8 WWE Superstars Released Today In Mass Firings

3. Santino Marella

Santino Marella, who retired from in-ring competition in 2014 but had still been under WWE contract, became the sixth superstar to be released frpm the company on Friday.

Marella famously debuted on an 2007 episode of Raw in Milan, playing the role of a fan who was picked from the audience to challenge Umaga for the Intercontinental Title. With some help from Lashley, Marella toppled "The Samoan Bulldozer" to capture the belt in a huge upset.

Despite an association with Maria Kanellis, Marella struggled as a bland babyface and was soon turned heel. Once he was a villain, Marella was able to show off his formidable promo skills, becoming one of the most entertaining talkers of the modern era. After joining forces with Beth Phoenix, he captured the Intercontinental Title for a second time.

In 2009, Marella turned face once again but retained his sense of humor. He captured the Miss WrestleMania crown at WrestleMania 25 and subsequently feuded with Vickie Guerrero, then later formed a championship tag team with Vladimir Kozlov. In a particularly dramatic moment, Marella nearly won the 2011 Royal Rumble. The following year, he reigned as U.S. Champion.

In 2014, a neck injury forced Marella to announce his retirement. After surgery he reconsidered and claimed to still be able to wrestle, but a comeback never materialized. In recent years, Marella had focused on training students at his Battle Arts Academy school and promotion in Ontario.