.

We would later learn through Jim Ross that Cade apparently had a seizure on a plane after using cocaine, which ultimately led to his release.

This was yet another instance where the WWE should have helped the guy rather than letting him go.

After Cade was released, however, the company rehired him late in 2009, only to release him yet again in April 2010 before he could even make it back to the main roster.

Four months later, Cade died of heart failure at the age of 29.

Could the WWE have done more to help him? I just don't know.

6. Matt Morgan (2005)

Matt Morgan has made quite the name for himself in TNA, but before he found success there, he had a forgettable run in the WWE.

After debuting on Smackdown in 2003, Morgan was sent back down to WWE's developmental territory at the time, Ohio Valley Wrestling, for some further seasoning before returning to the main roster in 2005 with a stuttering gimmick.

That was WWE career suicide.

Morgan's new speech disorder gimmick was a complete fail, and as a result, he was let go by the WWE just a couple of months after he returned to the main roster.

That's a shame because he's one of the best big men currently in the business, and the WWE completely dropped the ball on him.

5. Colt Cabana (2009)

On the independent circuit, he's known as Colt Cabana, one of the best wrestlers around.

In the WWE, he was known as "Scotty Goldman."

After debuting for the company in August 2008, Goldman wrestled a few matches, was off of TV for nearly five months and then was released in February 2009.

This was one of the most tremendous wastes of talent in recent WWE history.

Cabana is widely regarded as one of the best all-around performers on the indy circuit, but when you stick him with a ridiculous ring name and then keep him off of TV, you really can't expect the guy to be successful.

4. Elijah Burke (2008)

Elijah Burke is the ultimate example of the idiocy of the "Creative has nothing for you at the moment" excuse.

For much of 2007 and into 2008, Burke was one of the most important stars on the ECW brand, but out of the blue in May 2008, Burke simply stopped appearing on TV.

He would stay under WWE contact until November of that year, wrestling several dark matches under his "Black Pope" gimmick that he took with him to TNA. But apparently, the WWE brass didn't see enough in Burke's new character to keep him around, so they released him.

I just don't get the point of letting Burke wander under a creative gimmick that he himself came up with if all you're going to do is let him go before he can even try to get the gimmick over on TV.

Bad move by the WWE.

3. Umaga (2009)

This one looks pretty bad for the WWE.

In June 2009, the company released Umaga (real name: Edward Fatu) because he refused to enter a rehabilitation program for problem with substance abuse. Six months later, Umaga was dead.

It was discovered on Dec. 24 that he had passed away from acute toxicity, a result of the effects of the three prescription drugs that were in his system.

Sure, Umaga made the decision to put those drugs in his body, but there are those who argue that the WWE played a part in his death by releasing him rather than doing everything they could to get him help.

I'm not sure where I stand on that issue.

2. Daniel Bryan (2010)

Daniel Bryan's departure from the WWE in June 2010 was the one time when I couldn't tell if a release was storyline or legitimate.

But, lo and behold, the Wrestling Observer reported that the company actually let Bryan go because he choked announcer Justin Roberts with a tie during the Nexus' shocking attack at the end of an episode of Monday Night Raw.

So, let me get this straight: The WWE released arguably the best wrestler in the world because he attacked an announcer during a scripted attack?

Ridiculous.

I get that Bryan may have crossed the PG line by choking Roberts, but this is the same company that actually showed the Big Boss Man hanging in the middle of the ring.

Plus, there was so much going on when Bryan was choking Roberts out that a good portion of the viewers probably completely missed out on what he was doing. 

1. Serena (2010)

In 2010, CM Punk led the "Straight Edge Society," a stable based on Punk's straight-edge lifestyle that consisted of Luke Gallows, Joey Mercury and Serena.

As the story goes, the faction abstained from drugs, alcohol and any other mind-altering substances. However, Punk was the only one who actually followed this lifestyle in real life.

Serena didn't, and she was reportedly let go by the WWE for not "living out" her straight-edge gimmick in public. Off the air. Not on TV. In actuality.

Seriously?

Releasing Serena for drinking an alcoholic beverage would be like letting Zack Ryder go for failing to fist pump whenever he's out at a bar.

Serena's idiotic release is made even worse, though, by the fact that she can outwrestle 90 percent of the Divas currently on the WWE's main roster.