10 Most Shocking WWE Releases Ever
9. Emma
That Emma had experienced a rather tumultuous run in 2017 had been largely forgotten by the time she was released, mainly because she'd just played a crucial role in kicking off one of the more important NXT-to-main roster transitions in the system's history.
Emmalina (the transformation to and then back out of) was an unmitigated disaster that apparently put something of a barrier up between the former NXT favourite and several backstage. Her lack of confidence in the (probably quite one-note) character did her no favours politically, but this should have been brushed aside following the performances she gave on the losing end of matches against the debuting Asuka and Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2017 and Monday Night Raw the next night.
As she'd done in NXT, Emma helped get the act all the way over from the off, and the defeats looked like the sort that would ultimately be rewarded with something for her when the time was right. Instead, within days of the second match, she was fired.
The above internal discontent was cited, but the Australian had never looked so close to fulfilling her potential as she had done the very week WWE decided otherwise.