10 Most Heartbreaking WWE Releases Ever
8. Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder’s abrupt release felt like losing a friend.
In 2011, he filmed himself in his Long Island bedroom to launch “Z! True Long Island Story,” racking up millions of views and forcing WWE to stop overlooking him. Yet after years of viral success, he was buried in forgettable tag teams and throwaway matches, even as his “Woo Woo Woo” chant became a rallying cry for fans.
His crowning moment came when he leapt from a ladder to win the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 32, but by the next night the company treated that breakthrough as a blip.
When April 15, 2020 rolled around, Ryder’s name appeared in WWE’s latest roster-cut tweet without any on-air send-off.
Outrage followed online: John Cena praised Ryder’s tenacity during a SmackDown appearance, Kevin Owens called him a pioneer of self-promotion, and Sami Zayn lamented that the locker room lost a true believer.
Ryder refused to fade quietly. Reinventing himself as Matt Cardona, he dominated GCW, NJPW Strong and beyond, hoisting indie and regional titles that underscored his worth. WWE’s cold cut remains a case study in underestimating a talent who built his own brand, proving that sometimes the best stars are the ones who force their own way into the spotlight.