10 international superstars WWE released in 2021: Where are they now?
WWE is the largest wrestling promotion in the world and has proven to be the land of opportunities for countless professional wrestlers.
Over the years, fans have watched many international superstars sign with the company. Every single one of these stars has come in with big hopes. French superstar André the Giant became one of the most well-known performers of the wrestling world. Italian-born Bruno Sammartino made waves early in the company’s history and became the longest-reigning champion of all time.
While many international superstars have seen a lot of success in WWE, not everyone has been as lucky. Unlike WWE Hall of Famer The Great Khali, Indian superstars Jeet Rama and Giant Zanjeer failed to make an impact before their release from the company earlier this year.
With that being said, take a look at the 10 prominent international superstars who were released by WWE in 2021.
#10. Moldovan WWE Superstar Marina Shafir was released from her contract in June 2021
MMA fighter Marina Shafir switched to professional wrestling and signed with WWE in 2018. Along with Jessamyn Duke, Shafir joined Shayna Baszler on WWE NXT.
Fans were hoping to watch the three women team up with Ronda Rousey someday to recreate the Four Horsewomen of MMA in WWE. However, Shafir and Duke never got a significant push in the company.
Their stock tumbled after Baszler moved to the main roster. The Moldovan superstar went unutilized for a long time before being released with Duke in June 2021. Her husband, Roderick Strong, is still working for NXT. She has since appeared for some independent promotions, including Game Changer Wrestling (GCW).
#9. Australian-born WWE Superstar Shane Thorne was released in November 2021
Shane Thorne joined WWE NXT in 2016. The Australian-born superstar hoped to make waves on the brand as fans were quite impressed with his in-ring work.
Thorne remained prominent in NXT but failed to win any titles. He moved to the main roster in early 2020. After performing as Shane Thorne on the main roster for some time, he was assigned to the villainous faction Retribution and renamed Slapjack.
Things didn't work out for Thorne, who went nowhere after the stable broke up. He remained off-TV for a long time and was released by WWE in November 2021. However, thanks to his popularity, he is likely to get bagged quickly by another top promotion.