10 Wrestlers Who Never Recovered From Their WWE Release
1. Chyna
Few, if any, have ever been as adversely affected by a WWE release as Chyna. One of the Attitude Era’s most notable competitors, Chyna overcame her significant in-ring deficiencies to become a true spectacle athlete. Her “Ninth Wonder of the World” Nickname was well-earned, and she was a trailblazing wrestler who was just as comfortable wrestling men as she was woman, even earning three Intercontinental Title reigns throughout her WWE career.
Say what you will about Chyna’s skill or creative direction, but she made a mark on the industry. Unfortunately, things came tumbling down in 2001 after a situation involving her former real-life ex-boyfriend, Triple H. Chyna claimed that he’d been cheating on her with Stephanie McMahon prior to their own relationship’s dissolution, and after a failed meeting with Vince McMahon, Chyna was sent home and fired.
Chyna’s life took a long, hard fall almost immediately after. She joined NJPW shortly after leaving WWE, but made only a handful of appearances for the company, and her attempted 2011 TNA run was just as short-lived. Her wrestling career was completely obliterated by her WWE release, and Chyna hit rock bottom in her personal life. It’s a well-worn tale by now, but after forays in the adult entertainment business, battles with substance abuse and depression, and a domestic assault charge, Chyna fell off the rails.
Once one of WWE’s biggest talking points, everyone, at this point, knows how Chyna’s story ended. A tragic tale that started-off with her WWE release, even though it would be cynical to tie it all together.