"I didn't go out guns ablazing" - 5 recently released WWE Superstars who are open to making a return
Since Triple H took charge of WWE creative, a few recently-released superstars have returned to the company. The Game brought back Dakota Kai, Karrion Kross, and Scarlett Bordeaux. Dexter Lumis also made a brief appearance on the latest episode of Monday Night RAW.
Other recently-released superstars have also expressed their openness to the idea of returning to the Stamford-based company. A few of these wrestlers are currently free agents. Meanwhile, others are under contract with other wrestling promotions.
Here are five recently-released WWE Superstars who are open to making a return.
#5. Lana
In June 2013, Lana (aka CJ Perry) signed with WWE. The Florida native spent only a few months in NXT before moving to the main roster as Rusev's manager in 2014. Over the next seven years, she also became an in-ring competitor and was one of the main cast members of Total Divas' seventh season.
Despite having significant popularity among the WWE Universe, the company released Lana from her contract in June 2021 due to budget cuts. She has since stepped away from professional wrestling.
In an interview with ITR Wrestling, The Ravishing One disclosed that she is open to returning to the Stamford-based company. However, on one condition:
"I miss the fans, the people, the adrenaline rush, and I would absolutely love to return and be part of something that is iconic. If it's not iconic, I'm good. I'll be a fan," she said. (H/T: Fightful)
Lana is currently focusing on her acting career. Last year, the 37-year-old starred in Cosmic Sin alongside Bruce Willis. She is also one of the stars of the upcoming movie Wifelike.
#4. Top Dolla
Although he signed with WWE in January 2020, Top Dolla did not make his televised debut on NXT until May 2021. He then formed Hit Row on NXT alongside Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Ashante "Thee" Adonis, and B-Fab.
After competing in only a few matches on NXT, Dolla moved to SmackDown with his Hit Row partners in the 2021 Draft in October. In his first and last match on the Blue Brand, the 32-year-old teamed up with Scott to defeat Daniel Williams and Dustin Lawyer.
In November 2021, the company released Dolla, Scott, and Adonis from their contracts due to budget cuts. In an interview with One on One with Jon Alba, Dolla revealed that he believed he would return to WWE in the future:
"Do I think I'm done with WWE forever? No, just from some personal conversations I've had with people, I don't. Do I think that I need to focus on myself right now? Absolutely. To be honest with you, I've been focusing on myself my whole life, so that isn't anything new." (H/T: Wrestling Inc.)
Since his WWE departure, Dolla has competed in two matches on the independent circuit.
#3. Chelsea Green
After wrestling for a few years on the independent circuit and in a few promotions, including IMPACT Wrestling and Lucha Underground, Chelsea Green signed with WWE in 2018.
The 31-year-old spent about two years in NXT before making her main roster debut in November 2020 on SmackDown, participating in a Survivor Series fatal four-way qualifying match. After suffering a broken wrist during the bout, Green remained inactive until the company released her from her contract in April 2021 due to budget cuts.
Following her departure, Green revealed in an interview with Fightful that she was open to returning to WWE:
"Yeah totally! I mean, never say never for anything for any opportunity you know, and I didn't go out guns ablazing with WWE. I have a relationship with all those people that the bridge is not burnt. I think I have a good relationship with all those people. I'm really excited to not focus on WWE and to focus on the other companies that I know I can be a star at, but never say never for anything in the future."
In July 2021, Green returned to IMPACT Wrestling, where she is currently under contract.
#2. Former 24/7 Champion Mojo Rawley
After spending about three years in NXT, Mojo Rawley made his main roster debut in July 2016. The 36-year-old spent nearly five years competing on Monday Night RAW and SmackDown, during which he won the 24/7 Championship seven times and the André the Giant Memorial Trophy in 2017.
However, Rawley was inactive for 10 months before WWE released him from his contract in April 2021. In an interview with Fightful, the former 24/7 Champion disclosed that the door is still open to a possible return to the Stamford-based company:
"More or less. There was a lot that went into that. Maybe we'll touch on that later. But, yeah, more or less it was like, 'Hey, man. Door's open. Good luck."
Since his release, Rawley has not competed inside the squared circle. Instead, he currently runs a talent agency for wrestlers.
#1. Former WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe
In 2015, Samoa Joe joined WWE after wrestling for several years in other promotions, including IMPACT Wrestling and ROH. The 43-year-old quickly became one of the top stars on NXT, winning the NXT Championship twice.
After a successful run on NXT, Joe made his main roster in January 2017. Over the next few years, the 43-year-old won the United States Title twice. However, injuries forced him to stay on the sidelines for over a year - between February 2020 and April 2021 - during which he became a color commentator. The company then released him from his contract due to budget cuts.
Despite this, Triple H offered Joe another contract just a few hours after his release, as the former United States Champion disclosed in an interview with TalkSport:
"When the release came, it was only a few hours later Hunter [Triple H] came [in] with the new offer ready for me so it was a pretty easy transition. I can't really sit here and feign that I got released and 'oh, it was a sombre day.' I wasn't down anyway, but then Hunter called and we were good from there so it's tough for me to begin to address the release because when you read it in a tweet it's like 'oh my gosh!’'But the way the actual events transpired for me, it was very mundane and alright, sign here and sign there, we're good [laughs]. There wasn't a mourning process in this whole deal," he said.
Two months after his release, Joe returned to NXT. He spent nearly another seven months on the company's third brand, during which he won his third NXT Championship before the company let him go again in January 2022.
Speaking to the media in April 2022, Joe disclosed that he predicted his second release from WWE:
"My going back to WWE was majorly because of the people I worked with and relationships I built in the company, mainly two people in Triple H and William Regal. As Triple H, dealing with his situation which I obviously knew about and was way more concerned about than my employment, Regal and his departure, I knew the writing was on the wall for me." (H/T: Wrestling Inc.)
Despite getting released twice in less than 12 months, Joe refused to rule out a possible return to WWE in the future in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
With Triple H as EVP of Talent Relations and Head of Creative, the former United States Champion might now feel tempted to make his comeback to WWE.
Nevertheless, Joe is currently under contract with AEW. The 43-year-old also performs on AEW's sister promotion, ROH, where he is now the ROH World Television Champion.