5 Most shocking WWE departures of 2024 so far
Seeing WWE Superstars and other on-screen talents depart the company is a constant. However, some exits hit harder than others due to their unexpected nature.
Many names have exited WWE in 2024, whether they be wrestlers, on-screen talents, or authoritative figures. This includes former commentator Kevin Patrick, former host Matt Camp, former Intercontinental Champion Ricochet, and many more. While their exit came as a surprise, some departures were more shocking as they involved well-known names or stars who were having a good run in the company before they left.
In this list, we will look at five WWE names who shockingly departed the company in 2024:
#5. Jinder Mahal was released after sharing a major moment with The Rock
Despite being a former WWE Champion, Jinder Mahal's career didn't take off again after he dropped the title in 2018. He was mainly used as a mid-carder but managed to somewhat revitalize his career in early 2024.
On WWE RAW Day One, The Maharaja was the one who welcomed back The Rock. Mahal went on to have a memorable storyline with Seth Rollins. After that, he got into a social media feud with Tony Khan. The social media war turned him into a fan favorite. When the Canadian professional wrestler fought Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship, many were rooting for him. It was thought that he was set to be portrayed as another threat on the roster, but he was shockingly released in April.
#4. Samantha Irvin recently announced her WWE departure
Earlier this year, it was announced that Ricochet would no longer remain with the Stamford-based promotion. The former RAW Superstar is now performing in AEW under the same name. While his departure wasn't a shock to many as the erstwhile Prince Puma hadn't been placed in a prominent spot in the company for a while, the same can't be said for his fiancee Samantha Irvin.
The ring announcer became a fan favorite due to the unique way she introduced talents. However, Irvin shocked the wrestling world when she announced she had exited the company before this week's RAW episode. The 35-year-old was replaced by the legendary Lilian Garcia.
#3. Bobby Lashley wasn't exactly treated well on WWE SmackDown
Bobby Lashley's last months in the Stamford-based promotion weren't the most promising. He was aligned with the Street Profits and B-Fab to form The Pride and feuded with The Final Testament, which resulted in a WrestleMania XL match. Although the Philadelphia Street Fight was exciting, the buildup was quite lackluster.
In August this year, after weeks of speculation that his contract was expiring, Lashley's profile was moved to the alumni section of WWE. His former Hurt Business groupmate and legend MVP also left around the same time.
#2. Becky Lynch didn't renew her contract
The contracts of several stars expired this year, but some decided to renew them, like Seth Rollins, Chad Gable, Finn Balor, and Drew McIntyre. However, one name who didn't do so was Becky Lynch.
Lynch's last match was in May this year when she failed to regain the Women's World Championship from Liv Morgan in a Steel Cage Match. Her contract expired in June 2024. The Man has been spending more time with her daughter in her off-time but reports state that despite being a free agent, she was still considered part of the company.
#1. Vince McMahon exited WWE again
In 2022, the wrestling world was shocked when Vince McMahon announced that he had retired from the company following allegations of sexual misconduct. He returned in early 2023 to aid the sale of the company, which was eventually bought by Endeavor, later merging the wrestling company with the UFC to form TKO.
Vince McMahon remained with TKO as the executive chairman but resigned again earlier this year following a lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant who accused the 79-year-old of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.