Every WWE Release Of 2021 - Where Are They Now? (Five Years Later)

Then: Leon Ruff was catching eyeballs for his work in EVOLVE before finally signing a WWE contract in October 2020. Pre-WWE deal, he'd worked a few "local competitor" spots on TV via NXT, Raw and SmackDown. Before inking his terms with the promotion, Ruff stared at the lights for Aleister Black, Sheamus, Karrion Kross, Tommaso Ciampa and more.

Leon became NXT North American Champion in November 2020, but had dropped the belt back to Johnny Gargano by the end of the year. From there, he formed a tag-team with Kushida but was let go in August 2021.

Now: Ruff wrestled no less than 19 matches for AEW after leaving WWE (mainly on Dark, Rampage and ROH), but he couldn't sell Tony Khan on a full-time job. So, it was back to the independent scene for the former North American Champ.

Away from the ring, Leon married current WWE referee Aja Smith in September 2022.

It's notable that Ruff is still only 29 years old. He seems to have been around forever, and actually started training when he was still a teenager. Could a WWE return be on the cards someday? It remains to be seen, but nobody should rule it out completely. Stranger things have definitely happened, and it's not like Leon ruffled any feathers on his way out the door in 2021.

Perhaps the biggest surprise here is that Ruff didn't land a full-time contract in AEW. He seems to be precisely the kind of worker Khan likes. Meh, maybe in the future. He's hardly washed up.