8 WWE Superstars Released Today In Mass Firings

7. Alex Riley

Riley was initially signed by WWE in 2007 and assigned to FCW, where he competed as Alex Riley, Carson Oakley, and Kevin Kiley (his real name). In 2010, he was called up to the main roster to compete on the second season of the then-competition show NXT, with The Miz as his pro. Riley finished in third place, but his alliance with The Miz carried over to Raw. Riley carried Miz's Money in the Bank briefcase, ran interference in matches, and even cornered the WWE Champion in a WrestleMania match involving John Cena and The Rock.

Riley turned face in 2011, beating The Miz in a singles showdown. His stock fell after that, though, and he spent the rest of 2011 and 2012 losing matches. In 2013, he transitioned to a role as a broadcaster, becoming a regular at the NXT commentary booth. He eventually made his way back into the ring, though, participating in WrestleMania 31's battle royal and losing a mini-feud with Kevin Owens. Knee surgery kept him out of action for much of 2015, but he returned to the ring this past January.

Riley's last appearance, a match with Shinsuke Nakamura, will air on next week's NXT broadcast.