How WWE Failed EVERY Wrestler Released In 2021

Braun Strowman's name looked like a typo on WWE's latest list of releases.

While "major names" were speculated hours before confirmation broke, Strowman felt like a WWE lifer. He was a system guy, a true ground-up developmental project, and at one point possessed everything McMahon purportedly looks for in a pushable star, with his size, look, power, and flashes of charisma. It's easy to forget in 2021, long after Strowman has fallen into the same scripted promo trap as the majority of his peers, but the guy was a human soundbite machine for a while. "I'm not finished with you!" was effortlessly over.

Aleister Black, Ruby Riott, and Kalisto are better wrestlers from a workrate standpoint, but their releases are easier to understand at Vince's base level. Smaller, more athletic wrestlers beloved of those darn internet fans don't pass the airport test, pal. Strowman, however?

Bizarre, despite his big-money contract and knees ground to dust by years of needlessly choo-chooing around the ring.

McMahon should have made millions with Strowman. Instead, he cut a wrestler he didn't strap a World Championship to until three years after he first got hot, then booked him through one of the worst top title runs in recent memory, lowlighted by the empty arena era's lamest match. This is without mentioning Nicholas, the giant standing bass, Tyson Fury, and other creative flubs.

And if Vince and co. can't even book giants anymore, what hope does anyone else have?

CONT'd...