Smark Out Moment

While the beginning of the year brings about the ONE TO WATCH for 2020 where we discuss which WWE wrestlers are going to have the best year, the counterbalance to that is the FUTURE ENDEAVORS FORECAST.

In this segment, we discuss some of the people that we think will unfortunately not be on the roster come 2020 for one reason or another. Perhaps they will retire or be forced to take a leave of absence due to injuries. Maybe they will quit because of some kind of a dispute. Then again, most of them will probably just be flat out fired. Whatever the case may be, let's look at some potential options that will be wished the best of luck in their future endeavors this year.

Stay tuned to the list of releases from 2020 to see how the predictions turn out!

FUTURE ENDEAVORS FORECAST FOR 2020

* NOTE: This isn't to say that we're necessarily wishing these releases upon the men and women that we mention. That might be the case for some, but generally speaking, this is about predicting what WWE will do more so than picking and choosing what we would like to see happen. This list represents the few that I feel the most confident will be gone, not who I would want to be leaving. *

The Colons

Every year, I say the same thing and it keeps not happening, but I'll repeat it again just in case...even if this is like the fifth time I've said this...

Epico and Primo have been around way too long to accomplish way too little. Their status on the WWE hierarchy falls further and further every year. This year, they wrestled less than a dozen DARK MATCHES (and lost all of them) at the beginning of the year, none of them were reported injured as an excuse, and then, Primo was suspended for a Wellness Policy "violation" of sorts. They didn't show up on television a single time. Why is WWE still paying them to be on the roster if they don't give a shit about them? Isn't it just two wasted paychecks? Let the guys leave!

Apollo Crews

He's been conspicuously absent for a while now. Is that because he's one of the people who wants to leave and WWE figures they might as well not use him? Maybe I'm reading too much into nothing, but the fact that he hasn't achieved anything yet in WWE makes me wonder if he's frustrated (with due reason) and wants out.

Cedric Alexander

He had his cruiserweight title reign, but they seem to have soured on him, for whatever reason. Since then, his wife (Big Swole) got signed to AEW.

It wouldn't shock me if we see Alexander pop up in that company at some point in 2020 if they're able to scoop him up. If WWE lets him go, I'm supremely confident that will happen. Then again, maybe this is an Apollo Crews thing where I'm imagining backstage frustrations that aren't actually there.

The Revival

C'mon. We know it's happening around WrestleMania.

EC3

His time in NXT wasn't as great as it could have been. Then, his time on the main roster has been atrocious.

Vince McMahon must not see him as a worthwhile investment. If that's the case, it would take a lot to convince him otherwise and turn this career around. Rather than bust his ass on the house show circuit as a jobber for years to come, EC3 might want to leave again and try to make a name for himself in NWA, AEW, MLW or go back to Impact.

It would make me sad, cause I think he has a ton of potential, but I would understand, as WWE isn't tapping into what he has to offer.

Gentleman Jack Gallagher

He's been a heel and a face twice now and all it seems WWE likes to do with him is make him lose, get frustrated, and "change" back to the opposite. He's lost a TON of steam since when he first came in with the Cruiserweight Classic and I'm worried he isn't going to get any of that momentum back.

Gallagher just looks over it and since there was talk that he wanted to get back into MMA, it wouldn't shock me if that's where he went in 2020.

Gran Metalik and Kalisto

Both of these two said a few months back that their deals were expiring and that they were looking to go elsewhere. So...yeah...

The Hardy Boyz

Matt Hardy seems like he's checked out. We have no confirmation they're leaving, but WWE doesn't seem to be doing anything to try to keep him. Meanwhile, Jeff is dealing with his injuries and legal issues and that's never a good thing.

My hope is that Jeff will get his stuff sorted out and be better, while WWE will give more creative freedom to Matt. Then, we can keep these two in the mix so they can have some quality tag team matches for a while longer and get into the Hall of Fame as they deserve.

Mike and Maria Kanellis

Mike wants to be gone and likely would be if he hadn't signed a new contract. Maria claims that she doesn't want to leave, but that makes no sense at all. I really feel like these two want to get as much money from WWE as possible while also leaving and that the pressures of raising their kids and Mike not having his career go in the direction he hoped have just become too much, and instead of admitting that, they're all over the place on social media.

Even though they're under contract, I think WWE will get tired of paying them for nothing and they'll let them go and grant them their releases. Then, they'll just head to MLW, AEW, Ring of Honor or wherever.

Check out our discussion on this topic on the latest episode of the Smack Talk podcast below!

WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE RELEASED IN 2020?
LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

While the beginning of the year brings about the ONE TO WATCH for 2019 where we discuss which WWE wrestlers are going to have the best year, the counterbalance to that is the FUTURE ENDEAVORS FORECAST.

In this segment, we discuss some of the people that we think will unfortunately not be on the roster come 2019 for one reason or another. Perhaps they will retire or be forced to take a leave of absence due to injuries. Maybe they will quit because of some kind of a dispute. Then again, most of them will probably just be flat out fired. Whatever the case may be, let's look at some potential options that will be wished the best of luck in their future endeavors this year.

Stay tuned to the list of releases from 2019 to see how the predictions turn out!

* NOTE: This isn't to say that we're necessarily wishing these releases upon the men and women that we mention. That might be the case for some, but generally speaking, this is about predicting what WWE will do more so than picking and choosing what we would like to see happen. This list represents the few that I feel the most confident will be gone, not who I would want to be leaving. *

The Colons

Every year, I say the same thing and it keeps not happening, but I'll repeat it again just in case.

Epico and Primo have been around way too long to accomplish way too little. They clearly aren't going anywhere and they spent the majority of 2017 sitting on the sidelines. What's the point in staying? Why does WWE keep them on the payroll if they aren't being of any real use?

They should go to World Wrestling Council.

Dana Brooke

I feel like if any woman on the main roster gets cut, it'll be Dana Brooke, who perpetually has had almost nothing to do and doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon with her Titus Worldwide role.

That feels almost like a last ditch effort to try to do something with her and when it doesn't pan out, they might just call it quits.

Dolph Ziggler

It seems like Ziggler is always on the bubble, yet he doesn't pull that trigger in taking an actual extended leave of absence. Maybe this year, he does?

Goldust + The Good Brothers + The Revival

I think both teams and Goldust are leaving and going to All Elite Wrestling.

Gran Metalik

When you tweet out to people asking their opinion on where you'll go when you leave WWE, that's pretty much a sign...

Rhyno

Rhyno has done virtually nothing since winning the tag titles and he even had a story of being fired just recently. It's kind of amazing he's still hanging around, instead of being utilized elsewhere or leaving for politics or some other kind of work.

Raul Mendoza

There aren't many people I think are expendable in NXT right now, but if I had to guess anybody who is on the bubble, it would be Raul Mendoza. It depends on how well his tag team with Humberto Carrillo works out. If that gives him enough of a reason to stick around as a jobber, they'll keep him, but if they end up looking for any reason to cut costs, he may be in jeopardy.

Tino Sabbatelli

Something just strikes me as this being the year they give up on him, once he's returned from his injury. I could see him getting medical clearance, coming back for a month or so, and then fading away.

Check out our discussion on this topic on the latest episode of the Smack Talk podcast below!

While the beginning of the year brings about the ONE TO WATCH for 2018 where we discuss which WWE wrestlers are going to have the best year, the counterbalance to that is the FUTURE ENDEAVORS FORECAST.

In this segment, we discuss some of the people that we think will unfortunately not be on the roster come 2018 for one reason or another. Perhaps they will retire or be forced to take a leave of absence due to injuries. Maybe they will quit because of some kind of a dispute. Then again, most of them will probably just be flat out fired. Whatever the case may be, let's look at some potential options that will be wished the best of luck in their future endeavors this year.

Stay tuned to the list of releases from 2018 to see how the predictions turn out!

* NOTE: This isn't to say that we're necessarily wishing these releases upon the men and women that we mention. That might be the case for some, but generally speaking, this is about predicting what WWE will do more so than picking and choosing what we would like to see happen. This list represents the few that I feel the most confident will be gone, not who I would want to be leaving. *

Christy St. Cloud

NXT has a habit of going through interviewers and announcers very easily and she's the bottom of the totem pole right now. Someone like Kayla Braxton could end up randomly leaving, but they seem to be using her more, whereas Christy is still struggling a bit.

The Colons

Epico and Primo have been around for a long while and really have equally too much to show for their efforts as well as not too much to be proud of. Lately, they haven't even made their return to the ring after Primo's injury has subsided and he's been cleared to compete, which is very suspicious.

I wouldn't be shocked at all if we hear that The Colons are done with WWE this year and they go back to their father's promotion to be heralded as top talent there.

Dana Brooke

I feel like if any woman on the main roster gets cut, it'll be Dana Brooke, who perpetually has had almost nothing to do and doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon with her Titus Worldwide role.

That feels almost like a last ditch effort to try to do something with her and when it doesn't pan out, they might just call it quits.

Daniel Bryan

He wants to wrestle. It's doubtful WWE will clear him. Eventually, that's going to come to a head where he'll ask them to make the final judgment call, they'll say no, and he'll leave when his contract is up.

Dolph Ziggler

Do I even need to explain this one?

Kacy Catanzaro

Developmental talent are easy to release since they haven't developed a following and more often than not, they're axed since they find out they aren't cut out for the business in some fashion. With Kacy Catanzaro, she's attractive and athletic, yet she's already said that she won't be a heel, which Triple H actually went out of his way to disagree with. If she has that kind of "I won't" mentality, she'll either have to learn that she can't make that call, or she'll quit when she finds out that she doesn't have that control.

Lince Dorado

I feel like Dorado is the only guy who gets constantly overlooked on 205 Live, and I'm not sure why that's the case. The guy never does anything, and we sometimes go months without a single appearance from him.

It's a weird scenario, and out of everyone on that roster who doesn't have a preexisting "potential release" vibe hovering around them, he's the only on I can see them actively getting rid of for the standard excuse of "creative has nothing for you" problems.

Neville

Since taking his leave, Neville has yet to come back, and there have been reports that negotiations of his return have stopped. I guess he's going to be one of those names who goes to the indies and tries to make a bigger name for himself similar to Cody Rhodes and Jack Swagger, which he may or may not be successful in doing.

Rhyno

Despite winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship with Heath Slater, Rhyno hasn't accomplished anything since then. He's barely even been used as a regular jobber, let alone someone who wins matches.

At a certain point, you have to assume he'll take his leave and pursue other avenues in politics, which is something he's clearly passionate about.

Rich Swann

He's already indefinitely suspended and unless something happens that drastically changes the way he's viewed in this situation, he's basically just waiting on his release. Nobody will be surprised when that announcement is made.

Check out our discussion on this topic on the latest episode of the Smack Talk podcast below!

While the beginning of the year brings about the ONE TO WATCH for 2017 where we discuss which WWE wrestlers are going to have the best year, the counterbalance to that is the FUTURE ENDEAVORS FORECAST.

In this segment, we discuss some of the people that we think will unfortunately not be on the roster come 2017 for one reason or another. Perhaps they will retire or be forced to take a leave of absence due to injuries. Maybe they will quit because of some kind of a dispute. Then again, most of them will probably just be flat out fired. Whatever the case may be, let's look at some potential options that will be wished the best of luck in their future endeavors this year.

Stay tuned to the list of releases from 2017 to see how the predictions turn out!

* NOTE: This isn't to say that we're necessarily wishing these releases upon the men and women that we mention. That might be the case for some, but generally speaking, this is about predicting what WWE will do more so than picking and choosing what we would like to see happen. This list represents the few that I feel the most confident will be gone, not who I would want to be leaving. *

10. Bob Backlund / Chris Jericho

Depending on how you count this as a "release", I expect both Bob Backlund and Chris Jericho to leave the company in some fashion this year. Jericho will undoubtedly take his exit after WrestleMania in order to focus on Fozzy, but does it really count if he's likely to also return again at some point? Likewise, how do you gauge something like Backlund, who will probably not make appearances with Darren Young after they scrap that gimmick, but will remain on retainer as an ambassador with a legends contract?

9. Hideo Itami

I'm not super confident about this, but it wouldn't shock me. Hideo Itami has basically been a bust since signing with the company. The majority of his time on the roster has consisted of him on the injured list, so WWE might want to just cut their losses and save on the money they're paying him.

8. Konnor

While both members of The Ascension could very well be on the chopping block due to how poorly they've been booked since their switch to the main roster, I'd be much more concerned about my career if I were Konnor than if I were Viktor. Konnor's had more chances and he's also had more failures, including two Wellness Policy violations, meaning one more suspension and he's gone.

7. Bo Dallas

A while back, people spoke of Bo Dallas as having a bright future with the company. Where did that go? Down into the abyss, apparently, as he came onto the main roster as a comedic jobber and has never bounced back. At his peak, he was a prominently featured loser, but more often than not, he's such a low priority that he isn't even being booked to lose because he's not making an appearance at all. Since getting arrested, his stock must have dropped even more, and if WWE reaches a point where they need to cut some costs, he's going to be easier to release than someone who has caused less problems and has proven themselves a more valuable asset.

6. Summer Rae

For months, Summer Rae has been out with injuries, but you probably forgot she was even on the roster, didn't you? She had a good thing going in NXT and was even carving a niche for herself as Fandango's dance partner a few years ago, but when she branched off into singles competition in the women's division on the main roster, she was left in the dust. Not once has she ever been booked as a legitimate contender to the title and with the brand split and the Women's Revolution putting even more pressure on the female competitors to up their game, Summer Rae could easily find herself outmatched. If that happens and they don't find a different role for her as a manager or something, she may reach a point where she moves on to a different career choice of sorts, putting WWE in her past as a section of her resume. Why continue to beat yourself up if the company in so many words tells you there's not much of a future for you?

5. Sin Cara

Fighting with people is never going to help your standing on the company, particularly if there are repeated offenses. Although it's not fair, it also hurts him that the other Sin Cara before him had many problems, tainting him by association of the gimmick. Sooner or later, a straw will break the camel's back. With Kalisto, Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik, there's enough masks in WWE to justify 86-ing Sin Cara without feeling like there's a gap in the roster.

4. Sawyer Fulton

Every time Sawyer Fulton takes a step forward, he takes two steps back. Finally, it seemed like he could get another chance to reshape his career with SAnitY, but shortly after this redebut, he was injured. Like Cal Bishop before him, I can see WWE being fed up with the lack of progress and wishing to let him go with a pat on the back for trying and all the best wishes, but never really looking to re-sign him again.

3. Angelo Dawkins

In comparison to Angelo Dawkins, WWE has nixed many NXT wrestlers who competed on a more regular basis and were much more advanced, more popular, and more useful to the show in the past, so why wouldn't he be sticking around? It seems like the majority of his tenure has been spent working live events and popping up as a jobber only a handful of times per year. Nothing short of a miracle rebranding and repackaging as well as an upgrade in skills would convince me that Dawkins will be in WWE in 2018, and I'm not just trying to stirring things up.

2. Tyson Kidd

Sadly, I've lost all hope that Tyson Kidd will ever return to in-ring action. Simply put, I think this is a situation where everybody knows he's done and no official announcement has been made because he's still locked into his contract. Once that expires (which I'm assuming will be this year at some point), a quiet release will happen. Essentially, he won't be "fired" as much as his contract will cease and not be renewed as he can no longer perform.

NOTE: Listen to the podcast below for our thoughts on Paige, who I retroactively need to insert into the mix as my new #2 above even Tyson Kidd.

1. Rosa Mendes

I was wrong about this last year, but give me a break, she HAS to be released this year, right?! I don't have anything personally against her and I'd hope she would be very successful in whatever other job she has, but I can't fathom why WWE would ever want to keep her around when she's received paychecks for doing absolutely nothing for the entirety of 2016 and was in the company that many years without ever improving. When is enough enough? Unless somehow, some way, she's trained to become a better wrestler and will be stepping back into the ring on the main roster, I can't see how she doesn't leave WWE this year, as she wasn't even utilized on Total Divas or doing any other kind of role in the company like a backstage interviewer, valet, etc. Similar to Summer Rae, she can move on to doing modeling and other things and will probably be much better off, with the added bonus of being able to spend more time raising her family.


Check out our discussion on this topic on the latest episode of the Smack Talk podcast below!

While the beginning of the year brings about the ONE TO WATCH for 2016 where we discuss which WWE wrestlers are going to have the best year, the counterbalance to that is the FUTURE ENDEAVORS FORECAST.

In this segment, we discuss some of the people that we think will unfortunately not be on the roster come 2017 for one reason or another. Perhaps they will retire or be forced to take a leave of absence due to injuries. Maybe they will quit because of some kind of a dispute. Then again, most of them will probably just be flat out fired. Whatever the case may be, let's look at some potential options that will be wished the best of luck in their future endeavors this year.

Stay tuned to the list of releases from 2016 to see how the predictions turn out!

* NOTE: This isn't to say that we're necessarily wishing these releases upon the men and women that we mention. That might be the case for some, but generally speaking, this is about predicting what WWE will do more so than picking and choosing what we would like to see happen. This list represents the five that I feel the most confident will be gone, not who I would want to be leaving. *

5. Adam Rose

Knowing his situation with his child, I feel bad that this could happen, but at the same time, that doesn't mean he gets all the leeway in the world. Let's face it, Adam Rose just isn't working out. His best time was either as Leo Kruger in FCW or the first few weeks of Adam Rose in NXT and since then, it's been downhill. Everything he's put out for months on end has been garbage and WWE has to realize that by now. There's a chance he stays a jobber throughout the year and doesn't get released until 2017, but I don't see a ton of releases happening this year and this is one that I have to put on the list as a definite possibility.

4. Daniel Bryan

Yes, I unfortunately think that the IWC darling will be calling it quits this year. There doesn't appear to be any budging when it comes to signing off on his allowance back in the ring and the more interviews that come out, the more upset it seems Bryan is getting. With him talking about wrestling in other companies, he's probably already planning on doing that and just can't officially say anything until his contract expires. WWE likely feels he's too much of a medical liability to allow to wrestle again and Bryan undoubtedly feels the opposite, so if the company doesn't let him wrestle, he'll probably take his leave, go somewhere else, and eventually when he wants to retire start working with WWE again as a trainer or something a few years from now.

3. Angelo Dawkins & Sawyer Fulton

This team is the bottom of the pecking order in the entire company and they aren't even being used as a stepping stone anymore. Fulton appears to have changed his appearance multiple times to figure out something that works, but none of it does. Dawkins is even less noticeable, which is sad. While I personally would love to see the two of them form a stable with Jack Swagger, I have no reason to believe that will happen.

2. Marcus Louis

I had this guy as my #2 last year, but somehow he squeaked by. I just cannot in good faith look at 2016 and think that he'll still have a job. He's been missing in action for months and before that, he was jobbing out. The likelihood that his contract expiring and WWE not renewing it will happen this year is amped up even more than last year, and I see no indication that the alternative will happen where he'll be repackaged and utilized in a better way.

1. Rosa Mendes

Rosa has not improved her wrestling skills since joining the company (or if she has, it's been nowhere near as much of an improvement as it needs to be), she's dealt with substance abuse problems and now she has a baby and is getting a new house built with her future husband. I just can't imagine that this year goes by with all those factors being worked in and somehow, some way, she decides to return to the main roster and go back to wrestling. This seems like as good a year as any for her to bow out and let her contract expire not just for her own self, but for WWE's roster as well.

Check out our discussion on this topic on the latest episode of the Smack Talk podcast below!

While the beginning of the year brings about the ONE TO WATCH for 2015 where we discuss which WWE wrestlers are going to have the best year, the counterbalance to that is the FUTURE ENDEAVORS FORECAST.

In this segment, we discuss some of the people that we think will unfortunately not be on the roster come 2016 for one reason or another. Perhaps they will retire or be forced to take a leave of absence due to injuries. Maybe they will quit because of some kind of a dispute. Then again, most of them will probably just be flat out fired. Whatever the case may be, let's look at some potential options that will be wished the best of luck in their future endeavors this year.

Stay tuned to the list of releases from 2015 to see how the predictions turn out!

*NOTE #1: This isn't to say that we're necessarily wishing these releases upon the men and women that we mention. That might be the case for some, but generally speaking, this is about predicting what WWE will do more so than picking and choosing what we would like to see happen.

*NOTE #2: I'd be picking more people from the NXT side of things if I knew who they were, as I think this year is going to have less releases than in 2014 and most of them will come from developmental. At least, that's as far as the more confident predictions that I have, instead of just tossing out some main roster names that could possibly go but aren't really looking too too bad as of late.

5. David Otunga

Otunga has a great look to him, he's obviously intelligent considering his Harvard background, and he has a famous wife, but he hasn't been seen in such a long time that it's pretty obvious WWE doesn't have big plans for him. It's kind of a wonder why he hasn't been released already at this point. Is he being groomed to just serve on the legal department and nothing else? One way or another, I can't imagine Otunga still being around in 2016 as an in-ring competitor and I honestly don't think we'll be seeing him as a manager or anything else of the sort, either. He'll be behind the scenes full time, if anything.

4. The Bunny and the Rosebuds of the Exotic Express

I wouldn't be surprised to see Adam Rose himself go at some point this year, but at the very least, he's going to be dropping his posse. They don't serve much of a purpose for a heel that shouldn't be liked (or a babyface that nobody does like despite being told that we should). That means The Bunny has to go, because that character's not going to stick around once the gimmick is gone. Then again, who would have thought Hornswoggle would still be here after all these years?

3. Devin Taylor

WWE goes through non-wrestling Divas like fat people go through plates at a buffet. It seems as though there is a six month shelf life where if they haven't proven themselves to be worthwhile in some fashion, they're doomed. Devin Taylor is a beautiful girl and she's far from being awful at her job as a backstage interviewer, but she's nothing special that they can't find in a hundred other 20-something models.

2. Marcus Louis

I have a feeling Marcus Louis will find himself having been chewed up and spit out after not only being shaved bald, but breaking up with Sylvester Lefort. When a tag team that isn't at the top of their game breaks up and the two individuals don't continue to be featured on a regular basis, it never ends well. Marcus has probably reached a point where WWE feels he won't advance much in his career and just isn't someone that they would like to invest much time and money into.

1. Justin Gabriel

When WWE send Tyson Kidd down to NXT, it seemed like a massive demotion, but he was able to gather his bearings and make the most of it. Not only did he work with the talent and boost them to a new level, but he was also able to up his own game. Now, he's wrestling more regularly on the main roster than he was at the beginning of 2014. They seem to have replaced him on NXT with Curtis Axel, so he may be doing the same in 2015. However, Justin Gabriel's been hanging down in NXT for quite some time and nothing is catching on. He's not advancing his mic skills, he doesn't have a new gimmick or even any new character traits for the fans to love or hate, and his in-ring work is the same as it ever was (not that it was bad before). Gabriel has been mostly booked as a jobber for over a year and that's a sign that he may find himself being on the list of post-WrestleMania releases this year when WWE is in "spring cleaning" mode.