10 Superstars That Will LEAVE WWE In 2022

Either getting out of the system or being forced out the door, which WWE contracts won't see 2023?

Liv Morgan
WWE

Based on the stark change in WWE corporate policy over the last few years, 10 almost seems a little conservative a starting point for this list.

Throughout the mid-2010s, Triple H set about filling the Performance Center with a heady mix of indie darlings and (theoretically) the best and brightest trainees out there. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom boom was targeted and conquered in the name of filling out 205 Live and NXT UK shows nobody has ever watched. And in the year or so between ALL IN and All Elite Wrestling's maiden episode of Dynamite on TNT, WWE began dishing out deals that sounded awfully appealing from the outside.

From The Good Brothers to Dana Brooke, Jinder Mahal and others, stories emerged about wrestlers finally getting pretty f*cking rich from the job, even if it meant limited exposure and/or a push that didn't remotely correspond to the dollar amount. WWE would simply rather have you than not, it seemed.

But the pendulum has swung again.

The choices of the last decade have faced a course correction by a WWE headed up by Vince McMahon's current favourite front face Nick Khan. From warehoused unknowns to cult favourite acts and even wrestlers that main evented pay-per-views just weeks prior, a new precent has been set.

In the era of guaranteed contracts, there are still no guarantees. As this lot will show within the next year...

10. Jeff Hardy

Liv Morgan
WWE.com

There’s something of a crushing inevitability about Jeff Hardy’s eventual arrival in All Elite Wrestling.

That’s not to say he wouldn’t offer some value to AEW of course, but recent precedent has brought into question just how much is enough. Matt Hardy’s contributions have been mixed, Christian Cage’s obvious benefits were undermined by the hare-brained over-promotion of his debut, and Chris Jericho’s contributions of late have started to gently chip away at the enormous good will his maiden title reign built up.

’The Charismatic Enigma’, meanwhile, is either showing his age on Raw, or showing his indifference. Hardy bravely gave his mind and body to the cause when neither had fully developed - he more than deserves an easier ride as an elder statesmen. There may come a point where Vince McMahon disagrees, and Hardy has siblings and powerful friends that will welcome him onto the other channel as a result.

And…maybe it won’t be so bad. Just don’t give him Dennis Waterman privileges on the theme tune, eh?

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett