5 Most surprising departures in WWE history
WWE is the largest pro wrestling company in the world, making it the ultimate destination for the best competitors that the industry has to offer. Being a part of the company is almost every wrestler's dream, as those that make it are promised a great deal of fame and fortune.
This dream, however, can sometimes turn into a nightmare. The nature of the business has taken its toll on numerous Superstars, forcing some of them to depart from the company. WWE's roster is overflowing with a lot of talent, and as a result, a lot of wrestlers find themselves stumbling down the card or not being featured at all.
While most of them chose to remain in the company despite their grievances, others made a contrary decision to further their careers elsewhere. Some of these exits occurred in the middle of a big push, leaving a void in the show and the WWE Universe astounded.
So, without further delay, let's dive in and take a look at the five most surprising departures in WWE.
#5 Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio was set to be a big star from the time WWE officials laid their eyes on him. He made his televised in-ring debut on an episode of SmackDown in 2010 where he cleanly defeated former World Champion Rey Mysterio.
The following year, Del Rio won the 2011 Royal Rumble match and challenged Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania in what was the Rated-R Superstar's last match in nine years.
That same year, Alberto Del Rio won the Money in the Bank contract and made history as the first person to ever win the Rumble and the briefcase in the very same year. He went on to capture the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight title after that.
WWE was high on Del Rio, and it looked like he was going to remain one of the top stars in the company but that all went downhill after it was shockingly revealed that he departed from WWE in 2014 after being fired for unprofessional conduct. He reportedly got into a backstage altercation with an employee after the latter made an inappropriate joke.
Del Rio returned to the company in 2015 and defeated John Cena to win the United States Championship in his first night back. His second run with the company was quite disappointing, and he was released the following year to a lesser surprise.