8 WWE Releases To Expect In 2020

While the emergence of All Elite Wrestling initially saw Vince McMahon hesitant to bellow "You're fired!!!!" at anybody for a little while, it appears that McMahon has softened his stance a little on handing out WWE releases - with Luke Harper a recent prime example of a star being let go by WWE within the past several months.

So with the prospect of WWE releases now back on the table, many a WWE-contracted talent may be contemplating a life outside of The E. Whether that's actively seeking their WWE release or alternatively getting outright fired, several names could soon find themselves exiting McMahon's sports entertainment behemoth.

At the moment, wrestling fans are gearing up for WWE's annual Road to WrestleMania. After 'Mania is in the company's rear-view mirror, however, WWE usually turns its attention to freeing up some funds by embarking on a purge of its contracted talent. And that's not even thinking of what other releases - or expiring contracts - could follow later in the year should McMahon decide that the time is right to cut bait on certain names.

Here, then, are eight (well, technically nine) WWE departures that could happen before 2020 is out.

What do you do with a talent who proved himself to be one of the best talkers in the wrestling industry? Why, you sign him to a deal and then make his character a mute.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the genius work of WWE upon signing Ethan Carter III in 2018.

For poor EC3, his WWE return seemed destined to fail from that moment on - and the sad truth of the matter is that the two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion has been afforded little to no genuine opportunities to succeed over the past couple of years.

Whether it was in NXT or on the main roster, the former Derrick Bateman has been the perfect example of the perennial afterthought. Bar one fluke win over an already-departing Dean Ambrose, there has been absolutely zero of note to EC3's current WWE run.

A recent interview for Chris Jericho's Talk Is Jericho podcast has got online tongues wagging that Carter could be AEW-bound once he's able to get his WWE release. The fact that WWE decided to abandon their plans to trademark the EC3 name, not to mention that the superstar hasn't appeared on any form of WWE TV since September, suggests that the Top One Percent's WWE days are numbered - which seems like the best thing for all parties.