It has been a few years since the legendary WWE bus photo was taken. What a lovely bunch of lads having a lovely time.
Unfortunately, times have changed and so have the circumstances for everyone in this photo. As of this writing, everyone pictured above has been released by WWE at some point over the last four years.
Now, we will take a proper look at where each man pictured here is now.
Samoa Joe – Re-Signed to NXT
Let’s start with the easiest one, shall we? Samoa Joe was one of the most shocking names released by WWE on April 15, 2021. He had not competed in a match since February 10, 2020, being moved to the Raw commentary until his release.
Just two months after his release was announced, Samoa Joe made his return to NXT as William Regal’s new head of security. He did not last long in the role, resigning and being reinstated as a wrestler just a month later.
Joe has revealed in interviews that Triple H called him within hours of his release to work on a deal to come back. So, while he was released, the time Joe actually spent as a free agent was very short.
PAC – Signed to AEW
PAC walked out of WWE in October 2017 over a disagreement with his WrestleMania 33 pay-off and how he was being booked at the time. You’re telling me someone took offense to being booked to lose to Enzo Amore after a year of being pushed as an ultra-serious character? Inconceivable.
PAC had to deal with his WWE contract being frozen for quite a while after this. One year after walking out, PAC was finally able to return to the ring, wrestling for his old stomping ground Dragon Gate.
PAC continued to tour the world, wrestling for various promotions before appearing at AEW’s launch event in January 2019. He confronted Hangman Page and while their scheduled match did not take place at Double or Nothing 2019, PAC did eventually return to the company full-time where he still competes.
Braun Strowman – Free Agent
Another shocking WWE release to happen in 2021, no one would have expected Braun Strowman to be among the wrestlers WWE were looking to cut ties with.
He is as much of a WWE Guy as you can find but he was released by the company on June 2, 2021. It has since been reported that the move was made for budgetary reasons. This has been the same reasoning for WWE’s releases over the last year and a half.
However, there have since been talks of WWE having interest in Strowman returning to the company. The reports have said WWE is wary of AEW signing so many top stars and could be looking to bring Strowman back on a reduced contract.
Curt Hawkins – Signed to IMPACT Wrestling
Curt Hawkins wasn’t doing much in WWE at the time of his release on April 15, 2020. His tag run with Zack Ryder had fizzled out but he has since had a solid sun in IMPACT Wrestling under his real name, Brian Myers.
Myers has had a number of pay-per-view matches as well as a rivalry with Ryder, now wrestling as Matt Cardona.
Curtis Axel – Free Agent
Curtis Axel was also among the names released by WWE on April 15, 2020, ending his 13-year run with the company.
Since his release, Axel has remained fairly silent. He has yet to wrestle for any other promotion since being cut with not a lot of talk about him going around either.
He is a former Intercontinental Champion and multiple-time WWE Tag Team Champion, as well as being a third-generation wrestler, giving him a better pedigree than most.
Bo Dallas – Free Agent
Bo Dallas is a name even further removed from WWE than the rest of the names on this list. Dallas had not competed in a WWE match since Crown Jewel in October 2019. However, he remained under contract until April 15, 2021.
Reports have stated that Dallas would help with setting up equipment for WWE shows while he was not on television. He also started a family real estate business to begin thinking about life after wrestling.
Dallas has also not wrestled since his release.
The Good Brothers – Wrestling for IMPACT, AEW, NJPW
Despite being part of the main event of WrestleMania 36 Night One, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows were released by WWE on April 15, 2020, just days later.
The duo explained a lot about their WWE tenures in a tell-all podcast with Ryan Satin and Rocky Romero. They talked about conflicts with Paul Heyman and regretting not leaving WWE for AEW in 2019.
Once their non-compete clauses expired, they appeared for IMPACT Wrestling. This was prior to the days of the Forbidden Door being open, so for a time, this was their home. Gallows and Anderson won the IMPACT Tag Team Championship before debuting for AEW in January 2021.
They are currently part of AEW’s top angle as part of The Elite while also competing for IMPACT and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Bray Wyatt – Free Agent
The most recent WWE departure here and the reason for this list being made in the first place. Bray Wyatt was released by WWE on July 31, 2021, after eight years on the main roster.
Very little time has passed since his release as of this writing however we have gotten a number of details. It has been confirmed that Wyatt’s release was part of WWE’s budget cuts, a move that has reportedly frustrated talent and networks.
Wyatt had not appeared on WWE programming since the night after WrestleMania 37. He had lost to Randy Orton in his return match at ‘Mania before disappearing from television altogether.
It is still too early to talk about where or if Wyatt will wrestle again but whatever he decides to do, all of us here wish him all the best.
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