On June 2nd Ruby Riott was released by WWE alongside Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Lana, Santana Garret and Buddy Murphy.
As news of her release began to circulate, tributes poured in to the former WWE Superstar.
Indi Hartwell described Ruby Riott as a “lovely soul” while Liv Morgan said that any company who signs the star will be lucky to have her.
Posting her own reaction on Twitter, Bayley described how Riott was loved behind the scenes before calling her one of the “greatest wrestlers out there.”
Dori got all the dog Moms roses on Mother’s Day, sent me flowers when my grandma passed away, organized locker room birthday parties, sent a gift to Chelsea from all of us when she got hurt, made Jess a video to tell her we miss her AND is one of the greatest wrestlers out there.
— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) June 2, 2021
Arguably the most shocking departure out of the six was that of Braun Strowman. The “Monster Among Men” had been featured heavily for much of 2021, enjoying a high profile outing at WrestleMania 37 against Shane McMahon.
Even just a few short weeks ago, Strowman challenged for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania Backlash.
However, while the giant’s release may have been a surprise to fans, a new report has suggested it may not have been such a surprise to those behind the scenes. The report from Fightful Select details how Strowman’s monster contract may have played a part in his release.
According to Fightful, the former Universal Champion was earning over $1 million per year. It is also perhaps interesting to note that the contract was also said to run for a further two years having begun in 2019.
Aleister Black has also commented on his release, after initially saying that the news was a surprise, Black took to Twitch to elaborate further. The former NXT Champion explained that he had a good relationship with Vince McMahon and that Paul Heyman fought tooth and nail for him.