Ex-WWE Champion Says He Felt “Unchained” After Release

WWE is the world’s top wrestling promotion, a place where performers eventually hope to end up.

Despite that, it’s not perfect, as complaints about the mistreatment of talent, politicking, etc., keep surfacing time and again.

In fact, wrestlers who find themselves trapped in such loops often feel content when they are released or their contract ends.

One such talent is Paul London, who had a multi-year stint with the Stamford promotion from 2003 to 2008. During his time in the company, he was a 3-time tag team champion and won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship once.

During a recent appearance on the Cafe de Rene with Rene Dupree podcast, a user asked, when a wrestler asks for their release, does the process take time, or is it offered without any hassles.

To this, London clarified that he never asked for his release, but received a call from the then-Talent Relations head, John Laurinaitis, and that the call lasted only a short while.

The 45-year-old also recalled the mistreatment he was meted out, claiming that he felt unchained after he was released.

I think that was kind of the final nail for me, for somebody that, like, they were just looking for an excuse to get rid of, and so it was very meh…I remember feeling angry and embarrassed for them that that’s how they handled it. There was a big thing of relief, too, I think over me, where it was just like being unchained. [2:13 onwards]

WWE Star Confirms End Of Wrestling Career

Mandy Rose is another former WWE Champion, whose release was unceremonious and came as a shock to the fans.

Rose was released on December 14, 2022, just one day after her historic 413-day NXT Women’s Championship reign came to an end.

Speaking on Episode 39 of Prince St. Pizza podcast, she confirmed that her days of in-ring competition were behind her.

It was the end of my career, which is kind of like, you know, I kind of like went out on top, which I always wanted to, but I didn’t suspect that my career was ending.

It was just something that happened, and it ended, but like I said, I was grateful that I had that run because it really increased my equity in the company like 10 fold.

Also read: 5-Time WWE Champion Teases Return 9 Months After Release